FEATURE
STALLION
A.P. Indy dominates Keeneland November
sale
by Hunter T. Houlihan
A.P. INDY, champion three-year-old colt and Horse of the Year
in 1992, is one of many champion offspring of the great Seattle
Slew. In the breeding shed, however, he stands alone. His progeny
have earned over $60 million and include 2003 Horse of the Year
and champion older horse Mineshaft.
A.P. Indy established himself as North America’s leading sire
in 2003, and that fact was not overlooked at this year’s first
two sessions of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale when
seven mares in foal to A.P. Indy sold for an average $2,357,143,
including the top five on Day 2.
Book 1 of the November sale included mares in foal to such
established stallions as Danzig, Gone West, Seeking the Gold and
Storm Cat, but A.P. Indy towered over them all when his mares
entered the ring.
His first was the multiple Grade 3 winning Stylish (Thunder
Gulch), who sold for $1.5 million. The bay, who’s second dam is
the multiple Group 1 winning L’Attrayante (Fr) (Tyrant), took the
Ballston Spa Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) at Saratoga last year. The
reserve price was not attained for his other two in-foal mares on
Day 1, but Stylish was a strong indicator of what was to come.
Santa Catarina (Unbridled), second in the 2003 Kentucky Oaks (G1),
brought the highest price of Day 2, going for $4.8 million. She
would not be A.P. Indy’s only millionaire of the session.
Storm Beauty (Storm Cat), a half-sister to champion sprinter
Gold Beauty (Mr. Prospector), and carrying a full sibling to 2003
Debutante S. (G3) winner Renaissance Lady, sold for $2.2 million.
The millionaire You (You and I) did not attain her reserve
price of $2 million, but the demand for mares in foal to A.P.
Indy was quite evident.
The prices held steady from there, when multiple Grade 2
winner Be Gentle (Tale of the Cat), went for $2.1 million. The
2003 Alcibiades S. (G2) heroine, from the same female family as
champion sprinter Housebuster (Mt. Livermore), also was first
under the wire in the 2003 Golden Rod S. (G2).
Just five hips later, Blithe (Unbridled), a half-sister to
Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr. Prospector),
sold for $2 million.
Golden Sonata (Mr. Prospector), winner of this year’s Oaklawn
Park Breeders’ Cup S. (G3), continued the A.P. Indy trend when
going for $1.9 million, and the 7 1/2-furlong track record-holder
at Churchill Downs, Miss Lodi (Mr. Greeley), finished off the
day, selling for $2 million.
In 2004, A.P. Indy has sired such outstanding runners as
Friends Lake, winner of the Florida Derby (G1), and Las Virgenes
S. (G1) heroine A.P. Adventure. He is the leading sire of stakes
winners in 2004 with more than 20 through October.
On the track, A.P. Indy won three of four starts at two,
including the Hollywood Futurity (G1). Trained by Neil Drysdale,
he began his three-year-old campaign with a victory in the San
Rafael S. (G2) at Santa Anita. The colt then stamped his ticket
to the Kentucky Derby with a daylight score in the Santa Anita
Derby (G1). But a hoof problem on the morning of the Derby forced
his connections to scratch the probable favorite, who went on to
take the Peter Pan S. (G2) as well as the third leg of the Triple
Crown, the Belmont S. (G1).
Regular rider Eddie Delahoussaye was in the irons in what
turned out to be the three-year-old’s last race, a two-length
victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). A.P. Indy ended his
racing career with a record of 11-8-0-1 and almost $3 million in
earnings. The colt was honored with a pair of Eclipse Awards and
retired to Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Kentucky.
A.P. Indy currently is the second highest priced stallion in
the world with an advertised fee of $300,000, live foal.