$2.2 million Indian Charlie filly leads robust Keeneland session

$2.2 million Indian Charlie filly leads robust Keeneland
session

A daughter of Indian Charlie, the sales topper is another exciting prospect from the outstanding broodmare Take Charge Lady (Keeneland Photo) The Keeneland September Yearling Sale’s priciest offerings thus far were led through the ring at Wednesday’s third session. Topping the leader board was a $2.2 million Indian Charlie half-sister to Grade 1 winners Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and Will Take Charge (Unbridled’s Song) that was gaveled down to Whisper Hill Farm. Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent, consigned the January 12-foaled sales-topper which sported Hip No. 541. Take Charge Indy, who suffered a career-ending injury in the July 28 Monmouth Cup (G2), retired with a mark of 14-3-4-2, $1,103,496. Winner of the 2012 Florida Derby (G1) and May 3 Alysheba S. (G2), he placed in five other graded stakes including the Donn H. (G1) and Clark H. (G1). Will Take Charge earned his biggest win to date in the August 24 Travers S. (G1) for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Also victorious in the Rebel S. (G2) and Smarty Jones S. earlier this term, the sophomore is expected to take his 12-4-2-0, $1,265,371, mark into the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G2) on September 21. All three were produced by the multiple Grade 1-winning Take Charge Lady (Dehere), an earner of more than $2.4 million. Winner of nine stakes, Take Charge Lady earned her signature wins in two renewals of the Spinster S. (G1) as well as the Ashland S. (G1).

A Tiznow half-sister to champion and leading sire Speightstown (Gone West)
went to Borges Torrealba Holdings for $1,750,000. Hip No. 446 was offered by
Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Aaron and Marie Jones.

The January 19 Kentucky-bred was reared by Silken Cat (Storm Cat), who was
voted Canada’s champion juvenile filly in 1996 after a three-for-four campaign
which included a victory in the Mazarine S.

Silken’s Cat most noted offspring is Speightstown, an earner of more than
$1.25 million and the champion sprinter of 2004 following wins in the Breeders’
Cup Sprint (G1), Churchill Downs H. (G2), True North H. (G2) and Alfred G.
Vanderbilt H. (G2). Speightstown was the leading North American-based sire in
2012 and currently leads in that category this year.

Also hailing from this family are Grade 1 winners Turf Passer (Turkoman) and
Mani Bhavan (Storm Boot). The filly traces back to Broodmare of the
Year Hildene (Bubbling Over), the dam of Hall of Famer Hill Prince (*Princequillo)
and champion juvenile male First Landing (*Turn-to).

From the same female family of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, Hip No. 523 brought the top price for a colt at the Keeneland September Sale (Keeneland Photo) A Medaglia d’Oro half-brother to 2010 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super Saver (Maria’s Mon) was sold to Spendthrift and Stonestreet Stables for $1.7 million. The March 30 colt, Hip 523, was also part of the Hill ‘n Dale consignment. A son of Supercharger (A.P. Indy), a full sister to Grade 1 winner Girolamo and Grade 2 winner Daydreaming, the colt also counts as half-siblings Grade 3 winner Brethren (Distorted Humor) and the multiple stakes-placed Lisa T. (Awesome Again). The yearling traces back to champion filly Numbered Account (Buckpasser), the ancestress of noted sire Private Account (Damascus) and juvenile champion Rhythm (Mr. Prospector). Regis Farms and Stonestreet Stables bought a son of Tapit for $1,550,000. The gray Kentucky-bred was offered by Gainesway, agent, and toured the ring as Hip 515. The April 10 colt, produced by Grade 3 winner Successful Outlook (Orientate), is a half-brother to the undefeated three-year-old filly Sweet Lulu (Mr. Greeley), gutsy head winner of the Test S. (G1) at Saratoga on August 24. An earner of $411,600 in four starts, the untarnished filly is expected to contest the $1 million Cotillion S. (G1) on September 21.

Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier acquired a Galileo half-brother to Irish highweight and
classic winner Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer) for $1.7 million. The March 22
Kentucky-bred was offered by Woods Edge Farm (Peter O’Callaghan), agent.

Reared by Starlight Dreams (Black Tie Affair), the yearling’s most noted
sibling is Mastercraftsman, Ireland’s leading two-year-old of 2008 following
victories in the Phoenix S. (Ire-G1), National S. (Ire-G1) and Railway S.
(Ire-G2). The gray later added victories in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas
(Irre-G1) and St James’s Palace S. (Eng-G1) at three, and concluded his career
with a mark of 12-7-1-1, $1,754,933.

Starlight Dreams, who also foaled Grade 3 winner Genuine Devotion (Rock of
Gibraltar) and Group 1-placed Famous (Danehill Dancer), hails from the family of
English highweight Celestial Storm (Roberto) and Group 2 winner Thawakib
(Sadler’s Wells), the dam of English and French highweight Sakhee (Bahri).

Business continued its upward trajectory with three days of selling in the
books. On Wednesday, 135 yearlings sold for $41,890,000, a rise of 21.1 percent
over the corresponding session in 2012 when 196 head sold for $34,573,000. The
session average skyrocketed 75.9 percent, from $176,395 to $310,296, while the
median was up an impressive 65.5 percent, from $145,000 to $250,000.

Cumulatively, 404 yearlings have sold for $111,511,000, a rise of 14.8
percent over last year when 457 head brought $97,103,000. The average is up 36.1
percent, from $202,829 to $276,017, while the median has risen 33.3 percent,
from $150,000 to $200,000.

The 12-day sale runs through September 21. According to the revamped format,
Book 1 continues Thursday beginning at noon (EDT). After the usual day off on
Friday, the auction resumes with Book 2 yearlings on Saturday and Sunday at 10
a.m. Next week comprises Books 3-5.

For the complete catalog, latest updates and live video of the sale, log on
to keeneland.com.