A striking Indian Charlie yearling filly became the most expensive horse sold so far during the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale in Lexington when she commanded $245,000 during the auction’s second hour Feb. 7. Bloodstock agent and Select Sales partner Tom Ryan signed the sale ticket for SF Bloodstock, which has been active recently in the broodmare market.
The dark bay or brown yearling is out of the winning Matchlite mare Lady’s Legacy, who finished second in the 1996 Regret Stakes at Ladbroke DRC. The filly is a half sister to Shameful (by Flying Chevron), who captured the 2003 Pine Tree Lane Stakes at Santa Anita Park, and Little Matth Man (by Matty G), who won the 2004 Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct and finished second in the 2004 Lane’s End Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park.
Shameful, who finished second in the La Troienne Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs and third in the Miss Preakness Stakes (gr. III) at Pimlico in 2002, is the dam of champion Indian Blessing (by Indian Charlie).
“She’s obviously a beautiful filly by a proper stallion and she has lots of residual value,” said Ryan of the $245,000 yearling. “She has size, scope, and strength; she’s a queen. Everything adds up. She ticks all the boxes. She’s a filly that anyone would be happy owning. We’re buying her for our racing program.
“I was very surprised to see her in this sale,” Ryan added. “We’re glad to own her. Any time you pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars for a yearling, it’s a fair price.”
Gavin Murphy, an Australian working in New York City, and Australian bloodstock agent Neil Bowden, founded SF Bloodstock. Australian Henry Field also is involved in the venture.
Wick and Carter McNeely bred the filly in Virginia. Gainesway, agent, consigned the yearling to the auction.
“They just thought it might work right, and it did,” said Virginia bloodstock agent Debbie Easter, an adviser to the McNeelys, of the decision to sell the filly at Fasig-Tipton in February instead of waiting until later in the year. “It’s always nice to be a big fish in small pond. I think that was it, and they took the opportunity. The mare is back in foal to Indian Charlie, so they’re excited about that.”