Bloodstock agent Jacob West, posted up in his usual position in the back ring, swept up nine individuals Sept. 18 during session five of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Hip 1266, a son of Gun Runner | StallionRegister.com">Hip 1266, a son of Gun Runner , whose progeny are lighting up the oval and the sales ring, topped the agent's purchases for the day when the hammer fell for $675,000. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency for breeder Three Chimneys Farm, the colt is out of the Bernardini mare Secret Jewel, dam of this year's Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3) winner, Twenty Carat (by Into Mischief ). This is also the family of grade 1 winner Shared Account and her grade 1-winning daughter Sharing.
"A perfect female family in Shared Account and Sharing, he's got everything," Duncan Taylor said. "If he wins a grade 1, he will be worth $20-$30 million. We thought it was a good price, but we weren't surprised."
The colt's second dam is Silk n' Sapphire, producer of Shared Account, who won the 2010 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) and All Along Stakes (G3T) and the 2009 Lake Placid Stakes (G2T), and was runner-up in the 2010 Diana Stakes (G1T) and the 2009 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T), Garden City Stakes (G1T), and Virginia Oaks (G3T).
"He's a nice colt, he moves well, and you couldn't have a better combination right now with Gun Runner and being out of a Bernardini mare. Both are at the top of their class," Taylor added. "Three Chimneys raised the colt, and Vinnie Viola and Mike Repole bought him, so it's a great combination. They will give the horse every chance; as a breeder, you can't ask for more."
West remarked up on the success of first-crop juvenile sire Gun Runner, who was represented by two grade 1 winners, two grade 2 winners, and 12 maiden winners through Saturday morning.
"Gun Runner, there isn't a hotter stallion on the planet right now," he said. "When I (worked at) Three Chimneys, I was lucky enough to be around him when he was on the racetrack, so it's no surprise to me that he is passing it on to his progeny."
The price point on the colt was no surprise to West, who said: "When the other Gun Runner, Hip 1254, went for $775,000, we knew we were going to have to get tied on. In our minds, they were equal, but he stood out to us being out of a Bernardini mare."
Hip 1232 Dead Ringer to G3SW Wit
Another highlight added to West's haul was Hip 1232, a bay colt by Practical Joke , who struck West as identical to recent Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Gainesway Stable's Sanford Stakes (G3) winner and Hopeful Stakes (G1)-placed Wit.
Out of the unraced Empire Maker mare Queen of the Realm, the colt was secured by West on behalf of Repole Stable and St Elias Stable for $500,000.
"This was the first horse I saw on inspections, Barn 3; I texted Mike Repole, Todd Pletcher, Vinnie Viola, and said had I found the next Wit," West said. "If his stripe (face marking) went down to his nostril, it would have been the same horse. He reminds me a lot of Wit, who we bought here as a yearling for $575,000 in 2020; we loved him.
"Todd saw him before he left town and gave me the thumbs up; Rory Babich, Monique Delk, everyone was on board," said West. "Mike and Vinnie told me to get this one no matter what, so we are excited. When the horses line up and check everyone's boxes, we expect to pay that much."
Queen of the Realm was purchased by breeder Nursery Place in foal to Harlan's Holiday from the 2013 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $80,000. She is the dam of eight other foals, six of which are runners. Seeking Toussaud, by Tap Day, is a winner in Canada and placed second in the Eternal Search Stakes at Woodbine in 2013. Her 3-year-old Honor Code filly, Seeking Honor, is a winner with eight starts to date and a record of 1-1-2; she is currently working at Prairie Meadows with trainer Lynn Chleborad.
The second dam, 1994 Adirondack Stakes (G2) winner Seeking Regina, is a full sister to Oxford Scholar, winner of the 1995 Valley Stream Stakes, and a half sister to stakes winner Tutorial. This is the family of the 2000 Interborough Handicap (G3) winner Seeking the Sky, dam of Sahara Sky (G1) and stakes winner Animal Style.
Griffin Mayer said of the colt: "He has been a very, very special, straightforward colt from day one. My biggest fear was coming in here with a second-crop sire. Gun Runner has been setting the world on fire. Practical Joke has done enough, and in any normal crop, he'd be the man, but I was a little hesitant about coming in here.
"I knew we had a nice colt, but it all lined up. He got vetted over 20 times and was very popular, and he showed himself well out here and did a beautiful job."
In quick succession, West secured Hip 1234, an Accelerate colt for $160,000, offered by Nursery Place, agent. West has been given direct instructions to purchase horses by stallions to which Repole and Viola have an interest in, wanting to help support stallions like Accelerate.
Other colt purchases for the racing partnership of Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable were Hip 1140 (by Uncle Mo ), Hip 1175 (by Army Mule ), Hip 1309 (by Practical Joke), Hip 1362 (by Maclean's Music ), and Hip 1369 (by More Than Ready). West spent a total of $2,450,000 at Keeneland on Saturday alone.
