Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa's marquee sire Curlin was represented by his second seven-figure yearling of the session Sept. 10 during Day 2 of the ongoing Keeneland September Yearling Sale, with Coolmore's M.V. Magnier and Peter Brant's White Birch Farm going to $1.3 million to secure a bay colt (Hip 262) out of Thoughtfully. Hill 'n' Dale co-bred the colt with Determined Stud.
The colt was the second seven-figure yearling bought by Magnier and White Birch Farm during the Tuesday session.
"He's a lovely, slick horse," Magnier said. "And again, John Sikura and his son Jes just do a brilliant job; they're very good breeders, they've raised a lot of good horses. John was singing this horse's praises to me yesterday, he's just a very nice horse."
The bay colt was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa and is out of the grade 2-winning Tapit mare Thoughtfully. Curlin has been in high demand and is off to a great start at the Keeneland sale, with a third seven-figure yearling (Hip 284) following shortly after Hip 262.
"He is a beautifully bred horse. We thought he could break out and make more. He's a sales-topping-quality horse," Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura said. "I am very proud of the horse. He's a great mover, a great walker. Really athletic and makes great use of himself. Hope he's a star. Very good for the mare to have her first foal sell that well. The tribute goes to Curlin."
Magnier added: "There's plenty of good horses here. You hope you're getting the right horses, I'll put it that way. We've underbid a couple of horses, we'll know this time next year if we made the right decision or not. We've got a few now and all the guys are happy enough."
Magnier and White Birch Farm have been very active early in the September Sale, teaming up to buy five yearlings midway through the second session, totaling $5.2 million. They also paid $1 million for Hip 238, a colt by Not This Time out of Stillwater Cove who was consigned by Woods Edge Farm.
"(Not This Time) is doing very well," Magnier said. "He gets horses on grass and dirt. (This colt) goes back to a good family. Woods Edge does a very good job raising horses. We'll decide in a few weeks whether he will go to Europe or stay in the U.S."
