O’Byrne pays $1.55 million for Bernardini colt

Hip 469 lit up the board during the third session of Keeneland’s September sale (Keeneland Photo)

Wednesday’s session topper for the Keeneland September Yearling Sale came
early on when Demi O’Byrne went to $1.55 million to secure Hip No. 469, a bay
colt by Bernardini out of Wilshewed (Carson City).

The Kentucky-bred yearling is a half-brother to Stormello (Stormy Atlantic),
who scored in the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity and Grade 2 Norfolk Stakes while
earning $700,100 on track, as well as My Best Brother (Stormy Atlantic), who
captured the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on September 2.

The trio’s second dam is the stakes-winning So Cozy (Lyphard),
who would go on in the breeding shed to produce fellow stakes scorers Consent
(Clever Trick), Special Alert (Gulch), Special Moves (Forty Niner) and Braari
(Gulch).

So Cozy’s daughters would themselves foal dual Group 3 hero The Pamplemousse
(Kafwain) and Group 2 victor All Bar One (Hennessy). The third dam of
Wednesday’s session topper is Special Warmth (Lucky Mike), who is the granddam
of multiple Grade 1 king and multi-millionaire Marlin (Sword Dance).

Wednesday’s session topper is currently the second-highest priced yearling of the sale (Keeneland Photo)

“It’s a
wonderful thing for
someone who’s been
so devoted to our
industry,” Parke
said of Currin, whom
she credited with
planning the mating
with Bernardini.
“(This colt) is such
an unbelievable
looking animal, and
he has the pedigree.
People kept coming
back to look at him
again and again.
There just weren’t
any holes in him.”

O’Byrne said it has not been decided whether the Bernardini colt will race in
the United States or be sent to Europe. The colt was bought on behalf of the
Coolmore partnership of John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor.

O’Byrne was active later in the sale as well when purchasing Hip 645, a Big
Brown colt, for $825,000.

“Obviously I liked
him. He’s a good
mover; a very
stylish horse,” said
O’Byrne, who added the colt would “probably” be trained by Todd Pletcher.

The Kentucky-bred foal came from the Warrendale Sales
consignment, agent for Whitechurch Bloodstock LLC, and easily surpassed the
$140,000 paid for him as a Keeneland November weanling.

O’Byrne wound up buying the top-two priced yearlings for Wednesday’s session when making the winning bid on Hip 645 (Keeneland Photo)

This female family also boasts Grade/Group 3-winning stallion It’s Freezing
(T. V. Commercial), who sired Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks queen Luv Me Luv Me Not, as
well as multiple Grade 1-placed stakes victor and sire Exuberant (What a
Pleasure).

Toward the end of the sale, Shadwell Estate Company Ltd. paid $650,000 for a
Dynaformer colt out of Grade 3 winner Effectual (Carson City). Consigned by
Three Chimneys Sales, agent for Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, as Hip
728, the Kentucky-bred bay was foaled on April 13.

The colt’s female line includes Grade 1 heroine Reluctant Guest (Hostage) as
well as Grade 3 divas Meter Maid (Geiger Counter), Lemon Maid (Lemon Drop Kid)
and Dowery (Full Pocket).

A bay colt by Medaglia d’Oro brought $600,000 from J.S. Company Ltd. early
on in the auction. Entering the ring as Hip 457, the Kentucky-bred foal came from the Lane’s
End, agent, consignment.

“He has very nice
conformation, and
the trainer (Yoshito
Yahagi) is very
interested in this
colt to train in
Japan,” said Keisuke Onishi, who signed
the ticket on behalf
of J.S. Company.

Hip 457 is headed overseas after being purchased by Japanese interests (Keeneland Photo)

The Medaglia d’Oro colt counts as his third dam dual stakes winner Whow
(Spectacular Bid), who is a half-sibling to Grade 1 victress Afifa (Dewan), Grade 2
hero Alias Smith (Al Hattab) and multiple Group 3 scorer Auction Ring (Bold
Bidder). This is the same family as champion Phone Chatter (Phone Trick).

The highest-priced filly of the session sold to Shadwell Estate Company Ltd.
for $525,000 as Hip 654. Vinery Sales, agent, entered the February 25-born lass
into the sale.

The chestnut miss is by Tapit out of Coral Necklace (Conquistador Cielo),
making her a half-sister to Canadian champion Ginger Brew (Milwaukee Brew),
multiple Grade 2 veteran Bourbon Bay (Sligo Bay) and stakes scorer Booyah
(Running Stag). The Kentucky-bred filly can trace her female family back to
Grade 1 winner Hatchet Man (The Axe II), Grade 2 victor Stop the Music (Hail to
Reason) and classic-placed Grade 2 hero Vision and Verse (Storm Cat), all of
whom were successful sires.

There were across-the-board gains when evaluating Wednesday’s third session
with the comparative fourth session in 2011. A total of 196 yearlings sold on
Wednesday for $34,573,000, an increase of 5.3 percent over last year when 215
brought $32,819,500. The average jumped 15.6 percent, from $152,649 in 2011 to
$176,393, while the median rose 11.5 percent, from $130,000 to $145,000.