By Esther Marr and Glenye Cain Oakford
Grade I winner Love and Pride, whose second dam is broodmare of the year and grade I winner Cara Rafaela, was hammered down for $4.9 million at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale. Consigned by Three Chimneys Sales, agent, the 5-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy was bought by Borges Torrealba Holdings.
During her race career, Love and Pride captured the 2012 Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I), Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I), and Obeah Stakes (gr. III) for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Green Hills Farm. She retired with a record of 7-2-4 from 17 starts, for earnings of $985,760.
Love and Pride's stakes-placed dam Ile de France (by Storm Cat), is a half sister to champion 3-year-old and prominent sire Bernardini , plus Lovely Regina, the dam of multiple graded stakes winner Thiskyhasnolimit.
Love and Pride was previously a $380,000 RNA at the 2010 Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale. She was bred in Kentucky by Stud TNT.
"We thought she stood out in this sale, among the bunch we saw here," said Torrealba, a partner in Three Chimneys. "I mean, A.P. Indy, Storm Cat, in foal to Distorted Humor, suitable for mating. It doesn't get better than that."
Earlier, grade I winner In Lingerie, a daughter of Empire Maker, brought some fireworks when she fetched a final bid of $2.4 million from Teruya Yoshida's Japan-based Shadai Farm. Consigned by Bluewater Sales, agent, she is in foal to European champion and Classic winner Frankel.
During her career, In Lingerie won the Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I), Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II), and Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber. She retired from racing with a record of 4-2-1 from eight starts, for earnings of $712,265.
"She put us on the map, for sure," said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. "We're forever grateful to her, and she's gone to a fantastic operation. We swing and miss a lot, too, but with her, we hit it out of the ballpark."
In Lingerie is out of the stakes-winning Storm Cat mare Cat Chat. Her second dam, Phone Chatter (by Phone Trick), won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) en route to being named that year's champion 2-year-old filly. Phone Chatter is also the second dam of grade I winner Dixie Chatter (by Dixie Union).
In Lingerie's price was undoubtedly due largely to the fact she's in foal to Frankel, who was classified as the best Thoroughbred in the world when he retired undefeated in 14 career starts.
In Lingerie was bred in Kentucky by Colts Neck Stables. She previously RNA'd for $2.2 million at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale.
