Gamay Noir brings $375,000 at Fasig-Tipton

Justin Casse purchased Gamay Noir, a multiple Grade 3 winner from the family of Munnings (Photos by Z/Courtesy of Fasig-Tipton via Twitter) Multiple Grade 3 winner GAMAY NOIR (Harlan’s Holiday) sold to Justin Casse for $375,000, topping Sunday’s opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale at Newtown Paddocks near Lexington. Sporting Hip No. 112, the five-year-old was consigned as a racing or broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Gamay Noir compiled a record of 18-5-0-5 with earnings of $346,866. Successful in last year’s Obeah S. (G3) and Rampart S. (G3), she was also third in the Sixty Sails H. (G3) and fourth in the Delaware H. (G1) in her latest outing July 12. This marked her third sales appearance. After RNA’ing for $37,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, Gamay Noir was a $15,000 bargain at the same venue as an unraced sophomore in January 2013. The aptly named Gamay Noir was produced by the winning Uncork (Unbridled), who is also responsible for Peruvian Group 2-placed Serafico (Suave). Uncork is a full sister to the unraced Detach, the dam of Grade 2 victor Apart (Flatter), from the further family of the legendary Allez France (*Sea-Bird), Grade 1 heroine and noted producer La Gueriere (Lord at War) and hot young sire Munnings (Speightstown). Later, Forging Oaks Farm went to $310,000 to secure Grade 3-placed stakes victress IRISH PRESENCE (Midnight Lute). Offered as a broodmare prospect by Darby Dan Farm, agent, the five-year-old was cataloged as Hip 164. Irish Presence, a $50,000 purchase as a Fasig-Tipton Florida two-year-old, scored her signature win in last September’s Las Madrinas at Los Alamitos. She bankrolled $163,994 from her 24-3-3-5 line, reflecting a trio of stakes placings highlighted by the Adoration (G3).

Out of the Deputy Minister mare Proper Form, Irish Presence is a half-sister
to Grade 3-placed stakes winners Mountain Range (Mountain Cat) and Royal
Vindication (Vindication). Her fourth dam is 1966 Kentucky Oaks queen and
influential matriarch Native Street (Native Dancer).

Grade 3-placed CLEARBROOK (Smart Strike), who toured the ring early on as Hip
24, led the day’s trade for some time after selling to F. Thomas Conway for
$235,000. Like Gamay Noir, the five-year-old hailed from the Taylor Made
consignment and was listed as a racing or broodmare prospect.

Clearbrook initially sold for $180,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September.
The third-placer in the Orchid (G3) last March was most recently seventh in the
December 27 La Prevoyante (G3), and her scorecard stands at 13-3-0-4, $171,235.

A half-sister to English stakes scorer Doc Hay (Elusive Quality), Clearbrook
is out of non-black-type stakes winner Coherent (Danzig). Her dam is in turn a
full sister to multiple stakes-winning hurdler All Together and a half-sister to
the ill-fated 2012 Iroquois Hurdle hero Arcadius (Giant’s Causeway). This is the
superb family of Grade 1-winning sire Sky Mesa (Pulpit) and champion
Outstandingly (Exclusive Native), a branch of the *La Troienne tribe.

The session’s best-selling yearling came near the end of the evening, when an
Into Mischief filly commanded $180,000 from Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt. Blake-Albina
Thoroughbred Services, agent, offered the February 3 foal as Hip 192. The
Kentucky-bred bay was produced by the stakes-placed Lanai City (Carson City),
who is herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 3 hero Eagleton (Majestic Light).

Upon the conclusion of Sunday’s trade, Fasig-Tipton reported that 131 horses
sold for $3,968,400, down 11.3 percent from the $4,475,100 grossed by 122 at
last year’s opener. The average declined 17.4 percent, from $36,681 to $30,293,
while the median improved 6.3 percent, from $16,000 to $17,000.

The two-day sale concludes Monday, beginning at 10 a.m. (EST). For complete
results, as well as the catalog, updates and live video of the auction, log on
to fasigtipton.com.