Brandi Takes Charge at Keeneland

by Jessica Martini, Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato

In a power-packed day of selling which featured six seven-figure weanlings, it was champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) who delivered the biggest punch when selling for $6 million to John Sikura's Hill 'n' Equine during Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, which consigned eight million-dollar offerings Tuesday, sold the 3-year-old (hip 450) on behalf of Willis Horton.

The very next hip through the ring Tuesday was a weanling filly by War Front out of Take Charge Brandi's second dam, broodmare of the year Take Charge Lady (Dehere). The weanling sold to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for a North American record $3.2 million, besting the $3-million mark set by a daughter of Tapit at last year's November sale.

Last year's record-setter was the only weanling to bring seven-figures during the 2014 November sale. This year's million-dollar weanlings included two fillies by Tapit, a daughter of Galileo (Ire) and three youngsters by War Front.

“We anticipated that we had a box full of crackerjack foals and they certainly delivered,” commented Keeneland's Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell. “We were very confident going in that the market would react very favorably to these foals and it beat our expectations. They were a unique opportunity for buyers to get in–as I said, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I doubt they'll ever come back again.”

At the conclusion of Tuesday's second and final Book 1 session, 279 horses had sold for $108,878,000. After two sessions a year ago, 273 head had grossed $95,852,000. The two-day average is $390,244–up 11.15% from 2014, while the median is up 15% to $230,000. A total of 21 horses have brought $1 million or more. Eighteen reached that mark at last year's sale.

“I think the upper-end of the market is very strong,” Russell said. “That was shown today. Like yesterday, there were many different people buying at the top end, there were multiple bidders at the top end. They are still very particular about what they buy, but they are willing to give top dollar for the good horses. Overall, it was very rewarding for the market.”

Hill 'n' Dale was far and away the session's leading consignor, with 22 horses sold for $23,875,000 and an average of $1,085,227. In addition to Take Charge Brandi, Sikura's operation also sold three of the seven-figure weanlings, led by a $2.6-million War Front half-brother to last year's record-setter and a $2-million daughter of the Claiborne stallion out of Grade I winner Awesome Maria. Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Equine was also the day's leading buyer, purchasing two head for $7,800,000.

The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 13 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Horton Scores Big, Then Reinvests

Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) (hip 450) had already shown a propensity for producing boxcar figures as a 61-1 upsetter of last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and 2014's champion 2-year-old female blew up the tote again Tuesday as John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale sales fended off all challengers to land her for $6 million. Hill 'n' Dale also consigned the 'TDN Rising Star' on behalf of owner Willis Horton. The winning bid was the highest at this sale since fellow 'Rising Star' Royal Delta (Empire Maker) brought $8.5 million in 2011.

A $435,000 KEESEP yearling of 2013, Take Charge Brandi is a granddaughter of MGISW Take Charge Lady (Dehere), who was responsible for fellow Horton colorbearer and 2013 champion 3-year-old Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), as well as GISW Take Charge Indy (A. P. Indy). She also annexed last year's GIII Delta Downs Princess S. and GI Starlet S., and took January's Martha Washington S. under the tutelage of Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The chestnut retired this fall with earnings of $1,692,126 from a record of 11-5-0-1.

“I'm just so happy for [Horton] that it turned out as well as it did,” offered Lukas. “I had no idea where it would all end up, but she's special and you just can't buy that family–she's out of a Broodmare of the Year, and with everybody involved in it–the horse business is very good right now.”

When asked if keeping Take Charge Brandi had been considered, Lukas said, “Mr. Horton agonized over it a lot. She got to be so special to the family and everything, and he agonized over it a lot. At some point, I think you need to regroup and maybe reinvest. The best part of it is that the Horton family will reinvest it–they won't walk out and keep it.”

Horton paid $1.25 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale for Take Charge Brandi's War Front half-sister, who is now named Take Charge Tressa.

“She's a May baby, and we're just taking our time with her and letting her develop a little bit,” he noted.

Lukas's comments about Horton reinvesting didn't take long to prove prescient, as the Arkansas native took home the last horse through the ring Tuesday, a War Front–Awesome Maria (Maria's Mon) filly, for $2 million. The grey was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale as hip 491.

“We're going to try to turn this one into $6 million, too,” Lukas quipped.

Horton said of the Feb. 17 foal's appeal, “The mother winning the kind of money she did and being such a good mare, and then the stallion she is by puts it all together. This filly here was well-built conformation wise and I really liked her. I didn't want to pay that much money, but you do things when you don't want to sometimes.”

When asked about plans for hip 491, Horton said, “Wayne will probably get her. But we might bring her back to the sale next September and she might bring $5 million. You never know.”

Awesome Maria, a winner of the 2011 GI Ogden Phipps H., hails from a very productive Robsham Stables family that includes Grade I winners Pretty Discreet, Discreet Cat and Discreetly Mine. She was purchased by Coolmore's M. V. Magnier in foal to Giant's Causeway for a sale-topping $4 million at KEENOV two years ago out of the complete dispersal of E. Paul Robsham Stables. Her resulting Giant's Causeway filly RNA'd for $550,000 recently at Keeneland September. –@BDiDonato
King of the 'Hill'

To say it was a busy day at the office for Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura would be an understatement. In addition to selling 22 head for $23,875,000–more than twice the sum of the second-leading consignor–he also signed for the session-topping Take Charge Brandi as well as $1.8-million Aurelia's Belle (Lemon Drop Kid). Both broodmare prospects were consigned by Hill 'n' Dale, whose draft was responsible for six of the top eight lots and eight of the 14 who brought seven figures.

“I thought she was a five to six-million dollar mare,” Sikura said of Take Charge Brandi during a brief lull in the action. “She's a champion with a unique pedigree, a beautiful individual. You saw a weanling filly from the immediate family bring $3.2 million (hip 451, see below), so it's a highly coveted family in the marketplace… She was top-to-bottom, on any metric, she had it–pedigree, performance, champion, temperament, active family, by the right sire–everything. From A to Z, first class.”

Bids seemed to be coming from all over the sales pavilion for Take Charge Brandi, but Sikura wasn't backing down.

“I wanted to own her so bad, we kind of jumped our own bid,” he joked. “They wanted $4.2 million, we said $4.5 million. I've always found, when you try to buy a mare cheap and just hold on it always costs more, so we tried to be aggressive and let people know that we were here to buy the mare and they could react as they wished.”

Sikura was also the winning bidder on Aurelia's Belle (hip 488), winner of last year's GIII Bourbonette Oaks, GIII Regret S. and GIII Arlington Park Oaks for owner James Miller and trainer Wayne Catalano. The $170,000 KEESEP yearling hails from a highly coveted Alexander-Groves-Matz family that traces back to blue hen Courtly Dee.

“She's from a great female family, a really good race filly–everything you look for in a prolific, producing family,” Sikura said. “We're trying to acquire elite, first-class broodmares, and she fit our criteria. We're buyers and sellers, and trying to be active in different segments of the marketplace.”

Sikura sold an unraced 5-year-old full-sister to Aurelia's Belle to Mt. Brilliant Farm for $680,000 at Sunday evening's Fasig-Tipton November sale. –@BDiDonato

War Front Weanling Sets Record

The North American record for a weanling sold at public auction, set by a Tapit filly at last year's Keeneland November sale, was broken Tuesday in Lexington when Mandy Pope bid $3.2 million for a daughter of War Front out of broodmare of the year Take Charge Lady (Dehere). The weanling (hip 451) is a half-sister to champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) and Grade I winner Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and is a half to the dam of champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway), who sold immediately before the weanling for $6 million.

“She is a lovely filly,” said Pope, who was sitting alongside Gainesway's Antony Beck and admitted the two had been bidding on Take Charge Brandi. “I think she has a good amount of leg to her for a War Front. War Front is very popular right now and I've bred quite a few of my good mares to him, so I am very hopeful that he is going to continue on and have a really good stallion career. Hopefully this filly will be part of that.”

This isn't the first member of the family Pope has purchased at auction. She paid $2.2 million for her half-sister I'll Take Charge (Indian Charlie) at the 2013 Keeneland September sale. The 3-year-old broke her maiden at Belmont in June.

“Obviously, I paid a lot of money for her half-sister, I'll Take Charge, who is on vacation now,” Pope said. “She did well at the track, but she's on vacation and I expect her to come back and have a really good 4-year-old year.”

Pope admitted the weanling's record price, which bettered the $3-million mark set in 2014, was higher than she expected to pay.

“I thought she would bring $2 or $2.5 million, so this was more than I expected to pay,” Pope explained. “But after Take Charge Brandi just sold for twice what I thought she would bring, it didn't help me–it helped the sellers.”

The record weanling was bred and consigned by Eaton Sales.

“You never know what to expect at that level, but I wasn't surprised when she hit $3 million,” admitted Eaton's Reiley McDonald. “Arguably she is the best filly on pedigree and physical foaled in 2015.”

Take Charge Lady is expected to be covered by recently retired Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in 2016. @JessMartiniTDN

Crupi Answers the 'Call'

Last October, Irish import Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (hip 399) annexed an allowance for trainer Graham Motion over the Keeneland turf course in her first Stateside attempt. Some 53 weeks, and one Grade I win later, she was in the spotlight in Lexington once again, as J. J. Crupi's New Castle was stretched to $3 million to secure the racing or broodmare prospect on behalf of an undisclosed client.

Craig and Holly Bandoroff's Denali Stud, Agent V, consigned the 4-year-old, a daughter of MGSP Theann (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) from the family of Irish and English Group 1 winner Halfway to Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).

BBA Ireland's Patrick Cooper acquired the then one-for-five David Wachman-trained Photo Call privately last year before she was turned over to Motion. She was third in the GIII La Prevoyante H. in her second start for her new connections, and overcame a lack of pace to be second in May's GIII Beaugay S. Photo Call finally broke through at the graded level Aug. 29, and added Santa Anita's GI Rodeo Drive S. Sept. 26 before finishing a close-up fifth in last Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf.

“It was a fantastic price–that was great,” said Cooper after celebrating with a group that included Bill Oppenheim, who was also part of the ownership group. “She's a lovely filly. We had some fun.”

While Crupi declined to reveal who he was acting on behalf of, he said Photo Call would be heading to trainer Todd Pletcher.

“I thought this filly was a real nice filly,” said Crupi from his usual spot out back. “We're going to race her for a while, and then she'll go into our breeding program, in which she'll definitely fit.” –@BDiDonato

Crupi Secures Tapit-Refugee Weanling

Just moments after signing for the $3-million mare Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Jimmy Crupi was at it again for that same undisclosed client, extending to $1.3 million for a Tapit weanling filly. The daughter of the graded stakes placed Refugee (Unaccounted For) is a half-sister to Executiveprivilege (First Samurai) ($23,000 KEESEP yrl & $650,000 OBSAPR 2yo), MGISW, $999,000; and last year's GI Clark H. winner and recent GI Awesome Again S. and GII Fayette S. runner-up Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) ($300,000 KEESEP yrl).

“We're going to send her to Crupi's New Castle, break her next year as a yearling, race her–she'll go to [trainer] Todd Pletcher–then go on to the broodmare band. That's why we bought her, for her breeding.”

He continued, “She had a perfect physical. She had everything in the right places. She moved well and was just perfect.”

Consigned by Eaton Sales as Hip 406, Refugee was acquired by Blandford Bloodstock for $480,000 while in foal to Cowboy Cal at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. That resulting produce, the colt Cowboy's Hero, brought $145,000 as KEENOV weanling, then switched hands again the following year for $550,000 at FTKJUL. He RNA'd for $600,000 at this year's FTFMAR sale. Her War Front filly brought $650,000 from Solis/Litt as a yearling at this year's KEESEP sale. The $1.3-million Tapit weanling was bred in Kentucky by Barronstown Stud. Refugee has a date with Triple Crown hero American Pharoah in 2016. -@SteveSherackTDN

War Front Colt to Coolmore

Bidding was off to a rapid pace on MGISW & 'TDN Rising Star' Honor Code (A.P. Indy)'s weanling half-brother by War Front, and it was Coolmore's M.V. Magnier who made the winning bid at $2.6 million.

The dark bay, produced by the stakes-winning Storm Cat mare Serena's Cat, was co-bred in Kentucky by the Justice family's Dell Ridge Farm and Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings. He is also a half-brother to Noble Tune (Unbridled's Song), MGSW & GISP, $492,222. His third dam is Hall of Famer Serena's Song (Rahy).

The Coolmore partners' success with offspring by War Front is well-documented, led by champion Declaration of War as well as the promising juvenile and three-time Group 1 winner Air Force Blue.

“He's by War Front and he's out of a very good mare,” Magnier commented out back. “He comes from a great American family. We've had a lot of luck with Serena's Song in the past with [G1SW] Sophisticat and he's a nice horse and comes from a great farm. [Hill 'n' Dale]'s John Sikura has always thought that he was a real nice horse. We'll bring him back to Ashford now and we'll see what we do next summer, whether we bring him home or leave him here.”

As for the pricetag, Magnier concluded, “In fairness to the horse, he probably deserved it.”

Serena Cat's filly by Tapit, now named Serena's Harmony, set a then-North American record for a weanling when selling to Bridlewood Farm for $3 million at this sale in 2014. Serena's Cat herself brought $1.4 million from Dell Ridge Farm at the 2003 KEENOV sale.

The $2.6-million War Front colt was consigned as hip 423 by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency.

“He's a unique, special horse out of a proven producer,” said Sikura, who privately purchased an interest in Serena's Cat from Dell Ridge in 2012. “Great family and an elite sire. The most aggressive, smartest and articulate horsemen in the world bought the horse. It's a great testament to the horse. I love that he's part of their program now.”

Serena's Cat was bred to Tapit this spring. The aforementioned Honor Code, winner of this year's GI Metropolitan H. and GI Whitney S., was retired to Lane's End after finishing a respectable third in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland.

-@SteveSherackTDN

A 'Terrific' Purchase at KEENOV

The Haefner family's Moyglare Stud Farm went to $1.9 million to acquire the 4-year-old Galileo (Ire) mare Terrific (Ire).

Offered in foal to leading sire War Front, the dark bay, a two-time winner in Ireland as a juvenile, is a full sister to champion Together (Ire) and a half-sister to G1SW Jan Vermeer (Ire). Terrific, third in the Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Salsabil S. for owner Derrick Smith and trainer Aidan O'Brien, brought $2,184,410 as a yearling at the 2012 Tattersalls October Sale. She was later campaigned in the U.S. by Glen Hill Farm and Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings to an unplaced finish in a Keeneland allowance.

“She's a Galileo and she doesn't have any Danehill [in her pedigree],” Moyglare's Fiona Craig enthused after signing the ticket out back. “She's a great breeding prospect for us.”

So, who will she be bred to next year?

“Possibly something like a Dansili (GB),” she replied. “She will go home. We'll foal her in Ireland and she will go to a good Danehill-line horse.”

She was consigned to the Keeneland November sale by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency as Hip 455.

“She's a beautiful mare by Galileo, a half to a champion and she's in foal to War Front,” Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura commented. “We're very happy with what she brought.”

-@SteveSherackTDN

Wonderfully Heading Back to Ireland

Group winner Wonderfully (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will be heading back home to Ireland after selling to Ballylinch Stud for $1.8 million Tuesday at Keeneland. Ballylinch managing director John O'Connor signed the ticket on the 4-year-old (hip 474), who was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency and is in foal to Smart Strike. O'Connor did his bidding out back alongside Bridlewood manager George Isaacs.

“Ballylinch is a sister farm to Bridlewood and George Isaacs is here with me and we're working together as a team,” O'Connor explained. “We particuarly liked this mare. I loved the look of her. She's got a lot of elegance and a lot of quality.”

Wonderfully won the 2013 G3 Silver Flash S. for Coolmore as a juvenile. She concluded her career with a pair of North American efforts for Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and trainer Tom Proctor.

“I remember her racing–she was a good quick filly with a lot of precocity. Things that I admire,” O'Connor said.

The mare is out of Massarra (GB) (Danehill), a sister to Kodiac (GB) and a half-sister to Invincible Spirit (Ire), and she is a half to Group 1 winner Nayarra (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}).

Of the pedigree, O'Connor continued, “She is by Galileo, who is an outstanding sire, and she comes from a very successful family developed by Prince Faisal and it's the family of two very important sires in Europe–Invincible Spirrit and Kodiac. So I think she is a very interesting mare to breed from.”

Ballylinch is home to Lope de Vega (Ire) and Lawman (Fr) and O'Connor mentioned both stallions as potential future mates for Wonderfully.

“We stand Lope de Vega, so she is a possibility for him, and she's also a possibility at some stage for Lawman because that family works with her.” @JessMartiniTDN

Bella Claim Pays Off for Lysters

Wayne Lyster and sons Bryan and Gray claimed Bella Jolie (Broken Vow) for $5,000 in 2010 and Tuesday, just days after the mare's first foal Runhappy (Super Saver) won the GI TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint, the family cashed out to the tune of $1.6 million during the second session of the Keeneland November sale. The 8-year-old Bella Jolie (hip 250), in foal to Cairo Prince and consigned by the Lysters' Ashview Farm, will be joining the broodmare band at Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Farm after Banke made the winning bid early in Tuesday's session of the 12-day auction.

“We couldn't be more pleased,” Wayne Lyster said. “That's a pretty big deal for Ashview Farm–I run it with my two sons and it's entirely my family and that was our horse.”

Lyster said Ashview, which also co-bred champion Johannesburg (Hennessy), had only eight yearlings in the season in which it sold Runhappy for $200,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September sale.

“It was so gratifying to breed a champion when you think the number of possibilities that are out there with the number of horses born every year,” he said. “It's not all the price and the money–that is important–but for me to be able to co-breed this champion sprinter with my two sons, there is no value you can put on that. So therefore it is very hard to describe the feelings I have as a father.”

While Runhappy had yet to win a stakes race at the nomination deadline for the November sale, Lyster said reports from connections led to the decision to enter Bella Jolie in the catalogue.

“The nomination day was Aug. 1 and we had been in close contact with the owners and we knew how well he was doing,” Lyster explained. “He was to run either in the [GI] Vanderbilt S. at Saratoga July 31 or in an allowance race at Ellis Park with the GI King's Bishop in mind Aug. 29. We were happy they ran him in the allowance race to get him more experience. So we went on and entered her in the sale in hopes that Runhappy would do well in the King's Bishop and everybody knows the rest of the story. Everything lined up just perfectly.”

Runhappy ran away with the King's Bishop before adding the GIII Phoenix S. at Keeneland and likely cementing the sprinter championship with a determined victory in the Breeders' Cup last Saturday.

Bella Jolie's yearling colt by Lookin at Lucky sold for $255,000 at this year's Keeneland September sale. Her weanling colt by Exchange Rate was also entered in the November sale, but was withdrawn.

“He foaled a little late and he was just a little immature for this sale, but you will see him somewhere next year,” Lyster said of the weanling.

Of the fortuitous claim, Lyster added, “It's got to happen every once in a while that something good happens because there are certainly a lot of difficult times. We realize how fortunate we are.”

Banke acknowledged Runhappy's exploits on the racetrack attracted her to the mare.

“We are hoping that Runhappy's dam will make me happy,” she laughed after signing the ticket on Bella Jolie.

Of the mare's young covering sire, Banke added, “Cairo Prince–we will wait and see–that's maybe not the mating that I would have looked for. But we can breed her to many, many good stallions and who knows, Cairo Prince could be another freak. I think she is young enough and she has produced a wonderful racehorse, so that's always a good indicator.” @JessMartiniTDN

Lacadena Welcomed to the Family

Fresh off a particularly timely update, Lacadena (Fasliyev) proved a hot commodity at Keeneland November Tuesday. Veteran agent Cecil Seaman went to $1.3 million to secure the 10-year-old on behalf of Heider Family Stables. The sale came just four days after Lacadena's 4-year-old daughter America (A.P. Indy) took Belmont's GIII Turnback the Alarm H. in box-to-wire fashion for owner/breeder Bobby Flay and trainer Todd Pletcher. Lacadena, consigned by Arthur Hancock III's Stone Farm, was offered as hip 342 while carrying a Bernardini colt.

“She's supposed to be carrying a colt, and her second dam's the dam of a Broodmare of the Year [Better Than Honour {Deputy Minister}],” Seaman said when asked what about Lacadena caught his eye. “Plus, America is going to race next year, and she's getting better.”

When asked if the price tag was what he expected, Seaman replied, “I wasn't ready for it, but they were.”

Patriarch Charles Heider, a prominent Omaha, Nebraska- based investment banker and business associate of Warren Buffett, passed away at 89 in July. Heider's son Scott, a real estate developer, manages the stable. Heider Family Stables campaigns the likes of September's GI Zenyatta S. third Savings Account (Medaglia d'Oro), who they own in partnership with Craig Bernick.

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay acquired then stakes-placed juvenile Lacadena, who hailed from the family of that year's GI Belmont S. winner Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), upon recommendation of agent James Delahooke after she RNA'd for $1.4 million at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton November Sale (click here for more: The Education of Bobby Flay).

Lacadena was winless in three subsequent tries for Flay, but has done well by him in the breeding shed. Her second foal, the aforementioned America, RNA'd for $725,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September sale, but hit the board in last year's

GI Mother Goose S. and July's GI Delaware H. before scoring a career-high in the Turnback the Alarm.

Lacadena is responsible for the winning 3-year-old filly Paris Bikini (Bernadini), an unraced 2-year-old filly by Street Cry (Ire), a yearling colt by Tiznow and a Malibu Moon weanling filly who was withdrawn from this sale.

“Her weanling filly by Malibu Moon is really nice,” noted Hancock after congratulating Seaman. “They also own America, who just won the Turnback the Alarm, and she'll race next year for them–so they're covered with fillies. The mare's at an opportune age–it's a business.”

Hancock continued, “I'm glad Cecil got her. Cecil is a good judge, because that's a good-looking mare. That's my type of mare, and the type of mare my dad liked.”

Referring to Flay, he quipped, “He'll have to cook us up a special soufflé for that one!” –@BDiDonato

Tapit Filly Mixes It Up

A filly by Tapit was the first weanling to break seven figures during Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland November sale, selling for $1.1 million to Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Estate Company. The bay (hip 366) is the first foal out of multiple Grade I winner Marketing Mix (Medaglia d'Oro).

“She is out of a great race mare and by a top sire,” Shadwell's Rick Nichols said of the weanling's appeal. “I thought that [price] was about where she would be. She is a gorgeous filly.”

As for plans for the weanling, Nichols added, “Her mom ran on turf and we have tried some Tapits in England, but we'll let her grow up and see what the boss says next September.”

Glen Hill Farm purchased Marketing Mix for $150,000 as a yearling at the 2009 Keeneland September sale. Racing for that operation, the mare won the 2013 GI Gamely S. and 2012 GI Rodeo Drive S. She was also second in the 2012 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf.

“I think horses are worth the most when they retire and they bring the most money either carrying their first foal or right off the track,” Glen Hill's Craig Bernick said of the decision to sell the weanling. “And when you decide to keep them, you really only have a chance or two to take money off the table with the first nice foal or so. So that was the plan when we didn't sell Marketing Mix as a broodmare prospect or last year–that if we got some good babies, we'd sell them. So that's why we did it.”

Bernick, who signed for a Declaration of War weanling filly co-bred by Glen Hill for $800,000 earlier in Tuesday's session, added the Tapit filly's final price tag was not a surprise.

“Tapit stands for $300,000,” he said. “Marketing Mix was runner-up for champion mare, was second in the Breeders' Cup and she won some Grade Is. So if that foal, which is a nice foal, can't make over a $1 million, the whole industry needs a little bit of a readjustment. It's obviously a ton of money and we're thrilled to get it, but she was a nice foal.”

Marketing Mix is not currently in foal but Bernick said she will be bred to War Front next year. @JessMartiniTDN

Glen Hill Goes to 'War' for Weanling Filly

A Declaration of War weanling filly–the first foal produced by a group-placed daughter of the bluehen mare Mariah's Storm (Rahy)–brought $800,000 from Glen Hill Farm at Keeneland November Tuesday.

Out of the Galileo (Ire) mare Hanky Panky (Ire), the bay was bred in Ireland by Elevage 11, a partnership between Glen Hill and John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm. The operation struck earlier this year for a 20% share in Curlin.

Mariah's Storm, of course, has produced standouts such as leading sire and European Horse of the Year Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat) as well as group winner You'resothrilling (Storm Cat), the dam of champion and four-time Group 1 winner Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Marvellous (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the highly regarded juvenile filly Coolmore (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

From the second crop of the promising young sire Declaration of War, the Feb. 23 foal was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency as hip 315.

“She has a tremendous family and we race a lot of fillies on the grass,” Bernick said after signing the ticket out back. “Gleneagles, Coolmore and [G1 Irish Derby runner-up and G1 Investec Derby third] Storm the Stars (Sea the Stars {Ire}) were all Group 1 horses in Europe this year. And Declaration of War, thus far, is the best son of War Front to retire [to stud]. The filly had a great walk and obviously she has a spectacular pedigree. We're excited to have her.”

As for dissolving the partnership on the filly, Bernick clarified, “Elevage is an entity that is for investment and Glen Hill races horses. We're happy to own the horse. We're part of Elevage, but Glen Hill bought the horse to race.”

Glen Hill was also in the spotlight as seller later in the session, when its Tapit weanling filly out of MGISW Market Mix (Medaglia d'Oro) brought $1.1 million. -@SteveSherackTDN

Turkish Delight

Fedai Kahraman, through advisor Murat Sancal, purchased the mare Justmeandmyshadow (Tiznow), in foal to Yes It's True, for $77,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. The investment proved timely when the mare's daughter Calamity Kate (Yes It's True) won the GIII Delaware Oaks this year and was second behind I'm a Chatterbox (Munnings) in the GI Cotillion S. Returned to the November sales ring Tuesday through the Mill Ridge Sales consignment, Justmeandmyshadow (hip 334) brought a final bid of $525,000 from Woodford Thoroughbreds. She was followed into the ring by her weanling colt, who sold for $230,000 to Lael Stable and Three Chimneys.

“Murat Sancal is Fedai Kahraman's advisor and they shop the November sale very well,” Mill Ridge's Headley Bell commented.

Kahraman, who campaigns Arabians in his native Turkey, was influenced to sell both mare and weanling by Calamity Kate's exploits on the racetrack, according to Bell.

“When Calamity Kate became a winner and Grade I placed, it was one of those situations where you take advantage of the market. And that's what they did. She had a lovely foal who followed her. So the combination really made it.”

Sancal, who represents several Turkish clients, operates a boarding and quarantine operation from part of Elmendorf Farm.

“Murat was also instrumental in buying Shared Belief's mother, as well,” Bell said. “So he's had some really great fortune in his shopping.” @JessMartiniTDN