11/22/09
Last updated: 11/21/09 7:31 PM
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Zenyatta comes from the same extended family as Lease of Life
(Paula Smith/Horsephotos.com) |
LEASE OF LIFE (Cozzene), the very last horse to enter the ring on Saturday, attracted a winning bid of $110,000 from Jay Manoogian to top
the penultimate session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in
Lexington, Kentucky. Consigned by Mill Ridge Sales, agent, the four-year-old bay
toured the ring as a racing or stallion prospect while sporting Hip No. 4407.
Out of the winning Graustark mare Kinema, Lease of Life counts as a full
brother Grade 1-winning sire Mizzen Mast and half-siblings the Grade 3-placed pair of
Red Earth and Kinema Red, both by Diesis (GB). The bay colt’s family is riddled
with top level runners, with some of the more recognizable names being super
mare and Horse of the Year contender Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]); sire and
English and Irish champion Shareef Dancer (Northern Dancer); and Canadian
champion Sweetest Thing (Candy Stripes). Lease of Life has run up a mark of
9-2-2-1, $71,272, so far in his time on the track.
ZURI RIDGE (Cox’s Ridge) brought the second highest price on Saturday when
Lane’s End Bloodstock went to $90,000 to acquire the 13-year-old mare. Consigned
by Brookdale Sales, agent for the complete dispersal of Windfields Farm Ltd.,
the bay was sold in foal to City Zip on an April 29 cover.
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The winning Zuri Ridge has already produced this season’s Durham Cup S. (Can-G3) hero
Pool Play (Silver Deputy), who was third in the Autumn S. (Can-G2) last out, and
the stakes-placed Swift Wings (Anees).
Zuri Ridge, who
entered the ring as Hip 4235, is out of Zuri (Danzig), making her a half-sister
to multiple Grade 1 heroine Voodoo Dancer (Kingmambo), Grade 2-placed stakes
producer Waycross
(Conquistador Cielo) and Grade 3-placed Gravette (Demons Begone). Further back,
this is the same line as 2004 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) king Singletary (Sultry
Song).
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Monzante is a maternal relative of Fifteen Love
(Benoit Photos) |
Rounding out the top three sellers on Saturday was Hip 4404, the four-year-old
colt FIFTEEN LOVE (Point Given), who sold as a racing or stallion prospect. The
Mill Ridge Sales, agent, consignee was knocked down to Jose Luis Espinoza for
$85,000. A son of Group 3 victress Nidd (Known Fact), the dark bay was third in
last year’s War Chant S. and has compiled a 16-4-3-1, $386,513, record. His
second dam is stakes winner Bold Captive (Boldnesian), who would go on in the
breeding shed to produce 1986 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victor and sire
Skywalker (Relaunch) as well as listed heroine Danzante (Danzig), herself the
dam of last year’s Eddie Read H. (G1) winner Monzante (Maria’s Mon).
The highest-priced weanling, and fourth best seller overall, on Saturday was Hip 4319, a bay filly by
Bernstein who sold to Leso Liless for $74,000. Consigned by Paramount Sales,
agent for Swordlestown Stud, the Kentucky-bred lass is out of Elucidate (Theatrical
[Ire]), who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Silver Minister (Silver
Deputy). The April 13-foaled filly’s third dam is stakes scorer Maytide (Naskra),
dam of Grade 1 winner Super May (Super Concorde), multiple Grade 3 victor and
sire Ide (Forty Niner), and multiple stakes queen Barbara Sue (Big Spruce). The
latter has herself produced the likes of Grade 2 heroine Diamond on the Run
(Kris S.), and this is the same family as this season’s Pan American S. (G3)
winner Buddy’s Humor (Distorted Humor) and Grade 1 winner Appealing Zophie
(Successful Appeal).
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The numbers for the session continued their downward spiral, as 154 horses
sold for a gross $1,195,800, an average of $7,765 and a median of $3,500. Those
represent declines of 52.5 percent, 35.5 percent and 58.8 percent, respectively,
on last year’s corresponding session when 209 horses brought a total $2,517,000,
a $12,043 average and a median of $8,500.
With just one day remaining in the 13-day sale, 2,648 horses have changed hands
for an aggregate $158,924,200, a drop of 12.4 percent when compared with the
2,438 equines who brought $181,386,000 by this point in 2008. The average has
fallen 19.3 percent, from $74,400 to $60,017, while the median declined 25
percent, from $28,000 to $21,000.
Sunday’s final session begins at 10 a.m. (EST). For more information, as well
as live video of the sale, log onto keeneland.com.
