NEWS: SALES

Select set of NY-bred yearlings set off some fireworks in Book 1 at Keeneland

Thursday, September 17th, 2015

keeneland-logoby Sarah Mace

Typically only a handful of New York-breds are presented for sale in the first book of the Keeneland September yearling sale, but those few on offer tend to do very well, and 2015 was no exception. In the first three sessions of trading that comprised Book 1 this year, four individuals of seven offered sold for prices ranging from $320,000 to $500,000.

The leaders of the pack were a pair of yearlings with exciting pedigrees bred by Newtown Anner Stud, foaled at the their Millbrook farm and offered by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent. Each, a filly and a colt, brought $500,000 in Tuesday’s second session of the auction.

The filly, Hip 446, is a dark bay or brown daughter of Malibu Moon who is a half-sister to six winners, topped by Grade 1 winner and earner of nearly a million dollars I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even). Out of Meguial (ARG), a stakes winner and winner at two in Argentina, the half-million dollar filly was purchased by Castleton Lyons. Her winning siblings also include stakes performers A Story of Revenge (Tale of the Cat) and I want Glory (Chapel Royal).

Also changing hands in session two for $500,000 was the Newtown Anner-bred Hip 307, a chestnut colt by Unbridled’s Song purchased by Teruo Ono. A half-brother to graded stakes performer My Name Is Michael, the sale colt is out of Graciously Soft, a half-sister to multiple Graded 1 winner Spoken Fur (Notebook), also a stakes producer, and to multiple graded stakes winner Unbridled’s Note by Unbridled’s Song.

The top New York-bred seller of Session 3, which concluded the Book 1 action on Wednesday was Hip 666, a Ghostzapper colt out of an unraced daughter of Storm Cat Stormy Bear, consigned by Paramount Sales, agent, and hammered down to Robert Baker and William Mack for $325,000. Bred by Jerry Bilinski in partnership with Roddy Valente and Rick Alfred and foaled at Bilinski’s Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, the chestnut colt is a half to Mr. Z by Malibu Moon, a stakes winner with multiple graded placings and earner of over $997,000. Under the second dam, stakes placed Amelia Bearhart, Outstanding Broodmare in Canada in 1996, are such luminaries as multiple grass champion Chief Bearhart, a $3.2-million dollar earner, Grade 1 winner Explosive Red and an array of other top achievers through multiple generations. The colt sold as a weanling to Springhouse Farm for $190,000 at the Keeneland November sale.

Not far behind the Ghostzapper colt with a sale price of $320,000 was session two-seller Hip 358 by the late Harlan’s Holiday, purchased by Ben Glass, agent, from the consignment of Peter O’Callaghan’s Woods Edge Farm, agent. Bred by Milfer Farm Inc. and foaled at Milfer Farm in Unadilla the dark bay or brown Harlan’s Holiday colt is out of placed runner Kaileysgal, by Unbridled’s Song, and is a half-brother to three winners, topped by stakes winner Tensas Cat. His second dam is Warside (Lord at War), a multiple stakes winner. The colt was previously purchased by L & D Bloodstock at the Keeneland January mixed sale for $185,000.

After a “dark day” Thursday, the Keeneland sale resumes on Friday, September 18 with the first of two session devoted to Book 2 and continues through Saturday, September 26, with all sessions beginning at 10 a.m. The entire sale is streamed live at Keeneland.com.

 

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