First-Crop Weanling Sires Continue Strong Showing

Led by WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's Life Is Good, first-crop weanling sires continued to dominate their market segment Nov. 7 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The four highest-priced weanlings of the day and six of the top seven weanlings were by new sires, led by Hip 1050, a colt by multiple grade 1 winner Life Is Good that sold to Flying Dutchmen for $400,000. It was the first weanling purchase of the sale for Travis Boersma's Flying Dutchmen, which had bought five mares for $2,405,000 coming into Thursday's session. Hip 1050 is the first foal out of the winning grade 2-placed Constitution mare Lady Aces. He was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for the colt's breeder China Horse Club. Through three days of selling at Keeneland, eight Life Is Good weanlings have sold from nine offered, at an average price of $325,625. His first crop was bred on a $100,000 stud fee. China Horse Club's Christie DeBernardis said the organization is thrilled with the market reception. "We obviously raced the stallion and still own him with WinStar," DeBernardis said. "This is the first foal for a young mare, so it's an outstanding effort right out of the box. "We couldn't be more excited. The Life Is Goods have been going on very well. We have seven of them—well, six now—and they're one better than the next." Gainesway's first-crop weanling sire Olympiad was responsible for the second- and fourth-most expensive weanlings sold Thursday. Grandview Equine went to $350,000 for Hip 795, an Olympiad colt and the third foal out of the grade 3-placed Arch mare Special Event. Gainesway, which stands the grade 1-winning son of Speightstown, consigned the colt bred in Kentucky by Emory A. Hamilton. Toward the end of the session Gainesway struck again with Hip 1054, an Olympiad half brother to 2018 champion 2-year-old filly Jaywalk and multiple stakes winner Danzatrice, dam of grade 1 winner Tapit Trice. Whisper Hill Farm, which campaigned Tapit Trice in partnership with Gainesway, went to $325,000 for Hip 1054, which also was bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds. The third-highest-priced weanling of the day was Hip 853, a daughter of Ashford Stud's multiple grade 1 winner Jack Christopher. Elkhorn Racing went to $335,000 for the fourth foal out of the winning Into Mischief mare White Mischief, from the Eaton Sales consignment. The filly was bred in Kentucky by H & E Ranch. The only established sire to break into the top five Thursday was Gainesway's McKinzie, a freshman sire (first crop of juveniles on the track in 2024) who boasts two grade 1 winners. Hip 891, a McKinzie colt out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Beach Diva, went to Bolter Bloodstock for $310,000, from Gainesway's consignment. It was back to the first-crop weanling sires at sixth on the highest-priced weanling list. Hip 675, a Warrendale Sales-consigned son of Epicenter, and Hip 1074, a Life Is Good colt consigned by Denali Stud, both brought $300,000. The Life Is Good colt, purchased by Rafey Racing, is the fourth foal out of grade 2 winner Lucy N Ethel, herself a full sibling to stakes winner Jake N Elwood and half sister to stakes winner Hey Kiddo. The colt was bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds in Kentucky. Hip 675, by Ashford Stud's first-crop sire and 2022 champion 3-year-old colt Epicenter, is a half to stakes winner Concept, a Gun Runner gelding. The weanling colt purchased by Brady Bloodstock is the seventh foal out of Majestic Jewel, a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner Evening Jewel, winner of the 2010 Ashland Stakes (G1) and Del Mar Oaks (G1T). Majestic Jewel had a yearling filly by Charlatan sell for $300,000 to BSW/Crow Colts Group, agent for First Row Partners, at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Warrendale's Kitty Day said the Epicenter colt was a star. "He had a great walk. He carried his head low, and he was all business the whole time he was here," Day said. "He had good bone and was just a beautiful-moving horse. He way exceeded our expectations. "It's a little spotty on some of these older stallions. I think we've lost some pinhooking people, such as Gerry Dilger, and the people who are here aren't shopping some of the older horses' progeny unless they're a standout star. It's not the usual (market). Even more now, they're focused on the new stallions. The unknown is always sexier than the known. It's the name of the game."