Led by WinStar Farm and China Horse Membership’s Life Is Good , first-crop weanling sires continued to dominate their market phase Nov. 7 on the Keeneland November Breeding Inventory Sale.
The 4 highest-priced weanlings of the day and 6 of the highest seven weanlings had been by new sires, led by Hip 1050, a colt by a number of grade 1 winner Life Is Good that offered to Flying Dutchmen for $400,000. It was the primary weanling buy of the sale for Travis Boersma’s Flying Dutchmen, which had purchased 5 mares for $2,405,000 coming into Thursday’s session.
Hip 1050 is the primary foal out of the successful grade 2-placed Structure mare Girl Aces. He was consigned by Taylor Made Gross sales Company, agent for the colt’s breeder China Horse Membership.
By way of three days of promoting at Keeneland, eight Life Is Good weanlings have offered from 9 supplied, at a median worth of $325,625. His first crop was bred on a $100,000 stud charge. China Horse Membership’s Christie DeBernardis stated the group is thrilled with the market reception.
“We clearly raced the stallion and nonetheless personal him with WinStar,” DeBernardis stated. “That is the primary foal for a younger mare, so it is an impressive effort proper out of the field.
“We could not be extra excited. The Life Is Items have been occurring very effectively. We now have seven of them—effectively, six now—they usually’re one higher than the subsequent.”
Gainesway’s first-crop weanling sire Olympiad was answerable for the second- and fourth-most costly weanlings offered Thursday. Grandview Equine went to $350,000 for Hip 795, an Olympiad colt and the third foal out of the grade 3-placed Arch mare Particular Occasion. Gainesway, which stands the grade 1-winning son of Speightstown, consigned the colt bred in Kentucky by Emory A. Hamilton.
Towards the tip of the session Gainesway struck once more with Hip 1054, an Olympiad half brother to 2018 champion 2-year-old filly Jaywalk and a number of stakes winner Danzatrice , dam of grade 1 winner Tapit Trice . Whisper Hill Farm, which campaigned Tapit Trice in partnership with Gainesway, went to $325,000 for Hip 1054, which additionally was bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds.
Hip 795, a weanling colt by Olympiad, sells for $350,000 on the Keeneland November Breeding Inventory Sale
The third-highest-priced weanling of the day was Hip 853, a daughter of Ashford Stud’s a number of grade 1 winner Jack Christopher . Elkhorn Racing went to $335,000 for the fourth foal out of the successful Into Mischief mare White Mischief, from the Eaton Gross sales consignment. The filly was bred in Kentucky by H & E Ranch.
The one established sire to interrupt into the highest 5 Thursday was Gainesway’s McKinzie , a freshman sire (first crop of juveniles on the observe in 2024) who boasts two grade 1 winners. Hip 891, a McKinzie colt out of the successful Malibu Moon mare Seashore Diva, went to Bolter Bloodstock for $310,000, from Gainesway’s consignment.
It was again to the first-crop weanling sires at sixth on the highest-priced weanling listing. Hip 675, a Warrendale Gross sales-consigned son of Epicenter , and Hip 1074, a Life Is Good colt consigned by Denali Stud, each introduced $300,000.
The Life Is Good colt, bought by Rafey Racing, is the fourth foal out of grade 2 winner Lucy N Ethel , herself a full sibling to stakes winner Jake N Elwood and half sister to stakes winner Hey Kiddo . The colt was bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds in Kentucky.
Hip 675, by Ashford Stud’s first-crop sire and 2022 champion 3-year-old colt Epicenter, is a half to stakes winner Idea , a Gun Runner gelding. The weanling colt bought by Brady Bloodstock is the seventh foal out of Majestic Jewel, a half sister to a number of grade 1 winner Night Jewel , winner of the 2010 Ashland Stakes (G1) and Del Mar Oaks (G1T). Majestic Jewel had a yearling filly by Charlatan promote for $300,000 to BSW/Crow Colts Group, agent for First Row Companions, on the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Warrendale’s Kitty Day stated the Epicenter colt was a star.
“He had an amazing stroll. He carried his head low, and he was all enterprise the entire time he was right here,” Day stated. “He had good bone and was only a beautiful-moving horse. He manner exceeded our expectations.
“It is a bit spotty on a few of these older stallions. I believe we have misplaced some pinhooking folks, reminiscent of Gerry Dilger, and the people who find themselves right here aren’t buying a few of the older horses’ progeny until they seem to be a standout star. It is not the standard (market). Much more now, they’re targeted on the brand new stallions. The unknown is all the time sexier than the identified. It is the secret.”
