Bernardini half to Havre de Grace tops final Saratoga session

Bernardini half to Havre de Grace tops final Saratoga

session

The colt's second dam was the stakes-winning Toll Fee (Topsider) and his

third dam Broodmare of the Year Toll Booth (Buckpasser), whose offspring

included 1980 champion sprinter Plugged Nickle (Key to the Mint) and Grade 1

winner Christiecat (Majestic Light). This is the family of multiple Grade 1

winner $2.1 million earner Riskaverse (Dyanformer).

WHIPPENDEAL (Unbridled's Song), a half-brother to 2007 Hopeful S. (G1) winner

Majestic Warrior (A.P. Indy), brought $775,000 from trainer Dale Romans, agent.

The March 8-foaled gray, owned by Kinsman Farm, sported Hip 111 and was

consigned by Lane's End, agent.

Whippendeal was produced by the $1 million earner Dream Supreme (Seeking the

Gold), whose top-level victories in the 2000 Test S. (G1) and Ballerina H. (G1)

occurred at Saratoga. In addition to Majestic Warrior, Dream Supreme is also the

dam of of stakes winners Crystal Current (A.P. Indy) and Evolutionist (El Prado

[Ire]), the latter a close third in the July 16 Jaipur S. (G3). Whippendeal's

second dam was another Grade 1 Ballerina winner, Spinning Round (Dixieland

Band).

Offspring of Bernardini were popular with Sheikh Mohammed over both days of

the sale, not surprising as the stallion stands at his Darley Farm near

Lexington, Kentucky. Ferguson, acting as agent, secured two more high-priced

colts by that sire for the Sheikh at Tuesday's session.

Hip 99, a son of multiple stakes winner Cologny (Go for Gin), was secured for

$750,000. Owned by Clover Hill Farm and offered by Dapple Stud, agent, the bay

has a birthdate of March 14.

Cologny, a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Selective (Mi Selecto) and

three-quarter sister to stakes winner Keep It S. S. (Cormorant), is closely

related to this year's Sunland Derby (G3) winner Twice the Appeal (Successful

Appeal).

Ferguson also spent $725,000 to acquire a Bernardini son of the multiple

Grade 2-placed Habiboo (Unbridled's Song). Owned by Hardacre Farm and offered by

Brookdale Sales, agent, the March 7 Florida-bred toured the ring as Hip 130.

Habiboo is a half-sister to Street Boss (Street Cry [Ire]), winner in 2008 of

the Bing Crosby H. (G1) and Triple Bend Invitational H. (G1) and who also placed

that season in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and Ancient Title S. (G1). Multiple

Grade 2 winner Running Stag (Cozzene) hails from this family.

The gross and median were down but the average was up on Tuesday compared

with last year's second session, primarily due to a smaller catalog. On Tuesday,

54 yearlings sold for $16,737,00, a decline of 5.8 percent from last year when

60 yearlings brought $17,765,000. The session median dipped 10 percent, from

$250,000 to $225,000, but the average rose 4.7 percent, from $296,083 to

$309,944.

Despite the smaller catalog, business was up across the board over the

two-day auction. The gross for 103 head was $32,892,000, an increase of 1.2

percent over the $32,515,000 grossed last year from the sale of 118 yearlings.

The average was up a healthier 15.9 percent, from $275,551 to $319,340, while

the median rose 4.2 percent, from $240,000 to $250,000.

For full results and information, visit

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