Considering its position on the sales calendar, the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale occassionally results in mares being offered along with their newborn foals.
Moonshine Bertie, consigned as Hip 539 by Jim and Pam Robinson's Brandywine Farm, is one of those cataloged for the Jan. 9 second session of the four-day sale.
An 11-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon , Moonshine Bertie produced a Jan. 4 filly by Speightster . The filly is the first reported foal for her sire, a graded stakes-winning son of Speightstown who stands at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky., for a $10,000 fee.
Although only several days old, the filly is already showing a distinct personality, according to Pam Robinson.
"She is a little bit of a spitfire," Robinson said of the filly, who was brought to the sale Jan. 7. "We turned her loose in the show ring when there were no other horses around, and she ran around and kicked up her heels. As the first foal, she's spolied."
Bred and initially raced by Bertram Kline, Moonshine Bertie was produced from the grade 3-winning mare Thunder Bertie and is a half sister to stakes winner Ballad of Bertie.
In addition to the Speightster filly, Moonshine Bertie's 2017 colt by Wicked Strong will follow his dam into the ring at Keeneland. Robinson said having the two foals on the sale grounds at the same time affords buyers an opportunity to see the type of foals the mare can produce.
"She's as nice of a foal as you could ask for," the horsewoman said of the Speightster filly. "She has good bone and is correct. The mare is a big, strong Malibu Moon mare and the short yearling that follows her is a big, strong, good-looking colt, and when you can see all three side by side, it should be an asset."
