Anipa A First Mate For Tonalist

Anipa A First Mate For Tonalist… 
Patrick Lawley-Wakelin has been instrumental in the production of this year’s GI Belmont S. and GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Tonalist since before the son of Tapit was even born, having purchased his dam, Settling Mist (Pleasant Colony), for $800,000 at Keeneland November in 2007 (click here for a TDN feature). Tonalist stays in training next year as a 4-year-old, but Lawley-Wakelin is already thinking ahead to his stud career, and he signed for the young stakes winner Anipa (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) (lot 1720) on behalf of Tonalist’s owner Robert ‘Shel’ Evans for 400,000gns yesterday with an eye to her joining Tonalist’s first book. 

Anipa strung together three wins earlier this year for owner Nurlan Bizakov and trainer Roger Varian, culminating in the Listed Cheshire Oaks in May. She is a half-sister to the GI Flower Bowl Invitational winner Ave (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who cost Shadai Farm $1.4 million at Keeneland January in 2011. 

Like Tonalist, Anipa will be aimed at a 4-year-old campaign, and will join her future mate at trainer Christophe Clement’s Florida base at Payson Park. 

“She’ll go into training with Christophe Clement,” Lawley Wakelin said. “She has a lovely, great big walk on her, a great mind, and I just think there’s more to come.” 

Andrew Sime, standing alongside Lawley-Wakelin, confirmed, “She’s been bought for the Belmont winner. He stays in training next year so we were trying to buy a filly to race then visit him.” 

Expanding on her appeal, Sime noted, “She’s by Sea the Stars and a half to a Grade I winner in the States. And she’s the only Sea the Stars stakes winner in the catalogue.” 

Lawley-Wakelin noted Anipa was the first horse he had bid on at the sale, but he indicated he may not be through spending, adding, “Hopefully it will be a busy day.”