Noting he's seen inflation in asking prices for private sales, buyer Jacob West is seeing some opportunity to purchase horses-in-training at auction.
He landed a prime example in Ready for Candy, at the Feb. 3 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed sale. Ready for Candy, a 3-year-old filly by Twirling Candy fetched $400,000 from West Bloodstock. The 3-year-old filly was bred in Ontario by Mark Dodson, and is out of the stakes-placed More Than Ready mare Enoree.
Ready for Candy also is graded stakes-placed and was most recently seen finishing second in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Woodbine for trainer Michael P. De Paulo.
"She's going to go back into training," said West, who signed the ticket for Hip 94. "She was purchased for some guys that will end up running her back. She was a graded stakes-placed filly by Twirling Candy, who needs no introduction. She's a filly that could run a little bit, and she's still a maiden, which was appealing. A little bit of a change of scenery, and a different racetrack, and we'll go from there and see how she goes."
"The private market right now for racehorses is pretty high; it's pretty strong. When you have something that appeals to what these guys are looking for you get rewarded for it. And, that's kind of what we felt like she was worth, and we took a swing at her."
Highest-priced Mare
Boxwood (Hip 228), a rare offering as part of a dispersal for William L. Pape, brought $650,000 from Steven W. Young, agent. A stakes winner herself, the 9-year-old mare by English Channel is the dam of two winners, including Ed Brown Stakes winner Keep It Easy.
"She's part of a dispersal; she's a rarity for Fasig February," Young said. "She's a November quality mare, that through circumstances, came to this sale. She's very strong in any way you question her. She's in foal to a tremendous stud who is on fire (Nyquist). She is quicker than most English Channels were. She's thrown two very good babies that brought strong market prices. She throws to the stallion."
"And, when you factor in that she has an ultra-talented 3-year-old that is going to run in the Fountain of Youth, it was hard to miss her, if you will. Terrific horses, she's got a lot of checks and balances that supports being a strongly sought-after horse, and I think that was evident in the ring. It's not how many people bid on her in the ring, it was how many people didn't bid on her."
"She's going to Annapolis, so you can guess who she was bought for. She hits Annapolis right between the eyes. I think we have a real good chance to have something special. I saw the first foal of his this morning at the farm, and I try not to have preconceived notions about what a horse looks like, but he was way better than you could've hoped for. Super-nice horse, he's a colt, about a week old out of Home Cooking, I'm having a good day."
"It's not the ideal time to sell a mare, and usually when you have something of high quality, they show up, but not always," said Braxton Lynch of Royal Oak Farm, consignor of Boxwood. "She's going to great owners, I know them well. I'm happy, they're great people, so it's a win win."
"It is bittersweet, because she probably wouldn't have sold any of these, but she would've appreciated not only that they sold well, but they're going to good people."
Lynch met Mr. Pape when she was involved heavily with steeplechase horses. Pape's wife became more interested in flat racing, and she took on selling some yearlings and keeping a few to race. Anne Pape passed away in November, which led to the dispersal of the stable.
The mare's 2-year-old colt by Gun Runner sold at last year's Keeneland September Sale for $425,000 to Schumer Bloodstock and is currently in early training in Ireland. Her yearling colt by Nyquist is the only horse left on the farm, and Lynch said that one of the options is for Mr. Pape to keep him to race.
Boxwood's half sister, Figgy by Candy Ride , brought $75,000 from Greg and Caroline Bentley at Monday's sale. The 4-year-old filly was offered as a broodmare prospect.
"I think some of the bidders came back on her (Figgy) when they got outbid on Boxwood," Lynch said. "We were very happy with the results. She's been bought by Greg and Caroline Bentley in Pennsylvania".
Oxley's Forever Dixie to Japan
Forever Dixie, a 5-year-old mare by Quality Road , sold for $525,000 to Shimokobe Farm/Polo Green Stable, agent. The John C. Oxley-bred mare is out of the graded stakes-winning mare Dixie Strike. Forever Dixie was multiple graded stakes-placed and earned $241,764 on the track.
Offered by Grovendale Sales, agent, the mare was offered as a broodmare prospect.
"She was about $200,000 more than we expected," said Nobu Araki of Polo Green Stables who signed the ticket on behalf of Yukio Shimokobe of Shimokobe Farm in Hokkaido, Japan. "But, she's worth it. She's so pretty. Isn't she gorgeous? She's good-looking just like Quality Road."
Araki said they have been trying to find a Quality Road mare since the November sales, when Shimokobe and his family were in town. Shimokobe expressed strong interest in finding a "quality" Quality Road mare. When the bidding got to $475,000 Araki said Mr. Shimokobe was on the phone and said "we're done" and the other bidder went to $500,000.
"Then I heard in the background, which is his (Shimokobe's) father saying "tell him to hit one more time", which I did that," said Araki.
Araki said though the plans aren't finalized, there is a good chance she will visit leading North American general sire Into Mischief . She will stay here to be bred and most likely be exported in the fall to Japan, as they have done with mares they've purchased in years past.
Half Sister to Running Away Brings $385,000
Hip 293, Allez Lele, brought $385,000 from Matt Dorman's Determined Stud. The 6-year-old Strong Mandate mare is a daughter of multiple black-type producer Allez Marie, making her a half sister to recent Busanda Stakes winner Running Away.
She was offered in foal to Constitution , who finished fifth on the General Leading Sires list in 2024 and is also the sire of her foal last year, as well as the sire of her brother Legalize, winner of the Sugar Bowl Stakes. She was bred in Kentucky by TNT and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.
Running Away (Gun Runner ) has earned 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks for trainer Wesley Ward, and is being considered for the Ashland Stakes (G1) April 4 at Keeneland.
