Thursday, October 31, 2013

From the Racetrack to the Ring

     "What have you done for me lately?" is a recurrent theme at horse auctions, and a number of fillies and mares have had their value skyrocket when they were offered for sale in November after wins in Breeders' Cup races. Leading the way, of course, is Royal Delta (Empire Maker), who was catalogued as part of the Saud bin Khaled dispersal at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale. Gorgeous, purple-pedigreed and already a multiple Grade I winner, Royal Delta was always going to bring a seven-figure price, but her championship performance under the Churchill Downs lights in the Ladies' Classic/Distaff led to a bidding war that culminated in Ben Leon's $8.5-million salvo. Charles Cono's Stardom Bound (Tapit) capped her Eclipse Award-winning season with her triumph in the 2008 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and flew to Lexington shortly thereafter. Led into the ring at Fasig-Tipton, the grey filly was knocked down for $5.7 million to IEAH Stables. In 2010, Fasig-Tipton sold a pair of Breeders' Cup winners 48 hours after their triumphs: Awesome Feather (Awesome of Course), the unbeaten Juvenile Fillies heroine, was purchased by Adena Springs for $2.3 million; while Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai), who posted a mild upset in the GI F/M Sprint, was secured by Katsumi Yoshida for $1.1 million. Maryfield (Elusive Quality), the inaugural F/M Sprint winner in 2007, sold a few days later at Fasig-Tipton for $1.25 million to Southern Equine Stables.
   This year, a number of Breeders' Cup entrants--as well as their immediate relations--are catalogued to sell next week in Kentucky. Two are defending titlists, Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band) and Mizdirection (Mizzen Mast), in the F/M Sprint and Turf Sprint, respectively. While a repeat victory might not add much more to their potential price tags, a win on Friday or Saturday by one of the up-and-comers could be a game-changer. Here's a look at some of them in race order:

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
   Giovanni Baldini (War Front) may have been foaled in West Virginia, but the dark bay colt out of Dancing Trieste (Old Trieste) was good-looking enough to command $675,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale in 2012. A listed winner  and Group 1-placed in Ireland for Tabor/Magnier/Smith and trainer Aidan O'Brien, he drew well with the two hole and is 7-2 on the morning line. Dancing Trieste, who hails from an accomplished Argentine family, was purchased by Giovanni Baldini's breeder Charles Woodson Jr. for $20,000 at KEEJAN in 2008. Now in foal to War Front's swift son The Factor, the 10-year-old mare (Hip 27) will likely be on more than a few shortlists on Monday at Fasig-Tipton.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
Clenor (Ire)
   Clenor (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), a Group 3-placed runner in her native Ireland, is unbeaten in three U.S. starts for the Great Friends Stable and trainer Doug O'Neill. She won over course and distance in the Surfer Girl S. on Oct. 6 and is 8-1 on the morning line. Out of Chantarella (Ire) (Royal Academy), the bay filly is a half-sister to a pair of stakes-placed runners by Choisir (Aus), and descends from the same female family as Grade I winner Cambina (Ire) (Hawk Wing) and the unlucky Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}). Clenor is catalogued as Hip 22 at Fasig-Tipton. 

   Florida-bred Nesso (Roman Ruler), claimed for $25,000 out of her six-length debut score at Calder in June, has been the runner-up to the aforementioned Clenor in both Del Mar's Juvenile Fillies Turf S. and the Surfer Girl S. at Santa Anita. Her dam, Devotedness (Anet), is a half-sister to Joint Effort (Runaway Groom), a multiple Grade III winner, and has produced restricted stakes winner Devoted Wildcat (Forest Wildcat) and stakes-placed Brazilian Court (Harlan's Holiday). Further down the page is Smooth Bore (His Majesty), the dam of Oaks/1000 Guineas winner Midway Lady (Alleged). Nesso is catalogued as Hip 219 at Fasig-Tipton.

   My Conquestadory (Artie Schiller) has her work cut out for her from the outside gate, but the dark bay trumped the boys when unveiled in the GIII Summer S. at Woodbine and showed her versatility in collecting the GI Alcibiades S. on Keenland's Polytrack. She won't be selling Monday, but her dam, Golden Artemis (Malibu Moon), will be offered at Fasig-Tipton as Hip 210 while back in foal to Artie Schiller on a mid-May cover; and her weanling half-sister by Desert Party will follow as Hip 211. Golden Artemis is from the family of successful sprinter Kelly Kip.

Breeders' Cup Distaff
Authenticity
   Padua Stable's Authenticity (Quiet American--Court of Appeal, by Deputy Minister) is 8-1 in the Distaff against the likes of Royal Delta and sophomore stars Beholder, Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar, but the 6-year-old mare has proven her toughness by hitting the board in all eight of her outings in 2013. Winner of the GII La Troienne S. and GIII Shuvee H. for trainer Todd Pletcher, the bay was second to Royal Delta in the GI Personal Ensign H. and to Beholder in the GI Zenyatta S. over this track and trip Sept. 28. Sired by leading broodmare sire Quiet American, Authenticity is a granddaughter of the good grass mare Appealing Missy (Lypheor {GB}), and is catalogued as Hip 206 at Fasig-Tipton.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
   Valene Farms' Designer Legs (Graeme Hall), who had her picture taken following the GII Adirondack S. in Saratoga, will bid to bounce back following her sixth-place finish behind My Conquestadory in the Alcibiades. The Louisiana-bred chestnut is out of Elegant Designer (Suave Prospect), who amassed $416,785 while winning a quartet stakes races at four different racetracks. Designer Legs sells early in the Fasig-Tipton session as hip 29 Hip 29.


She's a Tiger
   Mark DeDomenico et al's She's a Tiger (Tale of the Cat) would be worth a look in any catalogue as a sister to theexcellent sprinter Smiling Tiger (Hold That Tiger), but the bay filly is accomplished in her own right. The $150,000 KEESEP yearling purchase won the GI Del Mar Debutante S. in August and came up just a head short in the GI Chandelier S. over this track and trip, and will have the services of Gary Stevens on Saturday. Her dam, Shandra Smiles (Cahill Road), won a minor stakes at Emerald Downs and is a half-sister to stakes-placed runners Traci Girl (Quiet American) and Draw Fire (Elusive Quality). She's a Tiger is slated to sell as Hip 145 at Fasig-Tipton.


Breeders' Cup F/M Turf
   Lady of Shamrock (Scat Daddy) utilized her stretch kick to annex a pair of Grade I events last season for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler. Produced by Blushing Issue (Blushing John), the dark bay is a half-sister to Grade II winner Smooth Jazz (Storm Boot) and stakes winner She's Sensational (Point Given). Royal Chariot (Strawberry Road {Aus}), hero of the GI Hollywood Turf Cup, is under her second dam. Lady of Shamrock is coming off a troubled fifth in the GI Rodeo Drive (nee Yellow Ribbon) S., but she is training well and may be returning to her best form. The 4-year-old sells Tuesday at Keeneland as Hip 171

Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint
   Renee's Titan (Bernstein) is 30-1 against a tough group of her elders, but Zillah Reddam's 3-year-old did upend champion Beholder earlier this year in the GII Santa Ynez S. The bay is out of Titan Queen (Tiznow), who is a half-sister to Grade II winner Big Band Sound (Bernstein) and stakes winner Silver Prospector (Silver Deputy). Renee's Titan will be offered early on Tuesday at Keeneland as Hip 14.

   Summer Applause (Harlan's Holiday), runner-up last out in the GI Spinster S. on Keeneland's Polytrack, shortens up
Summer Applause
to seven panels for the first time in two years. Gillian Campbell and Greenwood Lodge Farm's filly won the GIII Rachel Alexandra S. last season. This year, she scored in the GII Top Flight H. and GIII DuPont Distaff H. Her dam, Summer Exhibition (Royal Academy), has also produced stakes-placed Big Easy (Gulch), and is a half-sister to millionaire Recoup the Cash (Copelan) and stakes winner Up With the Flag (Time for a Change). Summer Applause will sell as Hip 164 at Fasig-Tipton. A few minutes later, Summer Exhibition will be offered as Hip 166. In foal to Tiznow on a Feb. 20 cover, the 12-year-old mare has a yearling filly by Congrats.



   Great Hot (Brz) (Orientate), born in Brazil with an all-American pedigree, defeated Grade I winners Book Review (Giant's Causeway) and Lady of Fifty (After Market) earlier this year in the GII Santa Maria S. Her unraced dam, That's Hot (Seeking the Gold), is out of Catchy (Storm Cat), a sibling to Grade I winners Hennessy (Storm Cat) and Pearl City (Carson City), as well as Shy Tom (Blushing Groom), a successful sire in South America. Great Hot is catalogued as Hip 57 at Fasig-Tipton, while Catchy's weanling filly by Malibu Moon could be a youngster to watch as Hip 16.

   The popular Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band) could be one of the highlights of Keeneland's second session when she goes through the ring as Hip 350. The pride of the Bradley family, she was an impressive winner of last year's F/M Sprint, and just missed first in the GI Cigar Mile against the boys a month later. The chestnut is from a versatile family that includes successful sprinter Aristotle (Two Punch) and GI Demoiselle S. winner Rootentootenwooten (Diesis {GB}). 

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint
   Mizdirection (Mizzen Mast), who thrilled Jim Rome and partners with her determined rally in last year's Turf
Mizdirection
Sprint, is 4-1 on the morning line to defend her title. The grey mare began 2013 with three straight wins to take her unbeaten Santa Anita turf course record to six, but she hasn't faced the starter since floundering over a yielding course in the one-mile GI Just a Game S. at Belmont in June. Her recent workouts look sharp, and trainer Mike Puype has her primed for a big run Saturday. The 5-year-old is out of Deceptive (Clever Trick), who has produced stakes winner Hurricane Bernie (Sea of Secrets), and descends from the same Live Oak female family of millionaires Sultry Song (Cox's Ridge) and Solar Splendor (Majestic Light). Mizdirection will sell at Fasig-Tipton as Hip 104.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile
   Havana (Dunkirk), a brilliant winner of his career debut at Saratoga for Magnier/Tabor/Smith and trainer Todd Pletcher, stretched his speed to annex the GI Champagne S. at Belmont last out. While the $575,000 Barretts March purchase will have to sort out a trip from post 13, his dam, Missy Turtle (Kyle's Our Man), will be offered at Fasig-Tipton on Monday as Hip 102. The 15-year-old mare was not bred this year, but the half-sister to stakes winners Chief J Strongbow (Chief Honcho) and Egg Head (Honor Grades) has a yearling filly by Harlington and a weanling Zanjero filly.

Breeders' Cup Classic
   Southern Equine Stable's Moreno (Ghostzapper) will do his best to post an upset in the Classic, but the speedy gelding is bred top and bottom to be a Breeders' Cup star. By a brilliant Classic winner in Ghostzapper, the 3-year-old is out of Danceinthesunlight (A.P. Indy), a daughter of champion Dancethruthedawn (Mr. Prospector) and granddaughter of Dance Smartly (Danzig), the 1991 Distaff heroine and Canadian Triple Crown star. Danceinthesunlight, an 8-year-old, has a yearling colt by Street Sense and was covered this year by Ghostzapper and Giant's Causeway. She sells as Hip 213 at Fasig-Tipton. 

   Dogwood Stable's Palace Malice (Curlin) takes on his elders again following a second-place finish in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. The GI Belmont S. and GII Jim Dandy S. winner was a troubled fourth in the GI Travers S., and a victory here would likely see him crowned as champion 3-year-old. He is the second foal from his dam, Palace Rumor (Royal Anthem), and the 10-year-old will be offered in foal to Mineshaft as Hip 119 at Fasig-Tipton. The stakes-placed mare is a half-sister to stakes winners Maya's Storm (Stormy Atlantic) and Jumpifyoudare (Jump Start), and has a 2-year-old City Zip filly and a weanling Pomeroy colt. Millionaire Rail Trip (Jump Start) is under her second dam.

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