By Alan Porter

Closing day at the Keeneland January sale sees a takeover bid by Bright Launch, the son of Relaunch, who provides three of the top 10 short yearlings, and the top two carried foals.

Looking first at the in utero foals, hip 2402 is the High Brite mare Crystal Flag, the dam of five winners, two of which—including a stakes winner—are by Bright Launch.

Second on the list is hip 2449, the Doc's Leader mare Heavenly Meeting. Doc’s Leader is by Mr. Leader, and Bright Launch is sire of four stakes winners out of mares by Mr. Leader, including graded stakes winner Spotsgone.

The third-placed carried foal by TrueNicks variant score is by Summer Squall’s son Summinitup out of Chief Cookie, a daughter of Cherokee Run. This one is a product of the Summer Squall/Blushing Groom cross that has produced six stakes winners, including graded winners Delay of Game and Summer Raven.

Topping the short yearlings is hip 2389, a filly from the Gulch horse Scrimshaw, out of a Skip Trial half-sister to Class Kris (dam of 2008 grade I winner Student Council, by Kingmambo, and 2004 grade III winner Gradepoint, by A. P. Indy). This carried foal is bred on a Gulch/Bailjumper nick which has a 100% success rate, with stakes winners Legal Control and Miriam L. appearing from its only two starters.

A yearling full sister to the top carried foal— hip 2403—is in second spot, with hip 2464 third. This is a Storm Boot filly out of a Timeless Native mare who is a sister to stakes winner Dee’s Heart, and is bred on an identical cross to grade II winner Hurricane Bertie and grade III winner Tiger.

For more information, visit www.TrueNicks.com.