The Six-Figure Count: One Mare, Two Weanlings

Tuesday’s mare topper was the $150,000 Big Sink Star (A.P. Indy–Simadartha, by Gone West), who sold to Grey Flight from the draft of Craig and Holly Bandoroff’s Denali Stud. The 9-year-old Big Sink Star, catalogued as hip 2567, sold in foal to Bellamy Road. Denali sold on behalf of WinStar Farm. 

Big Sink Star is a half to the group performer Vault (Danehill Dancer {Ire]) and hails from the exemplary family of Coup de Folie, Machiavellian, et al. But it was a big update that really upped her value in the sales ring yesterday. Since the catalogue, her 4-year-old son Calgary Cat (Cowtown Cat) earned his first black type victory when winning the GIII Bold Venture S. by three lengths at Woodbine Sept. 13. He then came back to be third in the grassy GII Nearctic S. Oct. 19. 
Also since the catalogue, Big Sink Star’s 2-year-old son Conquest Harlanday (Harlan’s Holiday), a $200,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2013, debuted at Churchill Downs. He went unplaced at 7-2 odds after a slow start. 

Big Sink Star had another colt by Harlan’s Holiday sell at the most recent September renewal, where he brought $130,000 to the bid of Julio Rada. 

“She was a big, pretty mare, and she had a really good update,” said Denali’s Craig Bandoroff. “People paid attention, and we made people pay attention, and it was good. The yearlings had sold well, and people knew about them. That’s the thing: there’s no hidden information anymore.” 

Bandoroff said that, if nothing else, he’s seeing a lot of horses change hands at November. “There’s a lot of trading going on, and I think that’s a big objective of what November’s all about,” he said. “Some of the ones you don’t want, somebody else does, and you try to get new ones. The foal market is about the same as it’s been. If you have one that ticks all the boxes, as the old staying goes, they’re all over them. And yet there are people there for the other ones, too. Horses are turning over. Are people making money? That’s the $64,000 question.” 

Two weanlings brought six figures yesterday at November. Leading the way was a filly from the first crop of Tapizar (Tapit) who was knocked down to Christina Jelm, agent for JSM Equine, for $145,000. Robert E. Courtney Jr.’s Stonebridge LLC consigned the daughter of Heckuva Hunter (Lion Heart), who hails from the immediate family of the recent $3 million Fasig-Tipton November mare Sweet Lulu (Mr. Greeley). She sold as hip 2670. 

The other six-figure weanling was a first-crop Gemologist (Tiznow) colt who sold to B.T.A. Stable for $125,000. Bred by Pin Oak Stud and Brookfield Stud and consigned by Elm Tree Racing as hip 2685, the colt is the first foal from the winning Irish Wedding (Johannesburg), a half to GSP Holiday Promise (Harlan’s Holiday) and SP Anchorage (Tapit). It’s the extended Pin Oak family of Wedding Vow, Broken Vow, et al. The colt was purchased in utero last year at Keeneland November for $115,000 by J.C.E.A.E.