A colt from the first crop of grade 1 winner Army Mule brought $390,000 from Internet bidder John Ballantyne/NBS Stable Sept. 20 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington.
Consigned as Hip 2201 by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency and bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stables, the colt is out of the unplaced Tapit mare August Snow. The colt's second dam is Refugee, making August Snow a half sister to two-time grade 1 winners Hoppertunity and Executiveprivilege, as well as stakes winners Leader of Men and Cowboy's Hero.
"Since he came off the farm he has been a star from day one—a big, long, scopey, and fast-looking Army Mule," said Jared Burdine of Hill 'n' Dale. "St. Elias bred the horse, and it's a testament to their support, along with (Hill 'n' Dale owner) John Sikura and the other shareholders toward Army Mule."
Army Mule stood the 2021 season for an advertised fee of $7,500 at Hill 'n' Dale. Burdine noted the colt generated a lot of interest ahead of entering the ring.
"A man among boys; he stood out among our consignment and this book," Burdine said.
The $390,000 price was the highest for any yearling by Army Mule to this point in the 2021 Keeneland September sale. Army Mule won all three of his career starts, including the 2018 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Earlier in the session, Ballantyne/NBS Stable went to $280,000 to land a Twirling Candy filly (Hip 1984) out of the winning Smart Strike mare Memorial Drive. Consigned by Lane's End, agent, the filly is from the family of grade 1 winner Runup the Colors and grade 2 winner Revolutionary.
The filly was bred in Kentucky by William Farish.
