After capping her 2021 season a distant 10th in the GIII Jimmy Durante S. Nov. 27 at Del Mar, her connections gave her some time away and brought their filly back July 2 in Delaware's Christiana S. sporting first-time blinkers. Gamely overcoming contact in the stretch, she held on to win by a half-length at 15-1 over a field which included dominating next-out winner Gizala (Ire) (Invincible Spirit). Resurfacing last out Sept. 6 in Colonial's Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks with first-time Lasix, she again fought through contact in the stretch to pick up second over familiar face Lady Puchi (Into Mischief) and SP Omixochitl (More Than Ready) at 30-1 odds.

Tracking from third on the fence after the jump here without the diuretic, Sparkle Blue pursued a clearing leader into the upper stretch after :23.02 and :47.77 splits to launch her winning bid outside of that rival at the furlong marker. Sustaining her kick and inching clear to a 2 1/2-length margin, she was comfortably clear of a hard-charging California Angel and Turnerloose, who chased her in to close out the trifecta.

“[Trainer] Graham [Motion] told me to let her be happy, let her be comfortable. She showed a little bit of speed going into the first turn and she was really happy there. She did great and we had a good trip,” said Joel Rosario after the race. “It looked like to the inside there the horse in front was coming in a little bit. I was trying to work it out to get her clear outside, and she did, and after that she just went on. It was perfect.”

Pedigree Note:

Sparkle Blue hails from the sought-after line of Silk n' Sapphire, making her a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf heroine Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect), who would later accomplish the rare feat of producing a Breeders' Cup winner herself when daughter Sharing (Speightstown) planted her flag in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2020. She would later travel to Royal Ascot in the second start of her 3-year-old season, and finish a game second in the G1 Coronation S.

In addition to the mother-daughter pair, Sparkle Blue also claims GSW & MGSP Colonial Flag (Pleasant Tap). The mare has had a bit more hard luck than their famous shared sister with only two of her first four foals being registered. Of those two, the winning Demimondaine (Tapit) sold for $900,000 at KEENOV in 2020 to Claiborne Farm. Her yearling colt by Speightstown brought $450,000 last month at KEESEP from White Birch Farm and Whitehorse Stables.

Half-sister Secret Jewel (Bernardini)–a $1.2 million KEESEP purchase by Besilu Stables–also flies the female line's flag as the dam of GIII Beaumont S. winner Twenty Carat (Into Mischief) and her four-time winning, older full-sibling Mystic Night. Mark of Success (Mt. Livermore), his dam's lone graded stakes-placed male, found the enclosure on four occasions and ran second in the GIII Risen Star S.  Sparkle Blue is the last registered foal for Silk n' Sapphire.

Friday, Keeneland
RUBICON VALLEY VIEW S.-GIII, $298,594, Keeneland, 10-28, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.42, gd.
1–SPARKLE BLUE, 118, f, 3, by Hard Spun
           1st Dam: Silk n' Sapphire, by Smart Strike
           2nd Dam: Golden Tiy, by Dixieland Band
           3rd Dam: Tiy, by Nalees Man
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Catherine Parke and Augustin Stable; B-Catherine Parke (KY); T-H. Graham Motion; J-Joel Rosario. $174,375. Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-0, $357,075. *1/2 to Mark of Success (Mt. Livermore), GSP, $153,388; 1/2 to Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect), GISW, $1,649,427; 1/2 to Colonial Flag (Pleasant Tap), GSW-Can, SW & MGSP-USA, $312,463. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–California Angel, 118, f, 3, California Chrome–Sea Mona, by Tiz Wonderful. ($5,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $5,500 2yo '21 OBSOPN). O-Chris Walsh; B-Irish National Stud (KY); T-George Leonard, III. $56,250.
3–Turnerloose, 118, f, 3, Nyquist–Goaltending, by A.P. Indy. ($32,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV; $50,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Ike and Dawn Thrash; B-William Humphries & Altair Farms LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $28,125.
Margins: 2HF, NK, HD. Odds: 4.51, 3.39, 6.64.
Also Ran: Bubble Rock, Majestic Glory (GB), Lady Puchi, Bicameral, My Philly Twirl, Sunroof, Heavenly Hellos. Scratched: Diamond Wow, Dolce Zel (Fr), Frippet, Oakhurst.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPshttp://www.equineline.com/tdn/pedigree.cfm?tk=SAR&cy=USA&rd=09/07/2015&rn=9&de=D  &ref=9104432. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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6th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 3:24 p.m. EDT
Continuing the parade of glamorous juvenile debuts at the Spa, Godolphin will send out homebred WADSWORTH (Quality Road), the first colt to the races for GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. victress Dickinson (Medaglia d'Oro). Second dam Little Belle (A.P. Indy) won the GI Ashland S. before going on to a runner-up performance in the GI Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks. That one is the full-sister to the granddam of Munnyfor Ro (Munnings), Canadian champion 3-year-old filly of 2021. The partnership of Repole Stable and St Elias Stable will send out a one-two punch in coupled entries Crupi (Curlin) and Point Proven (Gun Runner) for Todd Pletcher. The latter was a $675,000 KEESEP buy, and the half-brother to GIII Beaumont S. winner Twenty Carat (Into Mischief) hails from the female family of Breeders' Cup winning mother-daughter duo Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect) and 'TDN Rising Star' Sharing (Speightstown) through the second dam. Crupi ($275,000 KEESEP) claims half-relation Royal Spirit (Into Mischief), recently placed in the GIII Kitten's Joy, and second dam Caroni (Rubiano) produced GSW Mo Tom (Uncle Mo), MGISP Beautician (Dehere), and MGSW Red Ruby (Tiznow). TJCIS PPs

1st-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 12:35p.m. ET
Calumet Farm unveils TRACK MATE (Union Rags) over the long grass contest here, the son of MGISP Teammate (A.P. Indy) going to post for D Wayne Lukas. The dam is a half to top sire War Front (Danzig) as well as two-time GIII Jaipur S. winner Ecclesiastic (Pulpit); MGSP Riviera Cocktail (Giant's Causeway); GSW North Dakota (Medaglia d'Oro); and GSP Jay Gatsby (Giant's Causeway). Track Mate has sibling shadows to outrun as the half to SW Team of Teams (Elusive Quality), MGSP Team Colors (Street Cry {Ire}), and SP Seven Away (Oxbow). Another well-pedigreed homebred in Red Route One (Gun Runner) goes to post here as well, this one for Winchell Thoroughbreds. The second to the races behind stakes-winning full-brother Red Run, the colt's second dam is Broodmare of the Year Fun House (Prized), who produced champion 3-year-old filly and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Untapable (Tapit); millionaire GISW Paddy O'Prado; and the dam of GSW Majestic Eagle (Medaglia d'Oro). Freshman sire City of Light will be represented by $500,000 FTSAUG grad Battle of Normandy for West Point and Woodford Racing. TJCIS PPs

3rd-ELP, $60k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:46p.m. ET
Three well-regarded colts will line up next to each other in the gate here, led by SUNDANCE (Quality Road), an $800,000 KEESEP procurement for WinStar, Siena Farm, and Gainesway Stable. Out of 'TDN Rising Star' Cherry Lodge (Bernardini), half-sister to GISW Stormello (Stormy Atlantic) and his full-brother GSW My Best Brother, the dam's full-sibling Gala Award annexed the GIII Palm Beach S. while half-sister Atlantic Voyage (Stormy Atlantic) produced Canadian champion 2 & 3-year-old filly Curlin's Voyage (Curlin). Sundance will be his dam's first to make it to the races and is in Rodolphe Brisset's tutelage. Quality Road's other pricey juvenile in here is Brad Cox's Jace's Road, a $510,000 KEESEP buy for the West Point and Albaugh Family Stables partnership. Splitting those two is another debuting Godolphin homebred in Face Value (Medaglia d'Oro). He's out of Face It (Tapit), who is a half-sister to MGISW It's Tricky (Mineshaft), herself dam of MGSW Enticed (Medaglia d'Oro). That mare also produced GSP Enliven (Ghostzapper). Face Value goes to post for Brendan Walsh. TJCIS PPs

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The following list highlights mares on offer at either Fasig-Tipton’s Night of the Stars or Keeneland November Book 1 whose offspring have captured a Grade I event in either 2019 or 2020.

Fasig-Tipton November Sale

• MELODY LADY (Unbridled’s Song) – Hip 183

Stakes winner Melody Lady proved she could produce from the start as her first foal Buy Sell Hold (Violence) was a stakes winner at two and graded stakes-placed at three. Her second foal Volatile (Violence) was even more talented than his older sister, capturing this year’s GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. at Saratoga this season. A hairline fracture forced the $850,000 KEESEP buy to miss the Breeders’ Cup and retire to Three Chimneys a bit early. A daughter of MGISW and millionaire Lady Tak (Mutakddim), Melody Lady is part of the Hill ‘n’ Dale consignment and is offered in foal to either Kantharos or Violence.

• PARIS BIKINI (Bernardini) – Hip 196

Paris Bikini had a very brief career on the racetrack, but her first foal Paris Lights (Curlin) has proven quite talented, winning the GI CCA Oaks this summer at Saratoga. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, the half-sister to GSW & MGISP America (A.P. Indy) is in foal to Uncle Mo.

• SHARED ACCOUNT (Pleasantly Perfect) – Hip 207

GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf victress Shared Account is one of the few Breeders’ Cup winners to produce another Breeders’ Cup winner. Her daughter Sharing (Speightstown) captured the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last term. She is also responsible for stakes winner Riley’s Choice (Distorted Humor). Part of the Sam-Son dispersal, Shared Account is carrying a full-sibling to Sharing, who won the GII Edgewood S. in September.

Keeneland November Book 1

• GREER LYNN (Speightstown) – Hip 20

Greer Lynn has already produced an exceptionally talented filly in Grade I-winning millionaire Mia Mischief (Into Mischief), who summoned $2.4-million from Stonestreet Stables at last year’s FTKNOV sale. Greer Lynn also went through the ring at Fasig’s “Night of the Stars” last term, bringing $700,000 from SF Bloodstock while carrying a foal by War Front, who later died. A half-sister to graded winners Sing Baby Sing (Unbridled’s Song) and Roll Hennessy Roll (Hennessy), Greer Lynn will be consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock and is in foal to Medaglia d’Oro.

• HIGHTAP (Tapit) – Hip 26

MGSW Hightap had her top achievement as a broodmare this summer when her son Halladay (War Front) captured the GI Fourstardave H. He is set to make his next start in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile just two days before his dam goes through the ring carrying a foal by Hard Spun. Thanks to Halladay, she may prove to be quite a shrewd purchase for Hidden Brook, which picked up the mare for just $85,000 at last year’s KEENOV sale, carrying a filly by Union Rags.

• INDIAN MISS (Indian Charlie) – Hip 32

Indian Miss earned her stripes a broodmare early on in her career. Her second foal was champion and GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint hero Mitole (Eskendereya). The half-sister to GSW Live Lively (Medaglia d’Oro) was purchased by WinStar for $240,000 in foal to Into Mischief at the 2018 KEENOV sale and the resulting foal brought $525,000 from OXO Equine at the recent KEESEP sale. The bay will be consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Monday and is back in foal to leading sire Into Mischief.

• ITSAGIANTCAUSEWAY (Giant’s Causeway) – Hip 36

Itsagiantcauseway made less than $80,000 on the track and RNA’d for $17,000 in her last trip through the KEENOV ring back in 2015, carrying a foal by Mucho Macho Man. The resulting colt, Mucho Gusto, proved much more popular in the sales ring as a 2-year-old, bringing $625,000 from Michael Lund Petersen at EASMAY. He won a quartet of graded events and placed in several Grade Is while carrying Petersen’s silks and was sold privately at the end of last year. The chestnut captured the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational in his first start for his new owner in January. Taylor Made consigns Itsagiantcauseway, who is in foal to Medaglia d’Oro.

• TIZAHIT (Tiznow) – Hip 151

Tizahit proved to be a hit as a broodmare with her second foal, the speedy Come Dancing (Malibu Moon). A six-time graded winner, the bay captured the GI Ballerina S. last term and is headed to the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint off a win in the GII Honorable Miss H. in September. Becky Thomas purchased Tizahit for $175,000 in foal to Connect at the 2018 KEENOV sale and relocated her to Sequel New York. The mare RNA’d for $475,000 at FTKNOV last year in foal to Bolt d’Oro, but is offered carrying a foal by red hot Constitution this time around.

• YAWKEY WAY (Grand Slam) – Hip 172

A stakes winner at Saratoga, Yakwey Way’s first foal Tap It All (Tapizar) was also a stakes winner. Her third foal Spun to Run (Hard Spun) ran the field off their feet in last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and was second to champion Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) in the GI Cigar Mile. He is set to stand stud at Gainesway next season. Purchased by Sabana Farm for $200,000 at the 2015 KEENOV sale in foal to Violence, Yawkey Way will be offered by Taylor Made carrying a full-sibling to Spun to Run.

• EXPO GOLD (Johannesburg) – Hip 243

Expo Gold is responsible for the top 3-year-old filly this year, Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). A decisive winner of the GII Santa Anita Oaks and GI Alabama S., the chestnut was second in the GI Kentucky Oaks, but beat GI Kentucky Derby hero Authentic (Into Mischief) next out in the Oct. 3 GI Preakness S. Picked up by Blue Chip Thoroughbreds for just $15,000 carrying a colt by Danzing Candy at the 2019 CTBAJA sale, Expo Gold will be consigned by Taylor Made in foal to new stallion Catholic Boy.

• UNICORN GIRL (A.P. Five Hundred) – Hip 244C

Unicorn Girl is responsible for undefeated MGISW and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite Jackie’s Warrior (Macleans Music). Victorious in both the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S., the chestnut is already favored to take home champion 2-year-old male, but would be the overwhelming choice with a win at Keeneland Friday. Originally entered in the Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Unicorn Girl and her weanling colt by American Pharoah (Hip 244B) were supplemented to Keeneland November. Consigned by Beau Lane Bloodstock, Unicorn Girl is offered in foal to top sire Into Mischief.

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Sam-Son is partnering with the Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland organizations to present this rare opportunity for buyers to acquire world-class racing talent and breeding stock from one of the true breed-to-race operations in the business.

Ernie Samuel founded Sam-Son Farm in 1972 and built it into a world-renowned racing and breeding operation. After his death in 2000, his daughter Tammy Samuel-Balaz took over the reins at Sam-Son and led the farm to numerous victories and awards until her own passing in 2008. Today the farm is run by farm manager Dave Whitford and racing manager, Tom Zwiesler, under the leadership of owners, Rick Balaz (President), Mark Samuel (CEO) and Kim Samuel, who have sustained and built upon the farm's sterling reputation and legacy of success. After serious consideration and discussion, the owners have unanimously decided to initiate an orderly dispersal and to step back from active participation in the racing and breeding world.

Sam-Son Farm has bred and raced 44 graded stakes winners in the famed red and gold silks, including 37 classic winners, and 14 Grade 1 winners. The legendary operation has garnered 84 Sovereign Awards and won four Eclipse Awards, including the 2019 Sovereign Awards for Owner and Breeder of the Year.

The Samuel/Balaz families commented as follows; “We are enormously proud of the quality and longevity of Sam-Son Farm and have enjoyed nurturing and celebrating every stage of the equine cycle from breeding, to raising, to racing, to retirement and often, returning to the breeding shed. Our horses have given generations of our family such fulfillment and excitement over the years and we felt that the time had come, after five decades, to now share that legacy with the world. It was a bittersweet decision but one that we are committed to pursuing with integrity, transparency and respect. Our horses and our amazing, dedicated employees deserve no less.”

Sam-Son has seen its iconic red and gold silks carried by such champions as Dance Smartly, the first Canadian-owned and -bred horse to win a Breeders' Cup race and who, in her undefeated 3-year-old season of 1991, became just the second filly in history to win the Canadian Triple Crown.

Other champions include Breeders' Cup winner Chief Bearhart, Eclipse Award winner Sky Classic; Dancethruthedawn, Quiet Resolve, Rainbow's for Life, Ruling Angel, Silken Cat, Soaring Free, Wilderness Song and many more.

Sam-Son also bred and raced Grade 1 winner and influential sire Smart Strike, a half-brother to Dance Smartly. The son of champion Sire Mr. Prospector had a magnificent career at stud. A true sire of sires, Smart Strike topped the American General Sire List in 2007 and 2008 and was inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame in 2008.

Sam-Son's dispersal program will debut at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton November Sale with two stunning racing/broodmare prospects and two outstanding in-foal mares. This consignment will consist of 2019 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Desert Ride; recent Grade 2 winner Rideforthecause; stakes winner and track record holder Desert Isle in foal to American Pharoah and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Shared Account in foal to Speightstown.

Rideforthecause, a lightly raced daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Giant's Causeway mare Danceforthecause notched her first stakes win on Sept. 12 of this year in the G2 Canadian Stakes, at Woodbine. She represents one of the oldest and by far the most successful family in our program, dating back to none other than foundation broodmare, No Class. This filly's star is on the rise, making her a magnificent racing and breeding opportunity.

Woodbine Oaks winner Desert Ride dates back to Oleana through five generations, giving her the unique distinction of being a descendant of the oldest family in our program. She is a daughter of the Distorted Humor mare Fun in the Desert who herself is a half-sister to champion Eye of the Leopard. Desert Isle is by leading broodmare sire Bernardini and is also a member of this family.  She is a half-sister to Eye of the Leopard, making her a daughter of the champion filly and broodmare Eye of the Sphynx.

Sam-Son will also offer Shared Account, the first Breeders' Cup winner and dam of a Breeders' Cup winner to ever be offered at public auction. The accomplished daughter of Pleasantly Perfect captured the 2010 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and is in foal to Speightstown, so she is carrying a full sibling to Sharing, winner of the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Incidentally, both Pleasantly Perfect and Speightstown were also Breeders' Cup winners, making this offering a genetic masterpiece that is surely primed and ready to yield future generations of top-class racehorses.

“Sam-Son Farm has been an iconic name in Thoroughbred racing and breeding for nearly half a century. This program has produced numerous Grade 1 winners, champions and Hall of Fame racehorses. Sam-Son horses have had a profound influence in top pedigrees around the world and will continue to do so for many generations. Although saddened to see them dispersing their Thoroughbred holdings, we are honored to assist them in this process.” stated Boyd Browning, president and chief executive officer of Fasig-Tipton Co.

Sam-Son Farm will present its remaining in-foal mares at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of all Ages Sale. This consignment currently stands at 21 and will feature a unique audio-video presentation of each individual mare on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 9. This quality group includes Grade 1 producers Danceforthecause and Song of the Lark as well as young stakes-winning mares Checkered Past, Dance Again, Deceptive Vision, Mythical Mission, Smartyfly and Southern Ring. Covering sires include American Pharoah, Candy Ride (ARG), Into Mischief, Kitten's Joy, Speightstown. and Street Sense.

“Keeneland and Sam-Son Farm have enjoyed a long, successful relationship,” Keeneland President-Elect and Interim Head of Sales, Shannon Arvin said. “Over the years, a number of Sam-Son horses have raced here, and the farm received the prestigious Keeneland Tray during the 2005 Spring Meet to recognize its graded stakes success – a milestone that only 20 owners have reached in track history. We are privileged that Sam-Son has entrusted Keeneland to offer this distinguished group of mares at the January Sale.”

This announcement represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to invest into some of the most successful and lasting bloodlines in North-America that, until now, had been very difficult to access.

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5th-KEE, $70K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, post time: 3:18 p.m. ET
MYSTIC NIGHT (Into Mischief) is the second foal to make the races for his dam, a $1.2m Keeneland September yearling whose GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf-winning half-sister Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect) is the dam of GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Sharing (Speightstown) and SW Riley’s Choice (Distorted Humor). Secret Jewel is also kin to GSW Colonial Flag (Pleasant Tap) and GSP Mark of Success (Mt. Livermore). Peter Brant signed the winning ticket on Mystic Night at $500K at KEESEP and races the gelding in partnership with breeder Three Chimneys.

Ready To Answer (More Than Ready), a $340K KEESEP grad, is the first produce from his stakes winning dam, who cost $400K carrying this colt in utero at KEENOV in 2016. The February foal hails from the extended female family of Grade I winners I Ain’t Bluffing (Pine Bluff) and Borrego (El Prado {Ire}). TJCIS PPs

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