Grade 1 First-Crop Weanling Sires Strong in Book 2

A deep representation from five first-crop weanling sires that were grade 1 winners can be found in Book 2 of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which includes the Nov. 6-7 sessions. Consignors offering some of the offspring by Epicenter, Golden Pal, Life Is Good, Mandaloun, and Olympiad have across-the-board been pleased with the athleticism the sires seem to be passing along. One of the most notable grade 1-winning first-crop weanling sires missing in Book 2 will be progeny by 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline, who had five offered in Book 1 and had his sole representative in Book 2 withdrawn. Tom Evans with Trackside Farm said all the potential he sees in Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun will make his progeny worth the wait. Trackside is offering Hip 527, a filly he co-bred with Rich Burke's Marjac Farms and Dr. Ted Forrest out of the Indian Charlie winner Candy Sioux. The partners also bred and raced Candy Sioux. "The filly we have had a lot of stallion's qualities, and I really like the stallion," he said. "He has no significant faults and is a smooth, attractive horse. Also, I think any stallion that has Toussaud and Leslie's Lady in his first three dams must have some good genes floating around in there." Candy Sioux is the dam of three winners from as many to race. She also is a half sister to 2007 champion sprinter and successful sire Midnight Lute, whom Evans bred with Macon Wilmil Equines and Marjac. Evans and his partners retained and race Candy Sioux's 4-year-old daughter, All I Want Is You (by The Factor), who won an Oct. 24 allowance race at Keeneland and will make her next start in a stakes. "Everything the mare has produced has won, it is a nice family," Evans said. "You have to feel good about Mandaloun at Juddmonte, too, because they are going to support the stallion with their mares, which are among the best in the world." Mandaloun will stand at Juddmonte for $15,000 next year. Scott Mallory planned the mating for Hip 437, an Olympiad colt out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Tenacious Jewel, because of the proven success when crossing Speightstown and his sons with the Medaglia d'Oro broodmare sire line—a cross that Olympiad represents along with grade 1 winners Rock Fall, Prince of Monaco, and Competitionofideas. Hip 437 was bred and is being sold by Determined Stud. "We have a few Olympiads at the farm, and they all have good bone and good size, even out of first-foal mares," said Mallory. "They are a little larger than the Speightstowns usually are and all seem to have a good hip and shoulder of the ones I've seen." Mallory said he also likes the versatility in the filly's family that includes grade 3 turf stakes winner Bizzy Caroline and Lady Eli, 2017 champion turf female and winner of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). "The family could go either way, dirt or turf, which was another reason behind this mating," he said. "These babies all have a good eye and big walk." Olympiad is at Gainesway, where he'll stand for $35,000 next year. Taylor Made Sales Agency is equally high on Ashford Stud's sire Epicenter, the 2022 champion 3-year-old colt and son of Taylor Made Stallions' top sire Not This Time. The sale agency is offering six Epicenter weanlings during Books 1 and 2. "Epicenter really should have won the Derby and it was unlucky he didn't, but he proved himself later in the year, so we have high hopes," said Frank Taylor, referring to the stallion's subsequent wins in the 2022 Travers Stakes (G1) and Jim Dandy Stakes (G2). Among Taylor Made's Book 2 offerings is Hip 284, bay filly out of the Unbridled's Song mare Mema, a half sister to grade 1 winner and multiple stakes producer Seattle Smooth (Quiet American). "This filly is a nice typey filly, who looks racy. A lot of people are looking at her and I expect her to sell well," he said. "I've seen several of the Epicenters here and they all seem to have good walks. They are just solid, all-around good horses." Epicenter will stand for $35,000 in 2025. Ashford also stands seven-time graded stakes winner Golden Pal, whose best performances included winning the 2021 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) and the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T). Vinery Sales will be offering Hip 276 early during the first session of Book 2 and is confident the chestnut colt will be well received. He is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Malibu Anthem, whom Vinery sold to Genet Racing for $90,000 during the 2023 Keeneland November sale in foal to the Golden Pal colt it is selling Nov. 6. "So we've come full circle with this mare," said Derek MacKenzie, managing partner of Vinery. "The Golden Pals are all good-moving horses, which you would expect for as much of an athlete as he was. This colt has a massive walk and will be a big boy." While Golden Pal was a turf sprint specialist, MacKenzie said he doesn't see the stallion's progeny necessarily limited to sprinting. "They may go early but I have seen many that I think will go farther than he did," he said. Golden Pal will stand for $20,000 next year. Highgate will offer a dark bay or brown filly (Hip 444) by WinStar Farm stallion Life Is Good, who consignor Jill Gordon said is a good representation of the filly's sire and dam, the stakes-placed Tiznow's Smile (Tiznow). "She's lovely and has gone over well," Gordon said. "She has a great attitude and when she walks out of her stall, gives the same show every time." Gordon said could not find any reasons not to like Life Is Good's potential. "What's not to like? His race record speaks for itself, he's a beautiful physical specimen, and from what I have seen from this first crop, he's producing a very consistent group of foals physically," she said. Life Is Good, a son of multiple leading sire Into Mischief, will stand for $75,000 next year.