Top-tier New York-bred short yearlings find success in Book 1 at Keeneland January

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Hip 478 (Keeneland Photo)

By Sarah Mace

A quartet of New York-bred short yearlings brought sale prices of $150,000 and up in Book 1 of the five-day Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, which runs from Jan. 13-17. All four changed hands on the second of two sessions comprising the opening book. The topper was a $280,000 Candy Ride colt bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski who was snapped up by team Clement for an undisclosed client to become the fourth top-priced yearling of the session.

The immediate family of the top-selling Candy Ride colt, who sold as Hip 478[2], is familiar. Out of Sweet Aloha (Western Cat), the colt is a half-brother to New York-bred multiple stakes winners Filibustin (Bustin Stones) and Indy’s Lady (Take Charge Indy). Sweet Aloha, a winner in her own right, has produced four winners from four foals to start. The colt’s third dam is a half-sister to champion 2-year-old Capote, multiple Grade 1 winner Exceller and four more stakes winners.

Foaled on April 6, 2019, the colt was consigned by Stuart Morris on behalf of Bilinski’s Waldorf Farm. Signing the ticket was Miguel Clement, assistant to trainer Christophe Clement, his father. The younger Clement praised the yearling first as an individual in his own right. “I thought this was probably the best colt here in the sale, so it was a no-brainer for us. He’s a very exciting horse and we’re very lucky to get him. Hopefully he goes to the stable and Christophe will take it from there.”

Clement then explained that the colt’s New York-bred status made him worth the premium price-tag. “We bid more, without a doubt, because it was a New York-bred… As you know, the stable is very much into the New York-bred program. So, it’s exciting and hopefully we can see him on the racecourse. We actually think (being a New York-bred) is very appealing. The New York-bred program is a great program. We strongly advise many of our owners if they breed, to make them (eligible), for our sake it makes it beneficial for them to be New York-breds. It’s a great state-bred program.”

Consigner Stuart Morris said, “The colt was very, very well received. He sold well past his reserve. I thought he could be in that price range but it’s hard to get any horse into that price range in the market. He’s a lovely colt. And he’s in great hands with Christophe, but there were bidders all over the house on him; he was a very well-received colt.”

Another pair of colts, one by Constitution and one by Mastery, also brought strong final bids on Tuesday.

Hip 405[3], a bay by Constitution bred by Questroyal Stable, Inc and Hidden Lake Farm, LLC, went to Empire Bloodstock from the consignment of Mulholland Springs, Agent XXI, for $175,000. Foaled on April 4, 2019, he was a $97,000 buyback as a weanling at the Fasig-Tipton fall mixed sale in Saratoga.

The colt’s dam is multiple winner Personal Sunset (Belong to Me), who has produced two winners from two foals to race. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Dancingall Theway and full-sister to stake-placed Christies Treasure. The colt’s second dam Roses at Sunset is a sister to Valid Wager, a multiple graded stakes winner and sire; this is also the family of Purge and Namaste’s Wish. Questroyal Stable bought Personal Sunset a year ago a the Keeneland January sale for $22,000.

Clarmont Bloodstock Club went to $150,000 for Hip 643[4], a bay from the first crop of Mastery bred by Viking Bloodstock and foaled on March 8, 2019. Consigned by Indian Creek Agent, the youngster is out of Exogenetic (Unbridled’s Song), a half-sister to Exogenous whose stellar career was tragically cut short as a result of a freak paddock accident before the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Exogenetic’s progeny have a long and impressive record in the sales ring. She has also produced six winners from eight foals to start, led by graded stakes winner Super Ninety Nine, who earned nearly $400,000, and multiple stakes winner Elusive Horizon. The mare last changed hands at public auction when purchased by Trace Wood Farm for $180,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November breeding sale.

The top New York-bred filly of Book 1 was Hip 421[5], is a March 8, 2019 daughter of Practical Joke, whose first foals are yearlings of 2020, from the family of McKinzie. Empire Thoroughbreds signed the ticket for $150,000 on behalf of Kingsport Farm.

Bred and consigned by Sequel Stallions NY in partnership with Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, LLC, she is the second foal out of winner Ribbon Cutter (Elusive Quality), who was purchased by the breeders at the 2018 Keeneland November sale for $72,000. The filly’s third dam, multiple graded winner, Runway Model is the dam of McKinzie, a $3.3 million earner last seen finishing second to Vino Rosso in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November as the post-time favorite.

In Keeneland January’s opening book, 31 New York-breds sold for a total receipts of $1,866,000. The New York-bred average price stands at $60,194 while the median came in at $40,000. The cumulative average and median for the sale thus far were $69,326 and median $37,000. To date the New York-bred RNA rate is 18.4%, significantly lower than 27.5% for the sale at large.

The offerings of Book 2, spanning three sessions, will be sold Wednesday-Friday, with trading beginning at 10:00 a.m. each day.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Hip478KS1-20KLD236.jpg
  2. Hip 478: http://apps.keeneland.com/sales/Jan20/pdfs/478.pdf
  3. Hip 405: http://apps.keeneland.com/sales/Jan20/pdfs/405.pdf
  4. Hip 643: http://apps.keeneland.com/sales/Jan20/pdfs/643.pdf
  5. Hip 421: http://apps.keeneland.com/sales/Jan20/pdfs/421.pdf

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2020/01/15/book-1-kee-jan-2020-wrap/