A bay filly by Empire Maker bought the highest price for a yearling thus far at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale when she fetched $400,000 from Tim Hyde during the auction’s second session Jan. 10.
Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, as Hip No. 562, the filly is out of the dual grade I-winning millionaire Royal Applause mare Ticker Tape.
“She’s very nice, isn’t she? She has a pretty good pedigree—her family is very, very good,” said Hyde, a pinhooker and a close associate of Irish-based Coolmore Stud. Hyde indicated he would most likely re-sell the Empire Maker filly at this year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.
Bred in England, Ticker Tape scored her big victories in the 2004 American Oaks Invitational and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (both gr. I). She retired from racing with earnings of $1,452,396 from 31 starts.
Ticker Tape, who is also from the family of group I winner Crowded House, brought $950,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November breeding stock sale while in foal to Giant's Causeway . Consigned by the Dispersal of Forging Oaks Farm through Eaton Sales, agent, she was bought by Katsumi Yoshida. Forging Oaks bred the Empire Maker yearling filly.
Ticker Tape is the dam of two other foals, including an unraced 2-year-old Henrythenavigator filly, who fetched $130,000 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale. Consigned by Forging Oaks through Eaton Sales, agent, she was bought by Bobby Flay through James Delahooke, agent.
Six hips after the Empire Maker filly sold, grade II victor Touching Beauty brought the second highest price of the day when Eaton Sales went to $450,000 for the 5-year-old daughter of Tapit .
Carrying her first foal by Unbridled's Song, Touching Beauty was bred in Kentucky by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Gainesway Thoroughbreds. The latter operation consigned her to the sale as agent.
During her race career, Touching Beauty scored in the 2010 Comely Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct for Gainesway Farm and Joseph Cornacchia. She retired from racing with a record of 3-2-0 from 10 starts, for earnings of $183,166.
Produced from the stakes winning Ikari mare Victory Road, Touching Beauty is a full sister to stakes winner Noisy Feet.