Relative of Pleasant Tap, Go for Gin tops Sunday at $430,000

Relative of Pleasant Tap, Go for Gin tops Sunday at
$430,000

Numbers continued strongly in positive territory (Keeneland Photo) A Quiet American colt out of a half-sister to champion Pleasant Tap (Pleasant Colony) and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Go for Gin (Cormorant) sold for the top price of $430,000 at Sunday’s seventh session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Unveiled late in the day as Hip No. 1943, the Kentucky-bred bay was knocked down to Bluegrass Hall/Brad Kelley. The April 9 foal represented a pinhooking home run for Baccari Bloodstock, which purchased the colt for a mere $22,000 as a weanling at Keeneland last November, and resold him here, as agent. “We waited all day for this colt,” said Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who signed the ticket on behalf of Kelley. “I thought he had that classic look and the pedigree said the same thing with Pleasant Tap and Go for Gin. I’m real pleased to get him. He went a little stronger than I thought he would. But the money is still here; people want racehorses.

“Before I quit the game I’d like to win another classic, and I’d like to win
it for Mr. Kelley,” Lukas added. “He’s been a trouper all week buying horses,
and I think we’re building a very, very solid racing stable.”

The session topper is out of the unraced A.P. Indy mare No Knocks. Her famous
half-brothers, Pleasant Tap and Go for Gin, were both millionaires who later
made an impact as sires. Pleasant Tap ranked as the champion older horse of
1992, the year he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and Suburban H. (G1) and
finished second to A.P. Indy in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). A model of
versatility, Pleasant Tap had also been runner-up in the 1991 Breeders’ Cup
Sprint (G1), and earned more than $2.7 million in his career.

Although Pleasant Tap checked in third in the 1990 Kentucky Derby, his
younger half-brother Go for Gin wore the roses in 1994. Go for Gin, who finished second in the Preakness S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1), ultimately retired with
more than $1.3 million in his account.

The yearling’s second dam, the winning Never Knock (Stage Door Johnny), comes
from the family of New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (NZ-G1) victor and
highweight Hulastrike (Straight Strike).

Ben Glass, as agent for Gary and Mary West, secured a Giant’s Causeway colt
for $300,000. Hip 1756, a Kentucky-bred, was consigned by Lane’s End, agent for
Fares Farm.

The May 9 chestnut was produced by Comeon Dixie (Mr. Greeley), herself a
half-sister to multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire and sire Limehouse (Grand
Slam). She is also a half-sister to the ill-fated Blues and Royals (Honour and
Glory), a 12-length winner of the 2005 U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2) in what turned out
to be his final start.

The colt’s third dam is Grade 2 heroine Blue Jean Baby (Mr. Prospector), the
dam of multiple stakes winner Denim Yenem (Ogygian). Her other descendants
include Japanese Grade 2 queen I Am Kamino Mago (Agnes Tachyon) and current
Japanese Grade 3 victress I Am Actress (Agnes Tachyon).

On Sunday, 292 horses brought a total of $20,575,000, an increase of 36
percent over the comparable session in 2010 when 296 horses brought $15,130,700. Average price for the day
of $70,462 rose 37.8 percent over last year’s average of $51,117. The median
price of $50,000 was up 26.6 percent over the $39,500 posted in 2010.

Just past the midpoint of the 13-day sale, Keeneland has sold 1,325 yearlings
for $186,405,000, up 7.3 percent from last year’s gross of $173,754,700. Average
price of $140,683 increased 23.2 percent from $114,237 in 2010. Median price
continued to hold strong, increasing 42.9 percent from $70,000 to $100,000.

The marathon continues Monday and runs through Saturday, with each day’s
trade opening at 10 a.m. (EDT).

For the complete catalog, results and live video of the auction, log onto
keeneland.com.