After the Auction: Sustainable

Selected by Mary Cage from the 2012 Fasig-Tipton July Sale as hip 308 – Purchased for $200,000

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. These posts are generally just brief overviews of these horses’ racing records and pedigrees.

Second in her debut at Belmont Park in September, Sustainable was a disappointing fourth as the favorite in her second career start. Taking more than two months off, the dark bay filly returned on New Year’s Eve at Aqueduct, competing in a five and one-half-furlong maiden special weight, which would be the shortest distance at which she had ever raced.

Pressing the pace throughout, Sustainable seized a narrow lead turning for home, but was threatened by rivals on both sides. Digging in gamely, the filly refused to be passed, beginning to edge clear from these adversaries. However, the favorite – Sun and Moon – was quickly gaining ground on the outside as the horses neared the finish line. But she was too late. Sustainable acquired the victory by a nose.

Pedigree Analysis

Sustainable is a daughter of Forestry, a son of Storm Cat best known for producing the multiple grade one-winning Shackleford. In addition to Shackleford, Forestry has also produced the grade one winners Diplomat Lady, Discreet Cat, and Forest Danger. As aforementioned, Forestry is a son of Storm Cat, a legendary sire responsible for producing at least thirty-five grade/group one winners.

Out of the Mt Livermore mare Normandy’s Nell, Sustainable is a half-sister to the multiple 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 winner Strike the Deal, sharing the same successful broodmare sire. Mt Livermore is also the maternal grandsire of the grade one winners Flashy Bull and Sweet Reason.


Where could Sustainable's career take her? Now that she has tasted victory, many more could be in her future.

After the Auction: Screen Goddess

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. These posts are generally just brief overviews of these horses’ racing records and pedigrees.

Selected by Mary Cage from the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale as hip 42 – Declared out of sale

A disappointing sixth in her debut at Hollywood Park, in which she finished behind my grade one-winning sale selection Streaming, Screen Goddess sought redemption one day before the doors to Hollywood Park forever closed. On the final Saturday of racing at the Track of Lakes and Flowers, Screen Goddess went to post with Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens aboard as the heavy favorite in a field of eight.

In her previous start, Screen Goddess had traveled six furlongs over the all-weather track. Now, however, she had moved to the turf and stretched to the distance of one mile. Just as her pedigree would suggest, this change was perfectly suited for the daughter of Giant’s Causeway.

After exiting the gate in slightly sluggish fashion, Screen Goddess settled into position near the rear of the field. Stevens tucked the blaze-faced filly into a place along the rail as the pair trailed the field into the first turn while the bettors’ second choice, Abide in Me, led by a breathtaking margin into the backstretch. As Abide in Me lengthened her lead to twelve lengths, Screen Goddess gradually inched closer to her adversaries as the backstretch began to surrender to the far turn.

Steering his mount through traffic, Stevens split horses around the final bend before angling Screen Goddess to the outside as the field entered the homestretch. Although Abide in Me’s lead had dwindled drastically, several lengths still separated Screen Goddess from the vanguard with less than a quarter of a mile between her and the wire.

But the filly unleashed a remarkable turn of foot, surging forward to erase the distance that separated her from the leaders. Despite changing to the wrong lead in the final stages, Screen Goddess glided past her remaining rivals to draw away to win by a widening 1 ¾ lengths.

Pedigree Analysis

A daughter of three-time leading sire Giant’s Causeway, Screen Goddess shares her sire with twenty-five grade/group one winners, such as Aragorn, Eskendereya, First Samurai, Ghanaati, Giant Oak, My Typhoon, Our Giant, Shamardal, and Swift Temper. This bodes well for Screen Goddess, as eleven of Giant's Causeway's grade/group one winners are fillies or mares.

Screen Goddess’ dam, Topliner, is a daughter of the graded stakes-placed To the Hunt, who has also produced the grade one winners Starrer and Stellar Jayne. Topliner has carried on the ability to produce top-class runners, having yielded the grade one-winning Star Billing.

Topliner’s sire, Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Thunder Gulch, has found success as a broodmare sire, producing the dams of the graded stakes winners Crown of Thorns, Daddy Nose Best, Five Iron, and, of course, Star Billing. Although only sixteen other horses bred on the Giant’s Causeway/Thunder Gulch cross have raced, the cross has produced five stakes winners, including the graded stakes-winning Excited.

Her ancestry makes Screen Goddess’ success on turf come as no surprise. Giant’s Causeway, winner of six group ones on the turf in Europe, has found himself within the top five on the turf sires list for five of the past eight years, topping the list in 2006. In addition, Screen Goddess’ half-sister, Star Billing, excelled on the turf, winning the Matriach Stakes (gr. I) and the Senorita Stakes (gr. III) and placing in the Del Mar Oaks (gr. I), American Oaks (gr. I), and Honeymoon Handicap (gr. II) – all of which were contested on the turf.

Perhaps Screen Goddess’ debut was not the most inspiring, but once she found her home on the turf, she displayed spectacular promise. In fact, her maiden victory was so inspiring that it earned her a spot as a TDN Rising Star. Could she join my growing list of stakes-winning sale selections?

After the Auction: Fierce Boots

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. These posts are generally just brief overviews of these horses’ racing records and pedigrees.

As one of my selections from book one of the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Fierce Boots was sold to famed chef Bobby Flay for $200,000. Sent to the barn of Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, Fierce Boots was prepared for a racing debut at the iconic Saratoga Race Course.

However, things did not go as planned when the bay filly made her debut in early August 2013. Lunging and bobbling at the break of the mile and one-sixteenth turf maiden special weight, Fierce Boots never gained the momentum she needed and crossed the wire fifth of sixth.

Although she remained at the maiden special weight level, Fierce Boots took what is viewed as a drop in class when she made her next start at Parx. Making her dirt debut, the filly settled off the pace before closing well to score by a half-length.

A return to New York saw her take on stakes company on the turf at Belmont, but the filly did not fare well, finishing eleventh of twelve. Returning to the dirt and exiting stakes company to run at the allowance level at Aqueduct, Fierce Boots gained late to be fourth, beaten just over three lengths.

Fierce Boots looked to redeem herself at the stakes level on January 4 in the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct, which was her first stakes attempt on the dirt. Relishing the dirt surface, the bay filly led from start to finish as she coasted to a two-length victory.

Pedigree Analysis

Fierce Boots is a daughter of Tiznow, the two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) winner who has ranked among the top thirty sires in North America for the past six years, ranking among the top five sires in 2008 and 2009. Among his offspring are the grade one winners Bullsbay, Colonel John, Da’ Tara, Folklore, Gemologist, Morning Line, Tiz Miz Sue, Tizway, Tough Tiz’s Sis, and Well Armed, as well as the grade one-winning steeplechaser Mr. Hot Stuff. Tiznow is also the sire of one of my grade one-winning sale selections, Strong Mandate.

The dam of Fierce Boots, Shop Again, was a stakes winner who has gone on to produce Power Broker – a grade one winner at two and a graded stakes-winning, grade one-placed runner at three. Fierce Boots is a half-sister to this earner of $865,612 and with inaugural Breeders’ Cup Classic victor Wild Again as her maternal grandsire, the filly shares her broodmare sire with the likes of the grade one winners Cheiron, Emma’s Encore, Macho Again, Mea Domina, Pyro, and Wild Spirit.

Shop Again is a half-sister to the grade one-winning Miss Shop, the graded stakes-winning Trappe Shot, the stakes-winning Bought in Dixie, and the graded stakes-placed Bulling. Through this female line, Fierce Boots is a direct descendant of the Reine De Course mare Lady Be Good, a multiple stakes winner who begat the stakes winners Discipline, Disciplinarian, and Full of Hope.

HRN: Streaming: Racing's Newest Starlet

Each time I post a new article on my Horse Racing Nation blog, I post a notice on this blog. These notices include an excerpt from the beginning of that article and a link to the piece. My latest Horse Racing Nation article is. . .

Streaming: Racing's Newest Starlet

"Although declared out of the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Streaming remained on my watch list, as she was one of the horses I selected from the first session of the world’s largest yearling auction. She remained with her breeders, Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Edward McGhee, and was placed in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in Southern California.

I was fortunate enough to watch Streaming train one morning at Santa Anita while visiting for the Breeders’ Cup. The filly displayed impressive muscularity and composure for a two-year-old, galloping about the track in an easy manner. Upon this impression of her, my hopes only increased that she would become something special. . ."

Click here to read the rest of my newest Horse Racing Nation article.

After the Auction: Fantastic Vow

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. 

The hammer fell after a final bid of $150,000, giving the handler of the bay colt that stood in the ring the cue to lead the son of Broken Vow out of the auditorium. One of my selections from the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the colt now belonged to Jim and Susan Hill.

Placed in the barn of trainer William Hickey, the colt was given the name Fantastic Vow. Making his career debut in a mile and one-sixteenth maiden special weight on the synthetic surface at Keeneland, Fantastic Vow was sent off as the longest shot in a field of seven. But, after coming from off the pace, the colt shocked betters by rallying to capture the race by a neck.

Could more success be in Fantastic Vow’s future? His pedigree suggests it just could be.

Fantastic Vow is a son of Broken Vow, who has yielded the likes of the grade one winners Cotton Blossom, Sassy Image, and Unbridled Belle. A son of Unbridled, Broken Vow shares his sire with numerous spectacular stallions, including Empire Maker and the late Unbridled’ Song.

But the strongest aspect of Fantastic Vow’s pedigree is undoubtedly his dam’s side. His dam, Fantastic Shirl, was a stakes winner who placed in two graded stakes races. In addition to Fantastic Vow, she has produced the graded stakes-placed Fantastic Song and the stakes-placed Magnificent Shirl.

Fantastic Vow’s broodmare sire is Fantastic Light, a brilliant son of the outstanding damsire Rahy who earned more than $8 million and captured six group ones on various continents. His granddam (the dam of Fantastic Shirl), Lady Shirl, is a Reine De Course mare responsible for producing 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. I) victress Perfect Shirl, the multiple grade one-winning Shakespeare, and the multiple graded stakes-winning Lady Shakespeare.

Fantastic Vow has yet to work out, yet alone race, since his debut, but should he surface yet again, I will certainly be keeping my eye on him.

After the Auction: Homesick Angel

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. 

Hip 149, a bay daughter of Divine Park, stepped into the sales ring at Keeneland as one of the first horses in the ring for the second session of the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The bidding came to a halt at the price of $260,000, placing the well-bred filly into the hands of Sierra Farm.

Once ready to begin her racing career, the filly – given the name Homesick Angel – entered the barn of Philip Sims, for whom she made her first start in early October at Keeneland in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on the synthetic. While racing mid-pack, Homesick Angel encountered traffic troubles but managed to finish third in a field of nine.

The next month, she surfaced in a maiden special weight going seven furlongs on the dirt at Churchill Downs. She contended for the lead throughout, but was overtaken late, finishing second as the favorite.

Four weeks later, however, Homesick Angel proved that the third time is the charm. Facing ten other two-year-old fillies on closing day at Churchill Downs, Homesick Angel sat just off the pace while racing wide. Seizing the lead as the field turned for home, the filly kicked clear with ease to score by five lengths.

Pedigree Analysis

Homesick Angel is a member of the second crop of her grade one-winning sire, Divine Park. In his young career as a stallion, Divine Park has produced the stakes-winning, graded stakes-placed Dancinginthecircle and the grade one-placed Blonde Fog, as well as the stakes-placed Divine Ambition.

Homesick Angel is the first foal out of her stakes-winning dam, On the Menu – a daughter of Canadian Frontier. On the Menu’s dam, Don’t Trick Her, is one of the most remarkable broodmares in recent memory. An unraced homebred for Brereton C. Jones, Don’t Trick Her begat not only On the Menu, but also Check the Label, who granted her even greater success, winning four graded stakes events, including the Garden City Stakes (GI). She is also the dam of Include Me Out, who has become her best offspring yet, having won four graded stakes races as well, two of which have been grade ones.

Although an American-bred, Homesick Angel has a rather international pedigree, tracing back to numerous horses bred in Canada, France, Great Britain, and Mexico. Through her prosperous tail female line, Homesick Angel is the descendant of four Reine De Course mares.

Where could Homesick Angel’s career lead her? Only time will tell, but she is keeping good company by having raced on a “Stars of Tomorrow” card at Churchill Downs. Other horses to have done so include classic winners Believe You Can, Fort Larned, Rachel Alexandra, Shackleford, and Super Saver.

After the Auction: Tachi

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. 

The colt’s athletic build caught my attention as he stood in the sales ring at the 2012 KeenelandSeptember Yearling Sale, at which he was purchased for the bargain price of $34,000. Although he brought a small price, I knew this colt had the potential to become the athlete his conformation indicated he was.

The Indiana-bred colt, bred by Elm Tree Farm, made his debut at Indiana Downs on July 29, 2013, going five furlongs in a state-bred maiden special weight on the dirt. Settling several lengths off the pace, Tachi remained on the rail until he made his move in the latter stages of the race, swinging into the three path. Although he closed well, the colt could do no better than second, missing victory by a half-length.

A month later, Tachi made his second start, which again came in a state-bred maiden special weight – this time going six furlongs. Sent off as the heavy favorite, Tachi again raced quite a distance behind the leaders after being bumped at the start. Going four-wide as he made his rally, Tachi edged clear down the lane to score by 1 ¾ lengths.

In his third start, Tachi advanced to black-type company, competing in the Hillside Stakes at Indiana Downs for Indiana-bred juveniles. Utilizing his normal tactic of sitting far off the pacesetters, Tachi was left with an abundance of ground to make up. He found his best stride late, making an impressive move as he closed down the homestretch. Traveling wide, Tachi ran out of real estate despite his notable late kick, crossing the wire third – beaten just over two lengths.

Pedigree Analysis

Tachi was the first winner for the multiple graded stakes-winning Cowboy Cal. This makes him a grandson of one of the best sires in the world, Giant’s Causeway, who is the sire of numerous grade/group one-winning millionaires, including Aragorn, Creative Cause, Eishin Apollon, Giant Oak, Heatseeker, My Typhoon, Our Giant, Red Giant, Shamardal, and Swift Temper. Although fairly young, Giant’s Causeway has hinted at success as a sire of sires, producing the effective stallions First Samurai and Shamardal.

Tachi’s dam, Gioiello, is a half-sister to the graded stakes-winning La Dolce Vita and the graded stakes-placed Bijou. Gioiello is a daughter of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) winner Alphabet Soup – a son of Cozzene. Cozzene has proven to be a top broodmare sire, producing the dams of the grade/group one winners Distant Way, Zaftig, and Zo Impressive. Tachi’s fourth dam, the stakes-winning Tiffany Tam, was a terrific producer, yielding not only Tachi’s Canadian Oaks-winning third dam, but also the champion millionaire Regal Intention and an additional graded stakes winner.

After the Auction: Ketel Twist

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. 

There are few things more frustrating than “second-itis.” Repeatedly finishing second with a horse you know has the talent to win can be incredibly disappointing, so one could easily assume the connections of Ketel Twist felt this frustration. In her first three starts, the filly – one of my selections from the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale – played the role of runner-up, never finishing more than 2 ¼ lengths behind the winner.

In her debut, which occurred at Belmont Park on July Fourth going six furlongs on the inner turf course, Ketel Twist raced mid-pack before closing keenly to miss winner, a heavy favorite, by 1 ¾ lengths. That favorite was Richies Party Girl, who would go on to finish a strong fourth in a group three event at Deauville in France.

Ketel Twist stretched out to a mile and one-sixteenth next out, traveling over the turf course at Saratoga a month later. Sent off as the favorite, the Bill Mott trainee was rank as she sat off the leader and was edged late by La Reine Bourbon. At the beginning of September, Ketel Twist started in a maiden special weight at Saratoga of the same conditions, tracking the pace as the lukewarm favorite. Despite running gamely, she was outdueled by Courtesan, one of my 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale selections who outshone her by a half-length.

Three weeks later, Ketel Twist resurfaced at Belmont Park, where she made her dirt debut after the one-mile maiden special weight had been taken off the turf. Setting a steady pace, Ketel Twist held off a rally from a longshot down the homestretch, gamely fighting to score by a head.

Pedigree Analysis

A daughter of the late Dixie Union, Ketel Twist shares her sire with the grade one winners Hot Dixie Chick, Overanalyze, and Union Rags. Dixie Union is a son of Dixieland Band, who has proven to be a respectable sire of sires, producing not only Dixie Union, but also Bowman’s Band and Dixieland Heat.

Ketel Twist’s dam, Frozen Treat, is a daughter of the late Dynaformer, which allows Ketel Twist to be bred on the same Dixieland Band/Dynaformer cross as the grade one-winning Sharp Lisa. Although Frozen Treat only won a single race from ten starts, she is a full sister to the graded stakes winner Masseuse and a half-sister to the stakes winners Buff and Second Performance. Frozen Treat herself is taking steps toward becoming a successful broodmare like her dam, as she has also produced the stakes winner Catrageous.

After the Auction: Mosler

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale.

Each year during the largest yearling auction in the world, the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, numerous young Thoroughbreds sell for six-figure prices. But whether these expensive youngsters ever blossom into successful racehorses is a gamble in and of itself. If they ever earn back that large sum is an even greater risk.

As for Mosler, he is progressing toward proving his $1.05 million price tag worthy. One of my selections at the 2012 September Sale, Mosler has earned $49,000 in two starts and although he has a long journey ahead to equal or surpass his purchase price, he exhibits the potential to do so.

A half-brother to the multiple grade one-winning Contested, Mosler debuted on August 10, 2013 at Saratoga, finishing fourth as the second betting choice. Both the runner-up and third-place finisher – Sound of Freedom and Tiznowforamerica, respectively – won their subsequent starts.

Approximately a month later, Mosler made the second start of his career at Belmont, facing six rivals in a one-mile maiden special weight over the dirt. Despite being brushed at the start, Mosler went straight to the lead, setting a steady pace down the Belmont backstretch. He only extended his lead from there, drawing away in the stretch to score by 3 ½ lengths.

In just two starts, Mosler has already exhibited professionalism, which speaks volumes about his potential. What the future holds for this Bill Mott trainee, owned by Adele Dilschneider, is unknown, but it certainly appears bright.

Pedigree Analysis

War Front
Photo by Terri Cage

Mosler is a son of the hottest sire in town, War Front. A graded stakes-winning son of Danzig, War Front has sired fifteen graded stakes winners to date since entering stud at the renowned Claiborne Farm in 2007. Among those fifteen horses are the grade/group one winners Data Link, Declaration of War, Summer Soiree, The Factor, and Warning Flag (Sweet Orange). Not only is War Front capable of producing a quality racehorse, but he has also proven to be a top commercial sire. Currently ranked as the ninth-leading sire of yearlings in the world, War Front is the sire of the current sale topper at the 2013 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, a $2.5 million son of the During mare Blading Gold Ring.

As aforementioned, Mosler is a half-brother to the multiple grade one-winning filly Contested. His dam, Gold Vault, is a daughter of Arch, a sire of seven grade one winners. As a broodmare sire, the grade one-winning son of spectacular dam sire Kris S has yielded the dams of the dual classic-winning champion I’ll Have Another, the multiple grade one-winning champion Uncle Mo, and the group stakes-winning Lines of Battle – the latter of which is bred on the same War Front/Arch cross as Mosler. Gold Vault is a half-sister to the multiple grade one-winning sire Pomeroy and a direct descendant of the Oaks Stakes-winning Imprudence II.

After the Auction: Fascinating

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. *Note: If an “After the Auction” features a two-year-old, it will also be listed as a “Juvenile Spotlight.”

$1.3 million is the price tag attached to Fascinating’s name. A half-sister to the brilliant grade one winner Bodemeister, the filly sold for this large amount at the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale as the third-highest priced yearling and one of my selections at the near-two-week-long auction.

Put into training with the same Hall of Fame trainer as Bodemeister, Bob Baffert, Fascinating finished third in a pair of maiden special weights at Del Mar at the beginning of her career. Tracking the pace in each of these contests, Fascinating could do no better than third, though she closed more impressively in her second start than she did in her debut.

Despite having never won a race, the Virginia-bred filly’s connections thought highly enough of her to enter her in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (GI). Facing seven other talented juvenile fillies, Fascinating broke slowly and, as a result, raced near the back of the pack as the field galloped down the backstretch. With nearly 10 lengths separating her from the leaders, Fascinating remained comfortable as the trailer as the fillies entered the far turn.

Under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Fascinating began to make her move, swinging to the outside and making slight contact with Bajan around the bend while struggling to change to the desired lead while doing so. Once she found her best stride, however, her turn of foot devastated her nearby rivals as she raced toward She’s A Tiger. In spite of her impressive closing run, Fascinating ran out of time and distance, finishing a diminishing ½-length behind the winner.

Although Fascinating is still a maiden, she has proven herself as an incredibly talented filly. Without ever visiting the winner’s circle, the filly has found stakes success and is sure to find more in the future.

Pedigree Analysis

Obviously, being a half-sibling to a grade one-winning, multiple classic-placed horse in Bodemeister, Fascinating stems from a strong female family. Her dam is the graded stakes-winning mare Untouched Talent, who earned over $240,000 in her career. Untouched Talent’s bloodlines bring to the table a large amount of powerhouse sires. She is a daughter of the great sire Storm Cat, who is also an incredibly successful broodmare sire, being the damsire of brilliant horses such as the champions Folklore and Speightstown, as well as several grade one winners, including Dialed In, Sky Mesa, and Sidney’s Candy. Untouched Talent is also a granddaughter of the great sire A.P.Indy, who is the sire of her multiple graded stakes-winning dam Parade Queen. In just her first five generations, Untouched Talent traces back to a plethora of influential sires, including Northern Dancer, Roberto, Bold Ruler, Princequillo, Nijinsky, and Buckpasser. Notably, she is a direct descendant of the foundation mare of family 1-n – the stakes-winning Reine De Course mare Chelandry – thus allowing Fascinating to descend from the same tail female line as the dual-classic-winning champion Swaleand the group one-winning Americain.

Fascinating is a daughter of the elite sire Smart Strike, who topped the North American sires list in 2007 and 2008. A Canadian Hall of Famer, Smart Strike is also the sire of the champions Curlin, English Channel, Lookin At Lucky, My Miss Aurelia, and Soaring Free. Smart Strike is a son of Mr. Prospector, one of the most influential stallions to ever live. The Mr. Prospector sire line has produced an astounding number of champions, including six Horse of the Year honorees in the United States.

After the Auction: Strong Mandate

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. *Note: If an “After the Auction” features a two-year-old, it will also be listed as a “Juvenile Spotlight.”

UPDATE 9/2/13: Congratulations to Strong Mandate on becoming my first grade one-winning sale selection with his 9 ¾-length victory in the Hopeful Stakes (GI)!
UPDATE 11/2/13: Congratulations to Strong Mandate on his respectable third place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI)!

Winner of four-time Eclipse Awards, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has found great success at Saratoga, especially with two-year-olds. With an astounding total of thirty-nine victories in Saratoga’s various graded stakes for two-year-olds, it is undeniable that Lukas is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to juvenile races at the Spa.

On July 22, Lukas unveiled a two-year-old named Strong Mandate, one of my selections from the first session of the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. That day, the colt finished a disappointing fifth, but redeemed himself in his second career start, adding not only a furlong to the distance of his debut, but also blinkers.

Facing seven others in a six and one-half-furlong maiden special weight, Strong Mandate led from start to finish, always holding a generous advantage over his rivals. His easy lead left him with excess energy in the stretch, allowing him to draw away to an easy 4 ½-length win under a hand ride from Jose Ortiz, escaping from the betting public at 16-1 odds.

Could this visually impressive debut be a good omen for Strong Mandate's future?

Pedigree Analysis

Strong Mandate is a son of Tiznow, the two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) winner who has ranked among the top thirty sires in North America for the past six years, ranking among the top five sires in 2008 and 2009. Among his offspring are the grade one winners Bullsbay, Colonel John, Da’ Tara, Folklore, Gemologist, Morning Line, Tiz Miz Sue, Tizway, Tough Tiz’s Sis, and Well Armed, as well as the grade one-winning steeplechaser Mr. Hot Stuff.

Strong Mandate’s dam, who tragically died eleven days after foaling him, was the multiple grade one-winning millionaire Clear Mandate. A half-sister to the graded stakes winner Dream Scheme and the stakes winner A Diehl, Clear Mandate is also the dam of the multiple graded stakes-winning Newfoundland, the stakes-winning Full Mandate – who is the sire of the multiple grade one-winning Ron the Greek – and the group stakes-placed The Mighty Tiger.

This is an immensely strong female family, as Clear Mandate’s grade one-winning dam is a daughter of the grade one-winning Reine De Course mare Likely Exchange, who yielded Crème Fraiche – an earner of $4,024,727 that won seven grade ones. She is one of many Reine De Course mares in Strong Mandate’s tail female line, with the next being the stakes-winning Strange Device, who is the dam of the multiple stakes-winning Abstract. Strange Device is a daughter of the Alabama Stakes (GI) victress Escutcheon, who produced an astounding 14 winners, including Bourtai, who produced six black-type runners, including two Broodmare of the Years and the champion Bayou. Escutcheon’s own dam, Affection, is also a Reine De Course mare and in addition to Escutcheon, the French import begat the black-type winners Flat Iron and Sanford. The next Reine De Course mare in this colt’s pedigree is The Apple, the foundation mare of a strong female family that produced the likes of the champions Bold Forbes, Forego, Mar-Kell, Nellie Flag, and Nellie Morse. The earliest Reine De Course mare in Strong Mandate’s tail female line is Maid of Masham, a multiple stakes-winning mare. Other descendants of the Likely Exchange branch of this family include the group one winner To the Victory and the group stakes winner Headliner.

The maternal grandsire of Strong Mandate is the Canadian Hall of Famer Deputy Minister. This is incredibly beneficial, as Deputy Minister was the leading broodmare sire of 2007 and has served as the damsire of a multitude of grade one winners, including Curlin, Jazil, Magistretti, Redattore, Sarava, Tapizar, Telling, and To Honor and Serve.

After the Auction: Milam

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. *Note: If an “After the Auction” features a two-year-old, it will also be listed as a “Juvenile Spotlight.”

UPDATE 2/22/14: Congratulations to Milam on her 8-length win in the Pica Slew Stakes!

As a yearling, Milam’s presence and athletic conformation caught my eye via a live feed during the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Appearing able-bodied, the filly joined my list of “eye-catchers” from the large auction’s fifth session, in which she sold for $95,000. Less than a year later, she debuted at Ellis Park, winning first time out.

For trainer Eddie Kenneally, Milam was sent off as the second choice in an eight-horse field of juvenile fillies going six furlongs at the Henderson, Kentucky track. Exiting the gate from the inside post, Milam charged forward along the rail to seize a clear lead, racing two lengths clear of her nearest rival – the favorite, J J Julep – down the backstretch. Taking a slight breather around the far turn, Milam allowed that competitor to collar her, even permitting J J Julep to earn a slight advantage over her.

But Milam’s turn of foot proved to be too much for J J Julep and as the two led the other fillies into the homestretch, Milam began to kick clear and under strong encouragement from Eclipse Award-winning jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr., she coasted away from her opponent, easily drawing off to a 3 ¾-length victory.

Pedigree Analysis

Milam is a daughter of champion Street Sense, 2007 Kentucky Derby (GI) victor. Since entering stud in 2008, Street Sense has proven to be a tremendous sire of fillies, siring the grade one-winning  filly Aubby K, the graded stakes-winning filly Unlimited Budget, and the additional stakes-winning females Ice Cream Silence, Sensible Lady, and Silverette. Street Sense is a son of the spectacular stallion Street Cry, who is perhaps best known for siring the great champion Zenyatta. Including Street Sense and Zenyatta, Street Cry has produced an astounding thirteen grade/group one winners.

Out of the Forestry mare Autumnal, Milam is provided with the same maternal grandsire as four-time grade one winner Turbulent Descent, as well as the graded stakes-winning Magical Feeling. Forestry is a son of the legendary sire Storm Cat, whose many successes included serving as the broodmare sire of a multitude of grade one winners, including Bodemeister, Close Hatches, Drill, In Lingerie, Lord Kanaloa, Love and Pride, Sidney’s Candy, and Speightstown.

Milam’s fourth dam, the stakes-placed Passing Look, was a terrific broodmare, producing the likes of the grade one-winning Trumpet’s Blare, the graded stakes-winning Passing Vice, the multiple stakes-winning In My Cap (Milam’s third dam), amd the Turkish stakes winner Past Master. Passing Look is also the fourth dam of recent Virginia Derby (GII) winner War Dancer and the third dam of the grade one-winning sire Albert the Great.

After the Auction: Jimmy Connors

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. *Note: If an “After the Auction” features a two-year-old, it will also be listed as a “Juvenile Spotlight.”

Jimmy Connors – the human – won eight Grand Slam singles titles and two Grand Slam doubles titles. Jimmy Connors – the horse – has won a Monmouth Park maiden special weight. But he, too, possesses immense talent.

A two-year-old chestnut colt by Yes It’s True, Jimmy Connors was one of my selections at last year’s Fasig-Tipton July Sale, selling for just $20,000. He debuted at Monmouth Park on July 27, going five and one-half furlongs on the dirt. After tracking the pace from third, he was guided to the outside around the far turn as he aimed for the lead. Finding his best stride, Jimmy Connors coasted past the leaders in mid-stretch, drawing away to a 4 ¼-length victory.

Bred for precocity, Jimmy Connors displayed just that in his debut. The opportunities are endless for the colt and although he likely won’t reach the same level of brilliance in racing that the tennis player attained in his own sport, he could easily garner accomplishments of his own.

Pedigree Analysis

Jimmy Connors is among the talented army of Yes It’s True juveniles that have accumulated a large amount of wins this year, leaving him as the international leading sire of two-year-olds. Jimmy Connors shares his sire with the graded stakes winners Actin Good, Aikenite, Chantrue, Off Duty, Nordic Truce, Proud Accolade, Yesbyjimminy, and Yes He’s the Man.

The pedigree of Yes It’s True is rather understated, but also lined with indicators that he would become the successful sire he is. His sire, Is It True, only produced a pair of grade one winners – including Yes It’s True himself – but is by Raja Baba, the leading North American sire of 1980. Raja Baba was a fairly productive sire of sires, producing not only Is It True, but Royal Ski and Well Decorated.

The dam of Yes It’s True, Clever Monique, was a profitable producer, also yielding the multiple stakes-winning Honest Deceiver. Intriguingly, Yes It’s True’s seventh dam is Dancing Date, the dam of Terrang, who captured a record ten stakes events at Santa Anita. Yes It’s True is a descendant of American family one, the same female family that has yielded the grade one victors Gato Del Sol, Germany, and Tizway.

Yes It’s True’s broodmare sire is Clever Trick, who was also the damsire of such grade one winners as Came Home, Elegant Fashion, Nothingtolose, and Victors Cry. Clever Trick’s sire is Icecapade, a half-brother to the great Ruffian. Interestingly, Yes It’s True only has one trace of Native Dancer in his pedigree, which comes through Shenanigans – the dam of Icecapade and Ruffian.

Jimmy Connors’ dam has also 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. Jimmy Connors comes from a prosperous dam line and has Bertrando as his broodmare sire, providing him with the same damsire as champion Unrivaled Belle. This Yes It’s True/Relaunch cross is the same that produced the graded stakes-winning Off Duty.

After the Auction: Meadowood

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. “After the Auctions” feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. *Note: If an “After the Auction” features a two-year-old, it will also be listed as a “Juvenile Spotlight.”

Catching my eye in the sales ring at the Keeneland September YearlingSale (via an online feed), I quickly jotted down Hip 1386. A balanced, athletic-looking bay colt, the son of Harlan’s Holiday impressed me with his conformation and I watched as he drove the hammer to $190,000. Who paid that sum of money? Stonestreet Farm and George Bolton, the same connections that campaigned champion My Miss Aurelia, and, along with other owners, two-time Horse of the Year Curlin throughout the majority of his three-year-old campaign.

Hip 1386 grew into a colt named Meadowood, who debuted at Monmouth Park on June 23, 2013 against four other first-time starters in a five-furlong maiden special weight. The heavy favorite in the small field, Meadowood broke well from the rail and was urged by jockey Joe Bravo to contest the pace. Bravo continuously encouraged the bay colt and angled his mount to the outside as the horses entered the far turn, allowing Meadowood to draw even with the frontrunner, Amelia’s Wild Ride. Under strong handling from Bravo, Meadowood gained a narrow advantage as the field turned for home. Engaging in a battle with Amelia’s Wild Ride, Meadowood began to edge clear outside the sixteenth pole, coasting to a two-length victory.

Meadowood’s sire, Harlan’s Holiday, has found much success since entering stud in 2004, siring the likes of the champion Shanghai Bobby and the graded/group stakes winners Denis of Cork, Mendip, Necessary Evil, Saratoga Sinner, and Summer Applause. A multiple grade one winner, Harlan’s Holiday has recurrently crossed well with mares from the Unbridled sire line like Meadowood’s dam, Into Reality. Both Denis of Cork and Necessary Evil were produced from this cross, as were several other winners.

Into Reality herself was a rather successful racehorse, winning the Dipsea Trail Stakes at Golden Gate Fields as a three-year-old. Her success as a broodmare is still quite unknown, as Meadowood – her second foal – is the only one that has raced. But as a granddaughter of Unbridled through her sire Untuttable, Into Reality’s broodmare career receives much support, as Unbridled has been a terrific dam sire, producing the dams of the grade one winners Dream Rush, Lady Joanne, Orb, Shackleford, and Tapit. His sons – particularly Unbridled’s Song – have also proven themselves as maternal grandsires, siring the mares that foaled the likes of the grade/group one winners Better Than Ever and The Lumber Guy, as well as the graded stakes winners Hold Me Back and Super Ninety Nine.

Meadowood is a model of precociousness, making quite the impression as a yearling prior to becoming a win-early juvenile. He did not win his maiden by an overwhelming margin, but displayed notable professionalism in just his first start. This is just the beginning for a very promising colt.

After the Auction: Somewhat

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. This is the eleventh edition in a blog series called “After the Auction” that will feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. *Note: If an “After the Auction” features a two-year-old, it will also be listed as a “Juvenile Spotlight.”

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale provides thousands of yearlings to sort through, numerous catalogs to study, and two weeks to find at least one potential superstar from the group. The sale has recurrently proven to be a quality source for finding a successful horse, having offered two of the past five Kentucky Derby winners, four of the past five Preakness Stakes winners, and three of the past five Belmont Stakes winners.

On June 14, a two-year-old colt named Somewhat debuted at Musselburgh Racecourse in the United Kingdom, winning the race in a rather authoritative manner. Nine months earlier, Somewhat had been offered at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and although he drove the hammer to $190,000, the colt did not reach his reserve and therefore remained with his breeders, B. P. Walden, Jr., P. W. Madden, and G. McDonald.

The colt was sent to Europe and prepared for his racing career, which began in a seven-furlong maiden at Musselburgh over good to firm going. Sent off as the favorite in a field of six, Somewhat displayed greenness in the early stages of the race prior to taking the lead. Although he continued to run greenly, Somewhat responded well when asked for a rally by jockey Joe Fanning. Beginning to draw clear in the final furlong, the bay two-year-old held clear to prove himself as the best in the field, winning by seven lengths.

Boasting a rather international pedigree, Somewhat is a result of the mating between the American-bred stallion Dynaformer and the Irish-bred mare Sometime. His ancestry is largely influenced by Thoroughbreds bred in Ireland, Great Britain, and Italy, although traces of Argentine, Canadian, and French horses also exist within his lineage.

Somewhat’s sire, Dynaformer, was United States-based horse, but became an international stallion, having produced winners of some of the world’s greatest races, including Kentucky Derby (GI) victor Barbaro, Melbourne Cup (GI) winner Americain, and St. Leger Stakes (GI) conqueror Lucarno. Dynaformer was a son of the influential stallion Roberto and the tremendous broodmare Andover Way, who was a grade one winner on the track before later producing not only Dynaformer, but also the stakes winners Triple Elvis and White Bridle, as well as Black Speck – the dam of the group stakes-winning Lines of Battle.

Sometime – the dam of Somewhat – is an impeccably bred mare who is also the dam of the group stakes-winning Art Deco and the graded stakes-placed Friendly Banter. A daughter of the outstanding sire Royal Academy, who sired 171 stakes winners, Sometime provides her offspring with the same maternal grandsire as the group one winners Dabirsim, Finsceal Beo, Frozen Power, and Rule of Law.

But Royal Academy is not the only notable parent of Somewhat; her dam, Alidiva, is a Reine De Course mare and group stakes winner. In 1997, Alidiva was honored as Irish and Italian Broodmare of the Year when three of her offspring took home group one victories that season, becoming the only mare to accomplish that feat. Among her group one winners were the Italian and German champion Taipan and Sometime’s full sister, highweight Sleepytime.

Through his dam, Somewhat is a direct descendant of an astounding seven Reine De Course mares, beginning with the multiple stakes-winning Maid of Masham, who was born in 1845. The next Reine De Course mare in this colt’s pedigree is The Apple, the foundation mare of a strong female family that produced the likes of the champions Bold Forbes, Forego, Mar-Kell, Nellie Flag, and Nellie Morse. Continuing down Somewhat’s tail female line, you will find Affection, a French-bred mare that was imported to the United States in the early 1900s, where she produced the black-type winners Escutcheon, Flat Iron, and Sanford.

The aforementioned Escutcheon is among the abundance of Reine De Course mares that line Somewhat’s female family. Winner of the Alabama Stakes, Escutcheon had an incredible produce record, having sixteen foals – fifteen of which made it to the track and fourteen of which found the winner’s circle. Among those was Bourtai, yet another one of the blue hens that dwell in Somewhat’s tail female line. Bourtai produced six black-type runners, including two Broodmare of the Years and the champion Bayou. Among those stakes-winning Broodmare of the Years is Somewhat’s fifth dam, Delta, a mare who captured six stakes events and set a track record at Churchill Downs before becoming a champion broodmare.

This blue-blooded two-year-old is hopefully just the beginning of much success for my yearling sale selections of 2012. If his spectacular bloodlines are any indication, perhaps Somewhat will find even greater success in his future.

SUCCESS SINCE THIS ARTICLE:
WON: Denford Stud Washington Singer Stakes
2nd: Superlative Stakes (GII)