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Lane’s End 2022 Stallion Roster Topped By Quality Road At $150,000

Lane's End in Versailles, Ky., has released its advertised fees for the 2022 breeding season, led by leading sire Quality Road at $150,000, unchanged from the previous year.

Quality Road, a 15-year-old son of Elusive Quality, is led this year by Grade 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender Corniche, Grade 2 winner Astronaut, multiple Grade 3 winner Dr Post, and Grade 1-placed Dunbar Road.

After a standout debut season for his yearlings at auction, Grade 1 winner City of Light will stand for $60,000 after previously standing for $40,000.

A 7-year-old son of Quality Road, City of Light has been represented by a pair of seven-figure yearlings in 2021, including a $1.7-million colt that topped this year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Veteran sire Twirling Candy also saw his fee increase in 2022, going from $40,000 to $60,000.

The 14-year-old son of Candy Ride was led this year by Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer, joined by Grade 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender Pinehurst, Grade 3 winner Gear Jockey, and Grade 1-placed Dream Shake.

Two stallions' fees will be determined by the results at the Breeders' Cup.

Connect, an 8-year-old son of Curlin, is among North America's leading freshman sires, led by Grade 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender Rattle N Roll, who won the G1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October. He is also the sire of Hidden Connection, who earned a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies after taking the G3 Pocahontas Stakes.

The fee for Liam's Map could also fluctuate by the Breeders' Cup outcomes, starting with a base fee of $40,000. The 10-year-old Unbridled's Song horse has a Juvenile Fillies hopeful in Grade 1 winner Juju's Map.

The roster also includes newcomer Code of Honor, a Grade 1-winning son of Noble Mission whose fee will be announced after his final start in the G1 Clark Stakes.

Following is a complete list of advertised fees for the 2022 stallion roster at Lane's End.

Accelerate – $15,000
Candy Ride – $75,000
Catalina Cruiser – $15,000
City of Light – $60,000
Code of Honor (NEW) – TBD
Connect* – TBD
Daredevil – $25,000
Game Winner – $30,000
Gift Box – $10,000
Honor A. P. – $15,000
Honor Code – $20,000
Liam's Map* – $40,000
Mineshaft – $10,000
Quality Road – $150,000
The Factor – $17,500
Tonalist – $10,000
Twirling Candy – $60,000
Unified – $10,000
Union Rags – $30,000
West Coast – $15,000

*Stud fee pending Breeders' Cup results

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Caramel Swirl Rallies Late To Win Raven Run At Keeneland

Seventh in the field of eleven early, Caramel Swirl did not let traffic stop her from making a bid for the lead in the Grade 2 Raven Run. Over a fast track at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., the daughter of Union Rags went five-wide around the far turn to find racing room and outlast Joy's Rocket to win by a head.

Breaking cleanly from post eight, Junior Alvarado positioned Caramel Swirl toward the back of the pack early behind the leader Strong Silent and Cilla in second. Three-wide on the backstretch, traffic forced Alvarado to take his filly even wider on the far turn to find running room in the Keeneland straight. As Cilla took over the lead in the early stretch, Caramel Swirl and Joy's Rocket rallied to her outside. The two were head to head as they passed Cilla in late stretch, Caramel Swirl eking out a short lead as they approached the finish line.

At the wire, Caramel Swirl held the advantage over Joy's Rocket with Cilla in third. The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:23.42.

Find this race's chart here.

Caramel Swirl paid $8.60, $5.60, and $4.40. Joy's Rocket paid $19.60 and $10.40. Cilla paid $7.40.

Bred in Kentucky by owner Godolphin, Caramel Swirl is out of the Smart Strike mare Caramel Snap. She is trained by Bill Mott. With her win the G2 Raven Run, the 3-year-old filly has three wins in seven starts in 2021 for a lifetime record of 9-3-3-1 and career earnings of $317,300.

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‘Swirl’ the Girl in Raven Run

Caramel Swirl got just the better of an enervating final-furlong tussle in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland, dropping her nose down on the line just ahead of the over-achieving Joy's Rocket to earn her first stakes and graded stakes victory. The 33-10 second betting choice behind her Bill Mott stablemate Obligatory (Curlin), Caramel Swirl settled just behind midfield and raced three off the inside beneath Junior Alvarado before committing to a wide run around the turn. In hand approaching the quarter pole, she was angled six deep into the lane, hooked up with Joy's Rocket a furlong from home and was the recipient of a very fortuitous bob in. Cilla, lightly regarded despite her last-out score in the GII Prioress S., attended the pace from between rivals, was headed by the rallying duo at the furlong grounds and kept on gamely to be third. Obligatory, the 5-2 chalk, never landed a serious blow.

“She is just very honest. She's a very classy filly. She does everything you need to do in the race,” Alvarado said of the winner. “Today we were in a little tough spot on the backside, and I needed to get a little bit out of that spot because I wasn't really comfortable there, and she helped me to get out of there. Then at the same time, when I decided to pick it up a little bit to stay in contention, she was there for me. Like I say, she just really makes my job easier.”

Second in her first three outings, including behind future superstar Malathaat (Curlin), Caramel Swirl signaled her affinity for this very track and trip with a fifth-out 10 1/4-length romp in April. She could only manage seventh behind Obligatory in the GII Eight Belles S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard Apr. 30, but reemerged at Saratoga in July for a sharp first-level allowance victory that earned her a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. She was looking to bounce back off a fourth-place finish at 7-10 in the two-turn, seven-panel GIII Charles Town Oaks Aug. 27.

“It was a little tougher than when she won by 10 to break her maiden here (in April), that was for sure, but obviously with the step up in company and class–Junior gave her a super ride,” said Godolphin President and Racing Manager Jimmy Bell. “She showed true determination and grit and heart down the lane. Made it interesting, but we're happy to be here in the Winner's Circle.”

The Godolphin team was presented with a tray by Keeneland to commemorate its eighth graded stakes win at the Lexington oval. Bell, who it was recently announced will be retiring at the end of the year, was handed the tray by his son Gatewood, Keeneland's Vice President of Racing.

“Everything about it is special,” Bell said. “Keeneland is special. Obviously, Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin are very, very special, and seeing Gatewood over here, it's very, very, very special. I'm kind of at a loss for words. But happy also that so many of our folks from the farm could be over here that have such a hand in raising these horses. This being another homebred, it's just very special for the operation. Just very happy to be on the receiving end of things. Very appreciative.”

Saturday, Keeneland
LEXUS RAVEN RUN S.-GII, $250,000, Keeneland, 10-23, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:23.42, ft.
1–CARAMEL SWIRL, 118, f, 3, by Union Rags
               1st Dam: Caramel Snap, by Smart Strike
               2nd Dam: Fast Cookie, by Deputy Minister
               3rd Dam: Fleet Lady, by Avenue of Flags
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
O/B-Godolphin, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior
Alvarado. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-3-1, $317,300.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. Click for the eNicks report &
5-cross pedigree.
2–Joy's Rocket, 118, f, 3, Anthony's Cross–Queenie's Pride,
by Special Rate. ($47,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Team Hanley
& Parkland Thoroughbreds; B-Weston Thoroughbreds
Training & Sales (FL); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $50,000.
3–Cilla, 120, f, 3, California Chrome–Sittin At the Bar, by Into
Mischief. ($120,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEEJAN). O-P. Dale Ladner;
B-Brett A. Brinkman & P. Dale Ladner (LA); T-Brett A.
Brinkman. $25,000.
Margins: HD, 2, 4. Odds: 3.30, 24.00, 10.30.
Also Ran: Shalimar Gardens, Souper Sensational, Obligatory, Miss Speedy, Strong Silent, Minute Waltz, Someone Said So, Zainalarab. Scratched: Feeling Mischief, Just Read It.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Caramel Swirl is the 21st stakes winner and 11th graded winner for Union Rags, who has been potent when matched with Smart Strike mares, producing the likes of GISW juvenile Union Strike and GSW/MGISP Spielberg. He is the dam sire of 136 stakes winners, 52 graded, overall. Dam Caramel Swirl is out of GSW Fast Cookie, making her a half to the brilliant fellow Godolphin runner and now sire Frosted (Tapit) as well as GSW Indulgent (Bernardini). Another Godolpin stallion, champion 2-year-old Midshipman (Unbridled's Song), is under her third dam.

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Mendelssohn Colt Tops Opening Session Of Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale

The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale kicked off Monday afternoon with significant increases in gross, average, and median over the first session of the last two editions of the sale (2019-2020) and the lowest RNA rate since 2016, compared to full sale results.

A colt from the first crop of Mendelssohn topped Monday's session, fetching a bid of $230,000 from buyer Oracle Bloodstock, agent (video).

The bay colt was offered as Hip 189 by Dreamtime Stables, agent. Out of the Malibu Moon mare Tasha's Moon, a half-sister to Grade 2 placed stakes winner Esmeraldina, the colt hails from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Off the Tracks and Grade 2 winner and sire Concord Point. Hip 189 was bred in Kentucky by Classic Thoroughbred.

Earlier in the session, a son of Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags sold for $220,000 to Mac Robertson, agent for Novogratz Racing Stables (video).

Dark Hollow, agent, offered the colt as Hip 113. Out of the winning Flatter mare Safe Journey, the colt is a half-brother to four winners, including O Dionysus (Bodemeister) and Joy (Pure Prize), both multiple stakes winners on the mid-Atlantic racing circuit. Hip 113 was bred in Maryland by Dark Hollow Farm.

Mendelssohn was also responsible for the session's top-priced filly, which sold for $160,000 to Donato Lanni, agent for Caroline & Greg Bentley (video).

Offered as Hip 159 by Northview Stallion Station (David Wade), agent, the filly is a half-sister to a pair of winners out of the winning Curlin mare Split It. Bred in Maryland by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds, Hip 159 is from the immediate family of champion filly Epitome and multimillionaire War Story.

Rounding out the top five were a pair of fillies with strong pedigrees:

Hip 76, a daughter of Tiznow out of a Not For Love half-sister to four-time Grade 1 winner and two-time Maryland Horse of the Year Knicks Go, which sold for $150,000 to SBM. The filly was bred in Maryland by GreenMount Farm & Tiznow Syndicate and consigned by GreenMount Farm, agent.
Hip 11, a filly from the first crop of Preakness Stakes winner Cloud Computing, who is a three-parts sister to course record-setting stakes winner Dirty (Maclean's Music), which sold for $145,000 to Newtown Anner Stud. The Maryland-bred filly was consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, agent.

Over the course of the session, 149 yearlings sold for a gross of $4,577,300. The average – $30,720 – marked 25.6 percent and 16.9 percent increases over 2020 and 2019's first sessions, respectively. The median rose 33.3 percent to $20,000 from the first-session median of $15,000 achieved in both 2020 and 2019. Eight horses sold for $100,000 during the session, compared to two sold at or above that price point in 2020 and five in 2019. The RNA rate was 16.3 percent.

Results are available online. The sale resumes Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m.

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