Grade II winner Secret Gypsy is headed to Japan after being sold for $540,000 early in the afternoon of the second session of the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale in Lexington on Jan. 11. Teruya Yoshida’s Shadai Farm purchased the 6-year-old chestnut daughter of Sea of Secrets, who was offered as a broodmare prospect.
“She is very fit and we saw her racing; she’s so fast,” said Naohiro Hosoda, who signed the sale ticket for Shadai. “She has lots of ability, so she is a nice type for a broodmare.”
On the sale’s Jan. 10 opening day, Shadai bought the grade I-winning racing or broodmare prospect Ave for the session-topping price of $1.4 million. As she went through the sale ring, Secret Gypsy was the most expensive horse that had been sold during the auction’s second session.
Secret Gypsy won five added-money events, including the Distaff Handicap (gr. II) in 2009 and the Honorable Miss Handicap (gr. II) and Endine Stakes (gr. III) in 2010.
Eaton Sales, agent, consigned Secret Gypsy, who is out of the unraced Rahy mare Miss Utada.
“I thought she sold very well,” said Eaton’s Reiley McDonald. “I think it helped probably she was in the second day of the sale because a few other (expensive) horses had gone (through the sale ring), and some American players were trying to get in at a slightly lower level.”
Secret Gypsy notched eight victories during her 18-race career and earned $596,926 while running for Richland Hills Stable and John Kuehl and being trained by Ronny Werner.
“She’s a multiple grade II winner, and she did it the hard way,” McDonald said. “Apparently she had issues throughout her career and she ran through the pain. She won a lot of money, and she’s an absolutely gorgeous mare. I think those fellows got a great buy. I’m sorry to see so many good fillies leaving this country, but it’s nice to have a good sale.”
Commenting on the market at Keeneland, McDonald said: “I think it’s a very typical January sale. I don’t think there is really much in the sale of ultimate quality. It’s very soft on the bottom, but this is book one (of the sale catalog) and we’ll see some more people coming in to buy at the lower levels. I think it’s a relatively good January sale all in all.”