Coolmore Buys Mo Donegal's Half Sister Prank for $1.6M

The Coolmore team showed up Jan. 8 at Keeneland ready to buy. Early during Day 1 of the January Horses of All Ages Sale, the group went into a bidding duel to acquire the precocious Into Mischief filly Prank, seeing the hammer drop at $1.6 million for the 4-year-old. Gainesway consigned the broodmare prospect as Hip 77 to dissolve a partnership. "She's a lovely filly with a good race under her, she was purchased for the Coolmore partners, and I would say she will go to Justify. He's a phenomenal stallion who is doing it on the grass and dirt," said Tom Wachman, the grandson of John Magnier who signed the sales slip. "I have been here a few times for the sales and am learning the ropes. This filly was the highest price I have signed for so far." Debuting at 2, the filly stormed home in a Saratoga Race Course maiden special weight, putting 9 3/4 lengths between her and the field in her sole start. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the bay was campaigned in partnership with StarLadies Racing, LNJ Foxwoods, and Gainesway Stable. Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables out of Callingmissbrown, she was consigned as a yearling to the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, selling to Frank Brothers, as agent for Solis/Litt, for $500,000. The filly is a half sibling to 2022 Belmont Stakes (G1) victor Mo Donegal. The Uncle Mo colt captured the Remsen Stakes (G2) at 2, returning the following year to take the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) en route to his Belmont victory for Donegal Racing and Repole Stable. Mo Donegal will stand his second season at Spendthrift Farm for $15,000 in 2024. Callingmissbrown is a winner by Pulpit out of Acorn Stakes (G1) winner Island Sand, who also ran second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and third in the Mother Goose Stakes (G1). Island Sand, by Tabasco Cat, earned $1,182,777, hitting the board in 12 of her 19 starts. "She was very well received at the barns, but she was a real talent," Brian Graves, general manager for Gainesway, said. "She broke her maiden at Saratoga, basically winning by the length of the stretch. She got injured and wasn't able to make it back, but had that brilliance people want, and if she passes that on to her foals, they could be grade 1 winners. "We certainly thought she could be a grade 1 winner on the day she broke her maiden. Her figures were among the fastest in six years at Saratoga, and those horses were grade 1 winners; the ability was there. A bidding war ensued, and Coolmore won. She is going to a smart operation that knows what they are doing." Graves wasn't concerned with the filly selling early in the year during the January sale, saying, "The young and beautiful have been selling well, it's been holding up, and we thought she would be in the top end, but it was a bit more than we were expecting."