Keeneland September Preview

Santa Catarina Tops Session Two
by Amelia Baldree

The second day of Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale was topped by Santa Catarina, a 4-year-old graded stakes winner by Unbridled who sold for $4.8 million. Santa Catarina won the G2 Hollywood Oaks as a 3-year-old and was runner-up in that year's G1 Kentucky Oaks. She last ran in July 2004 where she ran fourth in the American Oaks at Hollywood Park, her turf debut. She retired with 3 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds in 10 starts for earnings of $645,260. Bob and Beverly Lewis bought her for $950,000 at the 2001 Keeneland September yearling sale. Today Denali Stud consigned her for the Lewises, and the filly went to Eaton Sales partner Reiley McDonald after a bidding war with John Ferguson who walked away after bidding $4.7 million.

The second highest price of the day went to Storm Beauty who sold to Brushwood Stable for $2.2 million. Storm Beauty is a 9-year-old mare by Storm Cat who has produced stakes winner Renaissance Lady (who was the 10th highest price at $1.6 million). She is in foal to A.P. Indy. Be Gentle scored the third highest price at $2.1 million. The 3-year-old daughter of Tale of the Cat won the G2 Golden Rod, G2 Alcibiades and G3 Debutante as a 2-year-old last year. She is also in foal to A.P. Indy. Diamond A Farms, owned by Gerald Ford, was the buyer. Ford most recently ran Pleasantly Perfect in the Breeder's Cup Classic.

Unbridled Elaine Tops Opening Session of Keeneland November
by Amelia Baldree

Unbridled Elaine topped the first day of Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale. The gray/roan mare sold for $4,400,000 to John Ferguson Bloodstock, agent for Sheikh Mohammed. She is a 6-year-old daughter of Unbridled's Song-Carols Folly by Taylor's Falls and is in foal to Forestry; she has a 2003 filly by Rahy. Unbridled Elaine has a record of 6-2-1 in 11 career starts, including the 2001 Breeder's Cup Distaff and earned $1,770,740; she is also a half-sister to GI winner Glitter Woman.

The second highest price of the day was for Take Charge Lady, a bay mare by Dehere in foal to Seeking The Gold. She was purchased for $4,200,000 by Eaton Sales. She was a G2 winner at 2 and G1 winner at 3 and 4. Her record is 11-7-0 in 22 lifetime starts with earnings of $2,480,377.

Stellar Jayne, who most recently finished third in the 2004 Breeder's Cup Distaff, sold for $3,600,000 to John Ferguson Bloodstock. In 18 career starts she has 6 wins, 2 seconds and 3 thirds for earnings of $1,111,244. In 2004 she won the Grade I Mother Goose Stakes and G1 Gazelle. The 3-year-old filly by Wild Rush was sold as a racing or broodmare prospect, a decision to be made by Sheikh Mohammed.

Hip 426 - Storm Cat x Welcome Surprise © 2004 Emily Hufford

$8 Million - Wow! by Amelia Baldree Just a few days ago, Hip 426 at Keeneland September, a Storm Cat colt out of Welcome Surprise, was just another one of the hundreds of yearlings at Keeneland. On Tuesday, Hideyuki Mori, a Japanese trainer, and Irish agent Demi O‚Byrne began a bidding duel over Hip 426. Hideyuki Mori won, paying $8 million for the yearling colt. The price was a record for the fall yearling sale and was the fourth-highest price all time for a Keeneland yearling. Speculations were that the colt was bought for Fusao Sekiguchi, known for owning 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, but Mori declined to name his client and would not discuss his purchase with the media. Consigned by Lane's End, the colt is out of the Seeking the Gold mare Welcome Surprise, a G3 winner whose female family includes leading sire A.P. Indy and Summer Squall.

© 2004 Emily Hufford

Keeneland September Gets Underway The action is starting to heat up at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which starts on Monday. Over 4,000 horses will go through the ring. Your Turf Angels.com staff will be covering the sale with photos every day this weekend and on certain days during the sale. Those photos can be viewed here.

What Would Yearlings Do…
by Laura Ferguson

If you're a yearling, and have nothing better to do than endlessly walk back and forth, be poked and prodded, and never get two minutes to yourself in your stall, what do you do?

If you're the Giant's Causeway x Touch of Greatness filly, you catch your zz's where you can, eyelids drifting downwards as much as possible, opening only when you HAVE to walk. If you're the Kingmambo daughter of Catinca, you take it one step farther, falling so deeply asleep, your handler has to poke you in the nose to wake you up. If you're the half to Vindication or the half to Free House, you get your kicks by driving your handlers crazy when they want to pose you for the perfect conformation shot. They move your right front foot a half-inch over, you move your left back foot two inches back. The handler moves down to move the foot, you grab the leather shank, and wave the loop up and down in your mouth, looking all the world like a mischievous puppy, or better, the handler's shirt, surrendering the mouthful only if you get to back up several feet, starting the process all over again. A good twenty minutes of entertainment was spent watching this pricey pair relieving their boredom.

If you're a chestnut colt by Galileo waiting to be shown, you pretend to back up, but really attempt to lie down and roll on the patch of grass you're standing on, only to be thwarted at the last minute by your laughing handler. If you're a chestnut son of Giant's Causeway, you stop dead and pose for any camera that happens to point your way. If you're the Cherokee Run x Zinfandoll colt, you spook at everything you see, setting off all your fellow yearlings, performing aerial maneuvers with a grace and agility that is both breathless and maddening to behold. And finally, if you're the Fusaichi Pegasus x Reigning Countess filly, you try to reach for the grass that is just beyond the length of your muzzle, at the end of the dirt walkway, willing it to come just a little bit closer.

Every year the best selection of yearling Thoroughbreds available is offered at Keeneland in September. Thousands will pass through the sale ring in ? days. Here is a preview of some of the horses who will be offered. (For more complete information, please visit Keeneland's website)

Keeneland September by Laura Ferguson

The Keeneland September Sale annual marathon begins in a little more than a week. This mammoth event, which has something for everyone, routinely catalogues more than 4,000 yearlings, from the bluest of bloods to the bargain basement specials. In the absence of Keeneland July, the first two days of this sale have taken on an increasingly higher profile, and this year is no exception, featuring spectacularly bred first foals out of Grade 1 winners, and the newest editions from racing's top broodmares. Proven sires and young hopefuls with their first crops are equally represented. The consignors are there, with their immaculately groomed charges, barns decorated with flowers and banners which extol the latest family achievements. The rich and elite of the sport are there, making for grand people and horse watching. For many of these yearlings, this will be their moment in the spotlight, when bids flash up in dizzying six figure increments, and high stakes gambles are made on horses that have done nothing more than hint of promise. A look of the eye, the grace and length of the stride, the correctness of build - these are the things that go into the decision to take the plunge and buy into that promise. So much will happen between that day and the track, but in the meantime, we can dream . . . .

For those of you not blessed with a catalogue, which is on-line at Keeneland's website, here is a rundown of some of the top yearlings, at least on paper, selling the first two days of the sale. With nearly 500 catalogued in Book 1, I could go on all day, but I'll try and hit the highlights. Your intrepid Turf Angels staff will be journeying down to Keeneland next weekend, and will hopefully update this with photos and our impressions at that time. Anyway, without further adieu, here are some to watch for:

First Foals - All of these are the first foals for their dams:

Hip #11 is a bay son of A.P. Indy, who needs no introduction, and is out of multiple stakes winner Dianehill. Dianehill is by the illustrious Danehill out of Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Very Subtle. Dianehill was effective on both surfaces, and the presence of Danehill gives this foal both American and European appeal.

Hip # 36 is a chestnut son of the late Saint Ballado, whose daughter Ashado won the Kentucky Oaks this year, and is out of Grade 1 winner Golden Ballet, who dazzled early on, and went on to win the Santa Anita Oaks-G1 at three, before an injury cut short her career.

Hip #78 is a dark bay or brown filly by Forestry, whose offspring have been on fire at three, including Grade 3 winners Forest Danger and Smokey Glacken, out of millionaires and multiple Grade 1 winner Manistique.

Hip #117 is by Gone West out of Poetically, who was champion 2yo filly in Canada, and showed promise at three before her career was cut short by illness. Poetically is out of the stellar broodmare Primarily, who produced another Canadian champion 2yo filly in Primaly, and Grade 3 winner Whiskey Whisdom.

Hip #183 is a gray or roan filly, already named Rogers Girl. She is the daughter of Breeders' Cup Distaff-G1 victress Unbridled Elaine, and is by Rahy, who is responsible for such top fillies as Serena's Song and Tranquility Lake.

Hip #264 has a turf pedigree to die for. This bay colt is by the late, champion sire Danehill, whose offspring rarely sell in America, out of the champion Rainbow Quest mare, Fiji. Can't wait to see this one.

Hip #281 is a son of Fusaichi Pegasus out of the stakes winning mare, Hidden Cat. This Storm Cat mare is a half to Grade 2 winner Century City and is out of Canadian champion Alywow. Like the cross, and this family keeps getting better.

Hip #293 is a dark bay or brown colt by Storm Cat out of top sophomore filly Jostle. Winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks-G1 and Alabama S-G1, this mare should add some stamina to balance Storm Cat's precocity.

Hip #303 is another dark bay or brown colt, this one by Deputy Minister out of Lazy Slusan. Lazy Slusan matured late in her career to win the Santa Margarita Invitational-G1 and Milady H-G1, pushing her earnings over the $1 million mark in the process.

Hip #337 is a colt from one of the last crops of the recently pensioned Danzig, out of On A Soapbox, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks-G1.

Hip #426 is a chestnut Storm Cat colt, out of Grade 3 winner Welcome Surprise. The daughter of Seeking the Gold looks to add to her female family's golden legacy, as she is a half-sister to classic winners A.P. Indy and Summer Squall.

Another colt that hopes to generate sparks is Hip #455, a bay son of Storm Cat out of Bless, a full sister to Fusaichi Pegasus. Already named Blessed Storm, his connections are hoping to be blessed by the bidders.

Hip #472, already named Deputy's Hero, is by Deputy Minister out of Cindy's Hero, who won the Del Mar Debutante S-G1 at two. This family traces back to Silverbulletday and Saudi Poetry, so this line is known for its good fillies, while Deputy Minister has sired Open Mind and Go for Wand.

Hip #489 is by Kingmambo out of Crown of Crimson, a 3/4 sister to Excellent Meeting by Seattle Slew. This mare won the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill to earn black type in her own right before retiring to the breeding shed.

Others to Watch
Hip #85 is a dark bay or brown colt by Seeking the Gold out of Minister's Melody, a Grade 3 stakes winning daughter of Deputy Minister. While her first two foals have yet to start, there has been some talk about this guy, so we'll keep an eye on him.

Hip #112 is a dark bay or brown filly by Storm Cat out of Pennant Fever, making her a full sister to millionaires and multiple Grade 1 winner Raging Fever, Grade 3 winner Stormin Fever and the graded stakes-placed Roaring Fever.

Hip #136 is a stellar bay colt by A.P. Indy out of Beaumont Stakes-G2 winner Sahara Gold, and has been mentioned as one to watch. This is Sahara Gold's second foal, and this family can fly, as his second dam is none other than Breeders' Cup Sprint-G1 winner Desert Stormer.

Hip #137 is a bay filly by Carson City out of Sassy Pants, making this miss a half to Madcap Escapade, who took racing by storm this spring before suffering her first career loss in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, and being sidelined with an injury. Their two year old half-sister sold for a tidy sum of money, so expectations are high for this youngster.

Hip #142 is a chestnut colt by Gone West out of the top juvenile filly She's A Devil Due. The mare's first foal was a high-priced 2yo in training, and went to Japan, so it will be interesting to see how this one sells.

Hip #163's dam, Strawberry Reason, is rapidly making a name for herself, with Vindication the undefeated, but unlucky, champion 2yo colt, and a hot maiden winner in Scipion, who should make his stakes debut in Monday's Cradle Stakes. This latest colt is by Saint Ballado.

Touch of Greatness usually produces high-priced yearlings, including a recent sales-topping filly. The dam of hot sire Elusive Quality (Smarty Jones' dad), and a graded stakes winner in Rossini, this years' edition (Hip #180) is a bay filly, and for once they've gone away from a pairing with a son of Mr. Prospector, as Giant's Causeway, whose first crop is rapidly making a name for themselves on the track, is the sire.

The cleverly named Stars Indy Skies is Hip #200. The dark bay or brown filly is by A.P. Indy out of the speedy Advancing Star, making her a half to the ill-fated Advancing Storm, and current Grade 3 placed winner Catstar.

Hip #203 is a bay daughter of Kingmambo out of the stakes winning and Irish 1,000 Guineas-G1 runner-up Amethyst. This yearling appears destined to be a turf miler, as the dam is a full sister to 2,000 Guineas-G1 winner King of Kings (by Sadler's Wells).

Hip #220 features a bay colt by Storm Cat out of the multiple Grade 3 winning mare Brushed Halory. The Broad Brush mare's first foal was a winner at two, and her dam was a prolific producer, with four other stakes winners to her name, including Van Nistelrooy (by Storm Cat), and Blue Grass hero Halory Hunter

Hip #224 is another Storm Cat, this one a chestnut filly by Storm Cat out of Yorkshire Oaks-G1 victress Catchascatchcan. This mare's first foal sold for beaucoup bucks, and turned into Antonius Pius, and was a graded stakes winner at two, before bizarrely veering towards the rail and destroying his classic hopes. This filly appears to be an eye-catcher.

<B>Hip #251</B> is a dark bay or brown son of Kingmambo out of the fleet Eloquent Minister. A speedball on the track, this Deputy Minister mare thrown three stakes winners to date, two of them graded.<BR>

Hip #273 is by Dixieland Band out of Gold Rush Queen. This Seeking the Gold mare didn't do much on the track, but all three of her other foals have won, and Ender's Sister and Ender's Shadow, both by A.P. Indy, have won stakes this year, while her half-brother, Royal Assault, won the Sir Barton Stakes before finishing third in the Belmont-G1. Second dam was the hard-knocking millionaires Fit for A Queen, and this looks like a rapidly improving family.

Hip #277 is from the Estate of John Franks, and this dark bay or brown colt is the son of Fusaichi Pegasus, whose first foals appear to be justifying his hefty syndication price, out of Halo America. A grade 1 millionairess on the track, her two starters are stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed Marino Marini, and grade 2 placed Quick Temper.

Hip #307 is a dark bay or brown filly born to be quick. Her sire: Storm Cat. Her dam: Lost the Code, who was just a hard knocking claiming type on the track, but her first foal was champion sprinter Squirtle Squirt.

Hip #323 is by Kingmambo out of Miss Doolittle, a fast but fragile filly who placed third in the Schuylerville S-G2 before injuries forced her retirement. Her first foal, Broadway Gold, by Seeking the Gold, won the Astoria Stakes earlier this year. Precocity comes in the family, as the second dam was juvenile champ Eliza, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies-G1.

Hip #330 features a chestnut son of A.P. Indy out of an unraced full sister to Kingmambo and Miesque's Son, the strangely named Myhrr. Her first foal is an unraced 2yo, but the female side of this pedigree is one to drool over.

Storm Cat keeps popping up, and the latest representative is Hip #339, a half-sister to You out of the winning mare Our Dani. This one is bred to be quick.

Hip #346 features one of Seattle Slew's last crop. This dark bay or brown miss is out of the graded stakes winner Pleasant Temper, whose first foal, by Slew's son A.P. Indy, has won two of her first three starts.

The other Seattle Slew youngster to sell in the first two days of Keeneland September is Hip #391, a dark bay or brown filly already named Ski Seattle. This miss is out of multiple Grade 3 winner Ski Dancer, by Baldski, whose dam, when bred to Seattle Slew, produced champion 2yo Capote.

Hip #394 looks to be a nice one. By Unbridled's Song out of the Seattle Slew mare Starboard Tack, this gray or roan filly's two other siblings are stakes winners - Derby Trial S-G3 victor Patience Game and Star Queen. Her dam is also a half-sister to Canadian champion 2 year old colt Comet Shine.

Hip #396 is a full brother to top French juvenile colt Elusive City. By Elusive Quality out of Star of Paris, the breeders are hoping that lightning strikes twice.

Hip #442 features a half-brother to Fusaichi Pegasus, a bay son of Seeking the Gold out of the late Angel Fever. Angel Fever in turn was a full sister to Pine Bluff, so classic blood runs through this family.

Hip #448 is a golden son of Rahy out of Balistroika, who never made it to the track, but has hit pure gold as a broodmare. She has already produced the top miler Russian Rhythm, and a full brother to this guy, Perfectperformance, already notched his first stakes victory in August.<BR>

Hip #456 features a chestnut son of A.P. Indy out of Bluemamba, who won the French 1,000 Guineas. She hails from the immediate family of Orpen and Jules, and is a daughter of Kingmambo. Her first foal is a two-year-old.

Hip #465, already named Truman's Gold, is a dark bay or brown son of Seeking the Gold, and is the second foal out of the fleet Capote Belle, who won the Test S-G1.