Coolmore purchases $2.5 million War Front colt

The War Front colt, who ranks as the new sale topper so far, is one of 18 yearlings to sell for $1 million or more (Keeneland Photo) Book 1 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale ended with a crescendo Thursday, as a War Front colt vaulted to the top of the overall leaderboard when selling to Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier for $2.5 million. Consigned by Woods Edge Farm (Peter O’Callaghan), agent, Hip No. 712 was one of five horses to command seven-figure prices during the session. So far there have been 18 million-dollar yearlings, tying the number of seven-figure horses sold back in the heady days of the 2008 September Sale. Thursday’s figures again underscored the great success of the new format, with Book 1 extended to cover the first four sessions. Keeneland reported that 142 yearlings grossed $41,874,000, up 17.1 percent from the $35,750,000 realized by 198 horses on day four last year. The average soared 63.3 percent, from $180,556 to $294,887, and the median posted a healthy 50-percent gain, from $140,000 to $210,000. Through the fourth day, and upon the conclusion of Book 1, 546 yearlings have been sold for a total of $153,385,000, resulting in an average of $280,925 and a $207,500 median. The cumulative gross has increased 15.5 percent from the $132,853,000 raked in by 655 horses by this point in 2012. The average and median have skyrocketed 38.5 percent and 38.3 percent, respectively, from the $202,829 and $150,000 recorded a year ago. “This is the cream of North America’s yearling crop,” Keeneland’s Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said about the Book 1 horses. “Our goal was to get as many buyers on the grounds as we could to sort through them. We accomplished that and saw top-quality horses every day, a lot of spirited bidding, and a wide range of buyers staying from Monday through Thursday.”

“It was certainly a successful week in terms of top horses, average, gross,
and buy-back percentage,” Keeneland’s Vice President of Sales Walt Robertson
said.

The new sale topper was a pinhooking triumph, having gone to Brittlyn Stables
for $180,000 as a weanling at Keeneland November. The February 7 foal is the
first from Blading Gold Ring (During), who placed in the 2009 Princess on the
Louisiana Downs turf and the Pontalba on the Fair Grounds dirt as a juvenile.

Blading Gold Ring is a half-sister to another smart two-year-old in Emerald
Gold (War Front), the third-place finisher in the 2011 Del Mar Debutante (G1)
and Jessamine (G3). With the $2.5 million colt also being by War Front, he is
thus a three-quarter brother to Emerald Gold.

The Kentucky-bred dark bay’s third dam, the stakes-placed Sweet Willa
(Assert), produced Grade 3 heroine Undermine (Miner’s Mark) and Group 3-winning
stayer Holberg (Halling). Sweet Willa is herself a full sister to Grade 1 queen
Willa on the Move and a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 star Will’s Way (Easy
Goer). This is also the family of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Tizway (Tiznow).

“Very nice horse,” said Magnier, whose lone purchase made him the session’s
leading buyer. “He was a good mover with nice legs. We’ve been lucky with War
Front. This is a good-looking horse for us.”

Havre de Grace’s half-sister by Tiznow was snapped up by Solis Bloodstock (Keeneland Photo) A Tiznow half-sister to 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace (Saint Liam) went to Solis Bloodstock for $1.7 million. Touring the ring as Hip 855, the February 15 dark bay was offered by Mill Ridge Sales, agent. Havre de Grace, who sold for $10 million as a broodmare prospect at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Sale, retired with a record of 16-9-4-2, $2,586,715. Her victory over males in the 2011 Woodward S. (G1), as well as scores in the Apple Blossom H. (G1) and Beldame Invitational (G1), propelled her to Horse of the Year and champion older female honors. The Kentucky-bred is out of the winning Easter Bunnette (Carson City). She hails from the immediate family of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Riskaverse (Dynaformer), herself the dam of recent Dance Design S. (Ire-G3) victress and Matron S. (Ire-G1) third Say (Galileo). The yearling filly’s third dam is Broodmare of the Year Toll Booth (Buckpasser) — the dam of champion sprinter Plugged Nickle (Key to the Mint) and Grade 1 winner Christiecat (Majestic Light), among others — and her fourth dam is Broodmare of the Year Missy Baba (*My Babu), whose sons include successful sires Raja Baba (Bold Ruler) and Sauce Boat (Key to the Mint) and whose numerous descendants include Hall of Famer and supersire A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew). “She’s a half to Havre de Grace to begin with; she’s an excellent physical,” said Alex Solis II, president of Solis Bloodstock. “She’s a beautiful filly. We saw her on the first day of showing, and she’s been here for five days showing and never weakened one bit. She has a great action, and she walks unbelievable — goes back to a huge family.”

Tapit was responsible for two more million-dollar yearlings, doubling his
sale total to four. Hip 681, a half-brother to five stakes winners including
Algorithms (Bernardini) and Justin Phillip (First Samurai), commanded $1.2
million from the partnership of Gainesway and Stonestreet. Michael Hernon,
director of sales at Gainesway, where Tapit stands, signed the ticket.

Consigned by Valkyre Stud, as agent for Oakbrook Farm, the Kentucky-bred dark
bay was produced by the Grade 3-placed Ava Knowsthecode (Cryptoclearance). She
has compiled a terrific record as a broodmare, with six winners from seven
runners, five of them garnering black-type success.

The February 12 colt counts as half-siblings the millionaire sprinter Justin
Phillip, winner of the August 4 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G1) and most recently
third in the August 31 Forego (G1); the undefeated Holy Bull (G3) hero
Algorithms, a 2012 Triple Crown contender whose career was cut short by injury;
Grade 2 victor Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory); Grade 3 scorer Successful Mission
(Successful Appeal); and stakes victress Alex’s Allure (Sky Classic).

Gainesway and Stonestreet teamed up to snare the Tapit half-brother to Justin Phillip and Algorithms (Keeneland Photo) “Well, obviously, Tapit being such an incredibly wonderful stallion, one always tries to get some good progeny of his to run,” Gainesway owner Antony Beck said about the yearling. “And (Ava Knowsthecode is) an incredible mare with an unbelievable produce record.” Emerging near the end of the session as Hip 868, Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estate Co. secured a Tapit filly for $1 million. A full sister to Grade 1-winning juvenile Tell a Kelly, the January 21 foal came from the Woods Edge consignment. “It seems to me there are no limitations to this kind of horse,” O’Callaghan said. “Whether it be Tapit, War Front or Medaglia (d’Oro) — those kind of sires with the pedigree — there are no limitations. We put her in there at not even a third of ($1 million) as a reserve. “Thank God for Shadwell; they’ve really made a great day for us. They were the underbidder (on the $2.5 million) War Front (colt).” The Kentucky-bred is a gray, unlike the chestnut Tell a Kelly, who was one of the leading two-year-old fillies of 2011. Tell a Kelly romped by 4 1/2 lengths in the Darley Debutante (G1) at Del Mar, finished a close second in the Oak Leaf (G1) and placed third in the Hollywood Starlet (G1).

Their dam, the winning Tabasco Cat mare Evrobi, descends from the same female
line as French champion miler and sire Northjet (Northfields). Group 3 victors
Jendali (Nijinsky), Madang (Habitat) and Royal Discretion (Royal Academy) are
other maternal relatives.

David Ingordo, agent, went to $1 million for GOLD SHIELD (Medaglia d’Oro), a
half-brother to up-and-coming young sire Majestic Warrior (A.P. Indy). Cataloged
as Hip 846, the dark bay son of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Dream
Supreme (Seeking the Gold) was offered by Lane’s End as agent for Kinsman Farm.

Dream Supreme, who scored her signature wins in the 2000 Test (G1) and
Ballerina (G1) at Saratoga, has produced three stakes winners. Majestic Warrior
was also fond of the Spa, landing the 2007 Hopeful (G1), and his first crop of
runners is highlighted by leading sophomore filly Princess of Sylmar. He is a
full brother to stakes heroine Crystal Current and a half-brother to Grade
3-placed stakes scorer Evolutionist (El Prado).

Another full sibling to Majestic Warrior and Crystal Current, the winning A.
P. Dream, is the dam of current juvenile filly Wind Fire (Distorted Humor), the
early favorite for Friday’s Flying Childers (Eng-G2) at Doncaster. Third to the
all-conquering No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) in the June 20 Norfolk (Eng-G2) at
Royal Ascot, Wind Fire has since captured the August 16 St. Hugh’s at Newbury
and took third in the August 22 Lowther (Eng-G2) at York.

Dream Supreme is a daughter of another Ballerina winner in Spinning Round
(Dixieland Band), successful in the 1993 edition as well as the 1991 Alcibiades
(G2). Spinning Round factors as the second dam of Peruvian champion colt Kung Fu
Mambo (Giant’s Causeway).

The session’s leading consignor was Taylor Made Sales Agency, who sold 21
horses for $6,435,000. Through the first four sessions, Taylor Made is the
overall leading consignor with $18,390,000 from the sale of 68 horses.

Shadwell is the leading buyer to date with 25 yearlings acquired for $11.3
million.

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

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