A pair of short yearlings by New York-based sires brought excellent results at the recently concluded Keeneland January sale, topping the New York-bred yearling offerings in two out of the four sessions and serving up a session topper on Wednesday.
The top-priced New York-bred youngster to go under the hammer was a bay colt by Girolamo who sold in Monday’s first session, January 6, to Akira Nakatsuji for $95,000 from the consignment of Serendipity Farm, Agent I.
Bred by Nicewonder Stable, LLC and foaled at Stone Bridge Farm in Gansevoort on March 9, 2013, the sale colt (Hip 358) is out of She’s Sterling, a winning Kentucky-bred by Silver Deputy. A daughter of the multiple stakes producer Miss Turlington, She’s Sterling is a half-sister to 1998 New York-bred Horse of the Year Incurable Optimist ($271,310), a multiple graded stakes winner bred by Dr. William B. Wilmot and Dr. Joan M. Taylor and campaigned by John and Theresa Behrendt.
The colt’s sire Girolamo, a Grade 1-winning sprinter by A.P. Indy began his stallion career for Darley at Sequel Stallions New York (2012-2013) before relocating to Darley’s Jonabell Farm in Kentucky for the 2014 breeding season.
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Topping all yearlings sold in session three on Wednesday was a February colt by the leading New York freshman sire of 2012 and leading second crop sire of 2013 Frost Giant (Giant’s Causeway), who stands at Keane Stud in Amenia. Consigned by Brandywine Farm (Jim & Pam Robinson), Agent VII the chestnut colt (Hip 1110) was purchased by Is It Real Stables for $85,000.
Bred by Sunrise Stables, which owns Frost Giant and is managed by Andrew Cohen, and foaled at Saratoga Glen Farm in Schuylerville, the sale colt is out of Sarahisittrue, a winning New York-bred daughter of Is It True bred by Herman Wilensky and owned by IEAH Stables. The dam of three foals, including a newly-turned 3-year-old colt by Frost Giant named Bambisfrostyracer, Sarahisittrue is a half-sister to stakes winner Rosebud’s Ridge (Tiger Ridge) and Grade 3-placed Successful Sarah. Sarahisittrue was bred back to Frost Giant in 2013.
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Leading the group of New York-bred mares (broodmares / broodmare prospects and racing / broodmare prospects) at Keeneland was black type-placed winner Pastel Gal (Hip 314), who sold for $190,000 on Monday in foal to The Factor. Frederick & May Construction obtained the 10-year-old mare from the consignment of Lantern Hill Farm LLC, Agent for Highfield Farm. A multiple graded stakes-placed runner ($135,537), Pastel Gal was bred by Elise B. Browne and Stonerside Stables and owned by Sackatoga Stable. She has four winning siblings, led by multiple stakes winner and $589,956-earner Lyracist (Sultry Song), and issues from the family of millionaire and Grade 1-winner Lost Mountain.
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Broodmare prospect Thescreenisred (Van Nistelrooy) was hammered down in Tuesday’s session two for $145,000. Chadds Ford Stable signed the ticket and Paramount Sales, Agent XII consigned the 5-year-old, who was bred by Anstu Farm LLC. A multiple winner of turf sprints and earner of over $100,000 for Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence, Thescreenisred (Hip 402) is a half-sister to Anstu Stables homebred Wired Bryan (Stormy Atlantic), a winner of three stakes races last year as a juvenile, including the Grade 2 Sanford ($537,474). Other siblings include Run Red Run (Afternoon Deelites), whose four stakes placings include a third-place finish in the 2007 Empire Classic ($198,628) and six-figure earner Jumping Jack Louie by Louis Quatorze ($116,619).
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Sing Dixie Sing by Dixie Union sold as a racing / broodmare prospect for $95,000 to Al Bell from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent for Sport Thoroughbreds LLC. Catalogued as Hip 1127, Sing Dixie Sing won last summer’s Arctic Queen at Finger Lakes two starts after being claimed by White Wabbit Wacing LLC. An earner of $237,352 (14-6-2-3), Sing Dixie Sing was bred by Mina Equivest LLC and foaled at Five Oak Farm in Saratoga Springs. Her second dam is multiple graded stakes winner Megans Bluff.
