$475,000 Tapit filly paces huge day five

The session topper was part of a banner day that witnessed double-digit increases across the board (Keeneland Photo) Resuming from a Friday break, the Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued its juggernaut progress on Saturday when transitioning to Book 2. Topping the day five leaderboard was a $475,000 Tapit filly who was sold to Robert LaPenta’s Whitehorse Stables. Cataloged as Hip No. 1103, the Kentucky-bred gray was consigned by her sire’s home, Gainesway, as agent. The fifth session posted huge across-the-board increases compared to day five last year under the old format. On Saturday, 280 yearlings brought $35,308,000, a 36.9 percent jump from the $25,791,000 realized by 296 horses at the same session in 2012. The average climbed 44.7 percent, from $87,132 to $126,100, and the $112,500 median represented a 60.7 percent spike from $70,000. With five of 12 sessions in the books, 826 horses have raked in $188,693,000, an increase of 18.9 percent from the $158,644,000 grossed by 951 yearlings at this point a year ago. The average has soared 36.9 percent, from $166,818 to $228,442, and the median has skyrocketed 45.8 percent, from $120,000 to $175,000. “I think the sale continued as we had hoped,” Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said. “The format of Book 1 (which covered Monday through Thursday) left a lot of buyers unable to fulfill their orders, and they came out swinging today. The consistency of the prices was very, very strong. “Today was solid all the way through,” he continued. “The 60-percent increase in the median was quite dramatic, which shows the money was spread around among buyers. That’s a factor we like very much. We’ll just try to do it again (Sunday).”

A March 5 foal, the session-topping Tapit filly is a half-sister to stakes
winner Aquapazza (Stormy Atlantic). Their dam, Seeinsbelieven (Carson City), is
a winning half-sister to Grade 2 heroine Softly (Binalong) and Grade 3 victor
Coragil Cat (Forest Wildcat), who set two track records going a mile on
Arlington’s Polytrack.

Further back, this is the family of Grade 2 star Sara Louise (Malibu Moon)
and a number of Grade 3 winners, including Til Forbid (Temperence Hill); Scoop
(Gone West); Looking Cool (Candy Ride), successful in the June 29 Iowa Derby
(G3); and Mister Marti Gras (Belong to Me). Also notable in the female line is
improving sophomore Fordubai (E Dubai), the Illinois Derby (G3) runner-up who
just earned his first stakes win in the August 17 Straight Line at Arlington.

Gainesway also consigned a Broken Vow filly from a star-studded family, Hip
1204, who was snapped up by Borges Torrealba for $435,000.

The February 23 chestnut was produced by stakes victress Amelia (Dixieland
Band), making her a half-sister to Grade 3 hero Kindergarden Kid (Dynaformer);
stakes winner Assateague (Stormy Atlantic), fourth in Saturday’s Noble Damsel
(G3); and He’s Had Enough (Tapit), runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile (G1).

Amelia is in turn a half-sister to Group 3-winning sire Bertolini (Danzig)
and stakes queen Alchemilla (Deputy Minister). They are all out of Grade 2 diva
Aquilegia (Alydar), a full sister to champion Althea, who is herself the dam of
Japanese champion Yamanin Paradise (Danzig). The yearling’s third dam is
Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee (Never Bend), ancestress of a host of top
performers, led by Group 1 winner and noted sire Green Desert (Danzig).

A little later, LaPenta’s Whitehorse Stables went to $420,000 for a
three-quarter brother to Colonel John (Tiznow). Also a son of Tiznow, the
Kentucky-bred bay is out of Grade 3-placed Caroline’s Gold (Touch Gold), a
half-sister to Colonel John. The April 20 foal, who sported Hip 1245, came from
the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.

Colonel John won stakes on dirt, synthetic and turf, highlighted by the 2008
Travers (G1) and Santa Anita Derby (G1). An earner of $1,779,012 from his
15-6-3-1 line, he also scored in the Sham (G3), Real Quiet and Wickerr and
placed in the CashCall Futurity (G1), Goodwood (G1) and Swaps (G2). Colonel John
is now a hot freshman sire, with Sorrento (G3) heroine Concave his leading
performer so far.

Another three-quarter sibling is Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow), the third-placer in
the 2009 Santa Anita Derby and also-ran in the Kentucky Derby (G1), who has since
found new life as a steeplechaser. Successful in this season’s A.P. Smithwick
Memorial (NSA-G1) and Marcellus Frost Hurdle, he was most recently fourth in the
August 22 New York Turf Writers’ Cup (NSA-G1).

A Mineshaft half-brother to current Grade 2 star Authenticity (Quiet
American) commanded $400,000 from Maverick Racing. Appearing toward the end of
the session as Hip 1265, the February 6 bay was consigned by Bluewater Sales,
agent.

The Kentucky-bred colt was a pinhooking coup, for he brought only $50,000 as
a weanling at Keeneland in November. Authenticity’s breakthrough campaign this
year has added luster to his page, through victories in the May 3 La Troienne
(G2) and July 20 Shuvee (G3) and runner-up efforts in the March 30 Rampart (G3),
May 27 Ogden Phipps (G1) and August 25 Personal Ensign Invitational (G1).

Their dam, the unraced Court of Appeal (Deputy Minister), is a half-sister to
Grade 2-placed stakes scorer Statement (Seattle Slew). Close up in the family is
Grade 2 vixen Rahy’s Appeal (Rahy).

Early in the day, Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm purchased a full sister to
dual classic-winning champion and sire Afleet Alex for $400,000. The bay
daughter of Northern Afleet and the winning Hawkster mare Maggy Hawk was offered
by Three Chimneys Sales, agent for Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. The March
20 Kentucky-bred toured the ring as Hip 984.

Afleet Alex clinched an Eclipse Award as the champion three-year-old male of
2005, thanks to dynamic victories in the Preakness (G1) and Belmont S. (G1). His
sophomore campaign also featured romps in the Arkansas Derby (G2) and Mountain
Valley S. and a third in the Kentucky Derby. A prominent juvenile of 2004, Afleet
Alex garnered the Hopeful (G1) and Sanford (G2) and placed second in both the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Champagne (G1). After retiring with a
sterling record of 12-8-2-1, $2,765,800, he has gone on to a successful stud
career, siring such runners as 2010 Travers winner Afleet Express, 2009 Hopeful
victor Dublin and 2011 Breeders’ Cup Marathon (G2) scorer Afleet Again.

The filly is also a full sister to multiple Grade 2-placed stakes winner and
sire Unforgettable Max and a three-quarter sister to four-time stakes heroine
and Grade 3-placed Cash’s Girl (Northern Afleet). The yearling’s second dam,
Qualique (*Hawaii), captured the 1983 Demoiselle (G1). Qualique’s other
descendants include Italian highweight older mare Vale Mantovani (Wolfhound),
dam of a 2012 Italian co-highweight in Duca Di Mantova (Manduro).

Book 2 continues Sunday. Next week comprises Books 3-5, with the finale on
Saturday. Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m.

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