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| July Sale graduate Blind Luck Photo by Terri Cage |
Listed below in numerical order are my top ten selections in the sale, as well as ten honorable mentions, based on pedigree (which is unfortunate, as conformation is very important, especially at this sale, but was an aspect I was unable to judge):
Hip #75: This chestnut filly is sired by Tale of the Cat, who has been among the top ten leading sires for three of the past five years. In eleven crops, Tale of the Cat has sired 17 black-type winners, including the champions Gio Ponti, Malevola, and Platinum Couple, as well as the grade one winners Gathering, Glamour Puss, Lion Heart, My Trust Cat, and Tale of Ekati. Tale of the Cat is a son of the great sire Storm Cat, who is also the sire of the successful stallions Bluegrass Cat, Forestry, Giant’s Causeway, and Hennessy.
Hip seventy-five is the first foal out of Throw to Home, a half-sister to the graded stakes-winning and grade one-placed Santiva, as well as the graded stakes-placed runners Her Majesty and Take Arms. Notably, the third dam of hip seventy-five is Safely Home, the dam of not only the Hall of Famer Safely Kept, but also the graded stakes-winning Partner’s Hero. The sire of Throw to Home is Grand Slam, providing hip seventy-five with the same broodmare sire as the Japanese champion Goshawk Ken. The late Grand Slam is fairly new to the damsire ranks, but is a son of the productive broodmare sire Gone West, who is the damsire of such horses as the grade one winners Awesome Feather, Brilliant Speed, Game Face, Healthy Addiction, and Motivator.
This filly is bred on a cross similar to the one on which the graded stakes winners Catboat, Spellbinder, and Willow Creek are bred on, being mated on the same Storm Cat/Mr. Prospector cross.
Hip seventy-five, consigned by Allied Bloodstock, agent III, is Breeders’ Cup nominated and registered with the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Foundation (KTDF).
Hip #85: This chestnut son of Harlan’s Holiday shares the same sire as the multiple graded stakes winners Mendip, Riley Tucker, Tasha’s Miracle, and Willcox Inn. Harlan’s Holiday is sired by Harlan, a son of the great Storm Cat, who has yielded numerous successful stallions, as aforementioned.
Hip eighty-five has a very strong dam line, being a half-brother the multiple graded stakes-winning Tajaaweed, as well as the two other winners his dam has produced from six runners. Notably, this colt’s second dam produced the multiple graded stakes-winning and grade one-placed sire Mr. Greeley, as well as the black-type-winning granddam of Street Sense.
Bred on a Harlan’s Holiday/Northern Dancer cross, hip eighty-five is similarly bred to the graded stakes winner Summer Applause, as well as the stakes-winning and grade one-placed Twinspired.
Hip eighty-five, consigned by Select Sales, agent, is a Breeders’ Cup nominated colt eligible for KTDF registration.
Hip #105: Zensational lived up to his name in 2009, taking three of Southern California’s grade one sprint races. This colt is a member of his first crop. Zensational is a son of successful sire Unbridled’s Song, who has produced the blossoming sires Even the Scores and Songandaprayer. Unbridled’s Song is a son of Unbridled, who is the sire of such successful studs as Broken Vow, Empire Maker, and Grindstone.
This colt’s dam, Yankee Belle, has only produced one runner, which is also a Unbridled sire line descendant. That runner has won in Russia. The second dam of hip one hundred five is the black-type-winning Belle Nuit, a half-sister to the grade one-winning Ms. Eloise. Belle Nuit is the dam of the talented multiple grade one winner Octave (who is a daughter of Unbridled’s Song), the multiple graded stakes-winning dam of several black-type horses, and two other black-type winners.
Hip one hundred five’s damsire is Yankee Gentleman, who is new to the broodmare sire ranks. Yet his sire, Storm Cat, is certainly a successful damsire, being the sire of the dams of the champions Folklore and Speightstown.
Bred on an Unbridled’s Song/Storm Cat cross, hip one hundred five is similarly bred to the grade one winners Buddha and Magnificent Song, in addition to the graded stakes winners Half Ours and Noonmark.
Hip one hundred five, consigned by Frankfort Park Farm, agent, is a Breeders’ Cup nominated colt eligible for KTDF registration. He is my second top selection in the sale.
Hip #140: This colt is sired by a top commercial sire in Yes It’s True, who is the sire of such graded stakes winners as Actin Good, Aikenite, Off Duty, Nordic Truce, Yesbyjimminy, and Yes He’s the Man. This is the Bold Ruler sire line, which, of course, produced the tremendous stallion Seattle Slew and his highly successful descendants, such as A.P. Indy, Bernardini, and Pulpit.
This colt’s dam has produced the black-type-placed Elle Tish Slew. She is a half-sister to the graded stakes winners Canadian Frontier and Seeking Slew, as well as the multiple black-type-winning and graded stakes-placed Slewfoundmoney. Hip one forty comes from a prosperous dam line and has Bertrando as his broodmare sire, providing him with the same damsire as the champion Unrivaled Belle.
This son of Yes It’s True is bred on the same Yes It’s True/Relaunch cross as the graded stakes-winning Off Duty.
Hip one forty, consigned by Polo Green Stable, agent I, is Breeders’ Cup nominated and registered with the KTDF.
Hip #146: The late Dixie Union has recently been honored by his brilliant grade one-winning son Union Rags. The son of Dixieland Band is also the sire of this bay filly, providing her with the same sire as the additional grade one winners Dixie Chatter and Hot Dixie Chick.
Bright Line, the dam of this filly, has only produced one runner thus far, but is a daughter of the multiple grade one-winning Clear Mandate. Clear Mandate is also the dam of the multiple graded stakes-winning Newfoundland, the black-type-winning Full Mandate, and the multiple group stakes-placed The Mighty Tiger. The sire of Bright Line is Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Fusaichi Pegasus, who is very new to the broodmare sire ranks. However, his chances at becoming a effective damsire are good, considering he is a son of Mr. Prospector, who has produced the highly successful broodmare sires Seeking the Gold (damsire of Blame), Gone West (damsire of Union Rags), Kingmambo (damsire of Camelot), Carson City (damsire of Barbaro and Havre de Grace), Distant View (damsire of Cityscape), and Smart Strike (damsire of Dullahan).
Being bred on a Dixie Union/Mr. Prospector cross bodes well for hip one forty-six, as this cross is similar to the one on which Union Rags, as well as the graded stakes winners Bold Union, Dixie Band, Dixie City, and Gone Astray.
Hip one forty-six, property of Glencrest Farm, Four Star Sales, agent, is Breeders’ Cup nominated and registered with the KTDF.
Hip #157: Scat Daddy, this colt’s sire, has quickly become an effective stallion. He was the leading freshman sire of 2011 and has sired several talented horses in his young career, such as the graded stakes winners Daddy Long Legs, Daddy Nose Best, Finale, Lady of Shamrock, and Shared Property.
Hip one fifty-seven is the first foal out of Casa de Fuego, a half-sister to the graded stakes winners Cat on Tour and Tour of the Cat, as well as the graded stakes-placed Honorable Cat and the stakes-placed Tombi. Through his dam, this colt is a direct descendant of three Reine De Course mares, including his fourth dam, T.C. Kitten, who yielded not only numerous black-type horses, but the dams of the grade one winners Editor’s Note, Family Style, Hennessy, Hold That Tiger, Lost Kitty, and Pearl City.
This colt is bred on the successful Johannesburg/Northern Dancer cross, which has produced such horses as the graded stakes winners Diamond Tycoon, Looky Yonder, Radiohead, Red Jazz, and Shared Property.
Hip one fifty-seven, consigned by Allied Bloodstock, agent I, is a Breeders’ Cup nominated registered Pennsylvania-bred. He is my fourth top pick in the sale.
Hip #181: This colt’s grade one-winning sire Sky Mesa has sired over twenty-two black-type winners, including the grade one winners General Quarters and Sky Diva. Sky Mesa is a son of successful sire Pulpit, who is sired by the great son of Seattle Slew, A.P. Indy. Pulpit is a proven sire of sires, having also yielded the productive sire Tapit.
The dam of hip one eighty-one is Dance Fever, a daughter of a full sister to the champions El Gran Senor and Try My Best. Dance Fever is a three-quarters sister to the group stakes-winning and multiple group one-placed Castle Gandolfo, as well as to the grade one-placed Devonwood. This colt, of course, has the Reine De Course mare Sex Appeal as his third dam, as she produced not only the champions El Gran Senor and Try My Best, but also the multiple group stakes-winning Solar. Through his dam line, this colt traces back to an additional four Reine De Course mares.
Hip one eighty-one is bred on the same Sky Mesa/Mr. Prospector cross as the grade one-winning Sky Diva, in addition to the graded stakes winners Beethoven, Terrain, and Wonderlandbynight.
Hip one eighty-one, consigned by Gainesway Farm, agent I, is Breeders’ Cup nominated and registered with the KTDF. He is my third top selection in the sale.
Hip #205: Street Boss, the sire of this dark bay/brown colt, was a sensational sprinter in southern California and following a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), the chestnut entered stud in 2009. He has already sired three winners from his first crop, which first hit the track this year. He’s of course a son of the tremendous sire Street Cry, famous for producing not only Kentucky Derby (GI) champion Street Sense, but also the great champion Zenyatta.
Fashion Planner, the dam of this colt, has produced all winners, including the black-type-winning Step Out Smartly. The sire of his dam is Capote, who is also the damsire of the grade one-winning Line of David, as well as the multiple graded stakes winners Banned and Leah’s Secret. Interestingly, his third dam is La Affirmed, who yielded the multiple graded stakes-winning Della Francesca, the group stakes winners Bernstein and Country Cat, the group stakes-placed Unify, and the multiple graded stakes-winning dam of the grade one-winning sire Sky Mesa and the graded stakes-winning Golden Velvet.
Notably, this colt is a direct descendant of the great mare La Troienne through Busanda. Other descendants of La Troienne include the Kentucky Derby winners Go for Gin, Sea Hero, Smarty Jones, and Super Saver, as well as the champions Busher, Caerleon, Easy Goer, Folklore, Mineshaft, Pleasant Tap, Prairie Bayou, Princess Rooney, Rhythm, and Woodman.
Hip two hundred five, consigned by Lane’s End, agent, is Breeders’ Cup nominated and registered with the KTDF.
Hip #245: This colt is sired by Awesome Again, who has been one of the top one hundred sires in the nation since 2003, peaking at number six in 2007. He is the sire of numerous grade one winners and Breeders’ Cup champions. Grade one victors sired by Awesome Again include Hall of Famer Ghostzapper, champion Ginger Punch, Awesome Gem, Game on Dude, Round Pond, and Wilko.
This colt is out of Jane’s the Name, who has produced four winners from five runners, including the graded stakes-winning and course record-setting Silent Roar. Notably, Jane’s the Name is out of the group stakes-winning Fabuleux Jane, who is a half-sister to multiple champions and group one winners, such as Ajdal, Flying Partner, and Formidable. Fabuleux Jane is also the dam of the grade one-winning Joyeux Danseur, the graded stakes-winning Double’s Partner (by Damascus), the stakes-winning sire Fabuleux Dancer, the group stakes-placed Jareer, and the group stakes-placed dam of champion Arazi and group one-winning highweight Noverre. Through his dam, this colt is a direct descendant of four Reine De Course mares, including his third dam, Native Partner.
The broodmare sire of hip two forty-five is Trempolino, giving this colt the same broodmare sire as the grade one winners Action This Day, Blue Canari, and Round Pond. In fact, hip two forty-five is bred on the same Awesome Again/Trempolino cross as Round Pond, as the two share the same sire and broodmare sire. This colt is also bred similarly to the multiple grade one-winning Clear Mandate and the multiple graded stakes-winning and grade one-placed Flag Down, as he is bred on the same Deputy Minister/Sharpen Up cross.
Hip two forty-five, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, is Breeders’ Cup nominated and registered with the KTDF. He is my top selection in the sale.
Hip #308: Forestry, this filly’s sire, has been in the headlines lately with his classic-winning son Shackleford, but he has also produced the grade one winners Diplomat Lady, Discreet Cat, and Forest Danger. As a son of Storm Cat, the rest of his stud career looks bright, as Storm Cat is also the sire of the successful stallions Bluegrass Cat, Giant’s Causeway, Hennessy, and Tale of the Cat.
Hip three hundred eight is out of Normandy’s Nell, whose only runner is the black-type-winning Culotte. Normandy’s Nell is a half-sister to the grade one-winning Famous Digger, the graded stakes-placed Hecandigit, and multiple black-type-placed Naviator. Notably, this filly’s fourth dam produced the French champion Argument.
This filly is bred on the same Storm Cat/Mt. Livermore cross as the graded stakes winners Strike the Deal, sharing the same successful broodmare sire.
Hip three hundred eight, property of Normandy Farm LLC, Warrendale Sales, agent, is Breeders’ Cup nominated and registered with the KTDF.
Honorable Mentions:
Hip #9: A son of the champion
Afleet Alex, this colt is by a sire that has produced one champion, two grade
one winners, and a Breeders’ Cup victor. Interestingly, this colt’s second dam
is the dam of Belmont
Stakes (GI)-winning Sarava.
Hip #14: By
Successful Appeal, this filly shares the same sire as three grade one winners. The
dam of hip fourteen is Saaraband, a half-sister to numerous black-type horses.
Hip #25: This colt is sired by Elusive Quality, the sire of numerous grade one winners, including Smarty Jones, Raven’s Pass, and Quality Road. His dam, Second Strike, has yielded the multiple black-type-winning Double Espresso. Notably, he is a direct descendant of La Troienne.
Hip #51: By Unbridled’s Song brilliant son Zensational, this colt is out of a black-type-placed half-sister to the grade one-winning Seattle Smooth.
Hip #56: This
filly is a member of the grade one-winning Brother Derek’s first crop and is
out of a half-sister to the grade one-winning Sweet Talker and the graded
stakes-winning Silver Medallion.
Hip #89: By the blossoming Artie Schiller, this filly is the first foal out of a full sister to the black-type-winning Self Made Man.
Hip #142: The grade one-producing Yes It’s True is the sire of this son of a half-sister to numerous black-type horses, including the multiple black-type-winning and grade one-placed Anklet.
Hip #242: This colt’s sire, Mr. Greeley, has produced several grade one winners, including the champion Finsceal Beo. His dam is a half-sister to the multiple grade one-winning Vicar, as well as four other black-type horses.
Hip #321: By the young grade one-winning son of Empire Maker, Pioneerof the Nile, this filly is out of a half-sister to four black-type winners, including the graded stakes-winning Primitive Hall.
Hip #325: By
the multiple grade one-winning and grade one-producing Pleasantly Perfect, this
filly is out of a half-sister to two black-type-placed runners.
I will do a follow-up piece after the sale, spotlighting these horses again with the results of the auction.
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