For fans of Big Brown, the second session of the Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington is the one you’ll probably enjoy the most. Scheduled sell then is a half-sister to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness (gr. I) winner. She’s Hip No. 484, and she’s one of the horses that could bring a lot of money Sept. 9. She is included in the following list of yearlings that consignors and buyers believe are among the best:
Hip No. 241, a colt by Giant’s Causeway – Morning Devotion, by Affirmed. Consigned by Gainesway, agent.
“He has a wonderful pedigree,” said Gainesway’s Michael Hernon. ‘He’s a half-brother to a (European) champion, Balanchine, and there is a great female family behind him. He’s a good, solid, strong colt.”
Hip No. 251, a colt by A.P. Indy– Ocean Drive, by Belong to Me. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
This yearling is out of a grade III winner. The other members of his family include grade I winners Traitor and Peeping Tom along with grade II winners Sun King, Allamerican Bertie, and Hurricane Bertie.
Hip No. 261, a colt by Seeking the Gold– Plenty of Light, by Colony Light. Consigned by Bluewater Sales, agent for Arindel.
“He’s just a gorgeous, gorgeous animal,” said Bluewater’s Meg Levy. “He’s big, beautiful, and balanced. He is an absolutely stunning horse. He’s a great mover, and he’s out of a grade I winner.”
Hip No. 288, a filly by A.P. Indy – Shadow Cast, by Smart Strike. Consigned by Lane’s End, agent.
“Shadow Cast (a grade I winner) was wonderful race mare, and this is one of the nicest A.P. Indy fillies that we’ve ever had,” said Lane’s End’s Will Farish. “She’s very correct and feminine, very racy. But she’s also very stout. She really looks like a racehorse.”
Hip No. 300, a filly by Unbridled’s Song – Smooth as Silk, by Deputy Minister. Consigned by Gainesway, agent for Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.
“She is a very attractive filly, and she’s out of Smooth as Silk, who has already produced a graded stakes winner (Private Vow, by Broken Vow),” said Michael Hernon of Gainesway. “She has size and scope and wonderful motion; she’s a great mover. She has a good disposition, and she’s very well made. She’s hitting all the right buyers in the right way during the early showing.”
Hip No. 318, a colt by A.P. Indy – Taegu, by Halo. Consigned by Mt. Brilliant Farm.
“He’s a half-brother to a really great Carson City filly named Classic Elegance, who won the Schuylerville Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga and then won the Debutante Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs,” said Mt. Brilliant’s Greg Goodman. “He’s a big, strong, real correct A.P. Indy. He’s well-balanced and long-barreled.”
Hip No. 323, a colt by Mr. Greeley– Tempest Dancer, by Storm Cat. Consigned by Gainesway, agent.
“He’s by Gainesway stallion Mr. Greeley, an international sire of renown whose progeny appeal broadly and have had recent great success in Europe,” said Gainesway’s Michael Hernon. “This colt is out of a stakes winning mare that is a graded stakes producer and is also a full sister to the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Sardula. So, it’s a wonderful pedigree, and he’s a very substantial, well grown, well-made strong colt that has a lot of substance. He’s a good mover, and he strikes a strong resemblance to his sire.”
Hip No. 329, a colt by Storm Cat – Tranquility Lake, by Rahy. Consigned by Lane’s End, agent for Pam and Martin Wygod.
“What can I say? He’s a gorgeous colt,” said Lane’s End’s Will Farish. “He’s big, strong, and sound. He’s just an outstanding Storm Cat individual. He’s not the smaller type of Storm Cat, but the larger type. He’s a full brother to (grade I winner) After Market.”
Hip No. 331, a colt by Storm Cat – Turko’s Turn, by Turkoman. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
“He’s a half-brother to (Horse of the Year) Point Given,” said Taylor Made’s Frank Taylor. “He’s a big, strong Storm Cat colt with a great walk.”
Hip No. 335, a colt by Storm Cat – Unbridled Breeze, by Unbridled. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Overbrook Farm.
“He’s a nice, big, striking Storm Cat,” said Tom VanMeter of Eaton Sales. “He’s a very, very nice horse.” This yearling’s dam is a full sister to champion Banshee Breeze and added-money winner Unbridled Wind.
Hip No. 345, a colt by Kingmambo – Weekend in Seattle, by Seattle Slew. Consigned by Lane’s End, agent.
“His brother Mambo in Seattle was second in the Travers (gr. I), and this colt looks very much like him,” said Lane’s End’s Will Farish. “He’s got a great attitude about him. He’s just a wonderfully well-balanced Kingmambo.”
Hip No. 351, a colt by Storm Cat – Winter’s Gone, by Dynaformer. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
“He has to be one of the top stallion prospects in the sale,” said Taylor Made’s Duncan Taylor. “When you breed Storm Cat to a Dynaformer mare, he’s what you want it (the offspring) to look like. You can see a little bit of both in him and his dam has just been awesome.” Winter’s Gone has produced grade I winners Spring At Last and Sharp Lisa along with grade II winner Sharp Susan.
Hip No. 355, a colt byUnbridled’s Song – Zing, by Storm Cat. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Aaron and Marie Jones.
“He is a big, good looking colt that is a half-brother to (gr. II winner) Half Ours,” said Taylor Made’s Frank Taylor. “He’s bigger and ‘scopier’ than Half Ours, but he’s balanced and nice like Half Ours is.”
Hip No. 360, Alioonagh, a filly by Giant’s Causeway – Alidiva, by Chief Singer. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
“She’s a full sister to (gr. II) winner Oonagh Maccool, and her dam is the only mare that I know of that had three group I winners (Taipan, Ali-Royal, and Sleepytime) in the same year,” said Taylor Made’s Duncan Taylor. “The family is live, and it keeps producing. Because she’s No. 360, I joke that she’s one that can turn your program around. She’s just got everything.”
Hip No. 386, a colt by Awesome Again – Bobbie Use, by Not For Love. Consigned by Hidden Brook, agent.
“He is the first foal out of a stakes-winning mare,” said Chris Brothers of Hidden Brook. “He’s an amazing first foal. He’s big and ‘scopey;’ he stands over a ton ground. The best part about him is his mind; he’s so far beyond other yearlings right now.”
Hip No. 395, a colt by Distorted Humor – Casual Look, by Red Ransom. Consigned by Lane’s End, agent.
“Casual Look was the filly that I won the Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) with when I was over there (in England as the U.S. Ambassador),” said Lane’s End’s Will Farish. “She was a real classic mare, and I think Distorted Humor was designed to put some speed into her. This individual is just what you hoped would happen when making that cross. He’s a little bit more of a sprinter/miler type of a horse and yet with that pedigree, he should be a versatile racehorse. Distorted Humor gives him a whole different dimension.”
Hip No. 405, a colt by Giant’s Causeway – Saudia, by Gone West. Consigned by Paramount Sales, agent.
“He has a fantastic stride, and he’s a big, strong horse; he looks like a real Saturday kind of horse,” said Pat Costello of Parmount.
Hip No. 409, a colt by Pulpit – Copelan’s Bid Gal, by Copelan. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
This yearling is a full brother to grade I winner Purge and stakes winner Namaste’s Wish. Other family members include grade I winner Jersey Girl and grade II winner Valid Wager.
Hip No. 418, a colt by Giant’s Causeway – Debit Account, by Mr. Prospector. Consigned by Four Star Sales, agent.
“He’s lovely to look at and moves great,” said Four Star’s Dan Kenny. “He’s the sort of horse that really appeals to the Europeans as well as the Americans. We see people coming back for second and third looks already (on Sept. 6). Giant’s Causeway is just going from strength to strength.”
Hip No. 442, a colt by Storm Cat – Gossamer, by Seattle Slew. Consigned by Three Chimneys Sales, agent.
“He is correct, and he’s just the right size; he’s not too small; he’s not too big,” said Three Chimneys’ Case Clay. “He’s been straightforward since the day he was born.” This yearling is a half-brother to Irish champion Bachelor Duke and European stakes winner Translucid.
Hip No. 467, a colt by Storm Cat – Lead Story, by Editor’s Note. Consigned by Lane’s End, agent.
“He is a very, very nice colt,” said Lane’s End’s Will Farish. “He’s a lovely, balanced chestnut. He is very athletic, and good-sized, but not a great big Storm Cat.” The yearling’s dam, Lead Story, was a grade II winner, and other family members include grade I winners Glitter Woman, Unbridled Elaine, and Political Force.
Hip No. 474, a colt by Dynaformer– Macoumba, by Mr. Prospector. Consigned by Three Chimneys Sales, agent for Spendthrift Farm.
“She is a half-sister to (successful stallion) Malibu Moon,” said Three Chimneys’ Case Clay. “She’s elegant-looking and a beautiful mover.”
Hip No. 484, a filly by Touch Gold– Mien, by Nureyev. Consigned by Monticule.
This half-sister to dual classic winner Big Brown “has a very, very large heart capacity, much larger than your average filly and larger than your average colt,” said Dr. Gary Knapp of Monticule. “She’s a very alert horse and got a touch of an attitude, but she’s very easy to handle. She will tell you sometimes what her opinion is, the way things should be done.” Hip No. 412, a Fusaichi Pegasus – Crystal Downs filly also has a very nice heart capacity,” and so does Hip No. 291, an Elusive Quality – Sharp Minister filly, according to Knapp.
Hip No. 485, a filly by A.P. Indy– Million Gift, by Sunday Silence. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
“She's just a beautiful filly,” said Taylor Made’s Stuart Angus. “In my 25 years in the Thoroughbred business, she’s one of the best-looking fillies I’ve ever seen, and she has a beautiful pedigree. She’s has the type of look that I think is going to make the big buyers step up and hopefully pay a premium. But it is a buyers’ market right now, so we have to be conservative and be aware of that. But she could still do very well.”
Hip No. 487, a colt by Unbridled’s Song – Mining My Business, by Mining. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.'
This yearling is a half-brother to grade II winner Real Cozzy and is from the family of champion and dual classic winner Real Quiet.
Hip No. 490, a filly by Distorted Humor – Misty Sixes, by Summer Squall. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
This yearling is out of a stakes winner and is from the family of grade I winner Devil's Orchid.
Hip No. 493, a colt by Kingmambo – My Boston Gal, by Boston Harbor. Consigned by Lane's End, agent.
“My Boston Gal was a very good race mare, and I think she’s put some speed in there,:” said Lane’s End’s Will Farish. “Of course, Kingmambo gets speed horses and classic horses. This horse could go either way. He’s a really good individual.”