Making a strong Book 1 showing for the Empire State, both New York-breds that changed hands during the opening two sessions of the Keeneland November sale were standouts. Graded stakes placed Lady Samuri, in foal to Union Rags on an April 7 cover, brought $280,000 during Tuesday’s session, while a weanling colt by Sidney’s Candy was hammered down for $200,000 on Wednesday.
Lady Samuri, a 5-year-old mare by First Samurai bred by Tracy Egan and Lansdon B. Robbins III and consigned by Castle Park Farm LLC (Noel Murphy), Agent 3, was purchased by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, the buyer of Dayatthespa for $2.1 million one day earlier at the Fasig-Tipton November sale.
An astute $10,000 claim in April 2013 by trainer Yvon Belsoeur for owner Bruno Schickedanz, Lady Samuri (Hip 119) made a transition from turf to dirt racing and became a stakes winner at Monmouth, wiring the Lighthouse Stakes and, next out in her final career start, finishing third in the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher Stakes. She retired with a record of seven wins, two seconds and two thirds from 21 starts and earned $150,553.
Out of Redeye Rain, a winning New York-bred daughter of Instrument Landing bred Howard C. Nolan, Tracy Egan and Neil Goldstein, Lady Samuri has eight winning siblings, led by stakes winner Message Red by Cryptoclearance ($240,722), whose daughter Le Mi Geaux (First Samurai) is a Grade 3 winner.
BG Stables acquired the Sidney’s Candy colt, who sold as Hip 292 from Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent. Bred by SF Racing and foaled at Vinery NY at Sugar Maple in Poughquag on March 21, 2014, the chestnut colt is out of Evrobi, a winning daughter of Tabasco Cat. Evrobi has produced three winners, including Tell A Kelly by Tapit, who as a juvenile in 2010 won the Darley Debutante Stakes, finished second in the Grade 1 Oak Leaf Stakes and third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes.
The Sidney’s Candy weanling is Evrobi’s second registered New York-bred foal. She produced a Super Saver filly, who sold for $125,000 at this year’s Keeneland September yearling sale. Evrobi was bred to Gemologist this year.
