About 90 minutes into the Sept. 10 first session of the Keeneland September yearling sale, the action really picked up with two seven-figure horses selling in short succession, including a $1.3 million bid for Bodemeister 's half sister.
The filly, Hip No. 45, was purchased by Donato Lanni, on behalf of Sikura/Lunsford, from the Brookdale Sales consignment. The filly, a daughter of Smart Strike, was produced from the grade III-winning Storm Cat mare Untouched Talent.
Lanni is bloodstock services director at John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Lexington.
The filly was bred in Virginia by Audley Farm, which had purchased Untouched Talent from Hill 'n' Dale's consignment to the 2007 Keeneland November sale. Trained by Bob Baffert for Zayat Stables, Bodemeister won the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) and ran second in both the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
The other seven-figure transaction was Hip No. 41, a half brother to Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I) winner Paynter who was purchased by Chuck and Maribeth Sandford for $1 million from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. The colt, by Street Cry (IRE) out of the Cee's Tizzy mare Tizso, was bred in Kentucky by Diamond A Racing.
Diamond A had bought Tizso, also the dam of grade III winner Tiz West and stakes winner Tizakitty, for $625,000 from the Hopewell Farm consignment in the 2002 Keeneland November mixed sale.
Paynter was also trained by Baffert for Zayat Stables.