The Denali Stud-offered Sapphire Nights received as spectacular an update as any consignment could ask for when the Mitole mare's full sister Shisospicy soared to victory over males in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Del Mar.
Four-year-old Sapphire Nights, consigned as Hip 967, will head through the ring Nov. 6 during the second session of selling for Book 2 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The gray or roan mare is currently carrying her first foal after being bred to new Ashford Stud stallion Domestic Product .
"Obviously, the timing and update couldn't be more appropriate; it's perfect," Denali Stud's Conrad Bandoroff said. "Shisospicy ran an incredible race in the Breeders' Cup and it looks like she's going to stay with the Morplay connections and stay in training next year. (Trainer) Jose D'Angelo and his team have done just a fantastic job campaigning her."
The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint was the first grade 1 win but the fourth black-type score of the year for the blossoming Shisospicy. The 3-year-old had showcased her brilliant speed throughout 2025 with victories across Kentucky in Keeneland's Limestone Stakes, the Mamzelle Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs, and the Music City Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs.
Trained by D'Angelo for Morplay Racing and Qatar Racing, Shisospicy turned in a dazzling display on Championship Saturday, capturing the $1 million Turf Sprint in gate-to-wire fashion in a time only .49 seconds off the Del Mar course record for 5 furlongs. Sent to the ring days later for Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale, she initially failed to meet her reserve after dropping the hammer for $5.2 million. In a post-ring sale, Morplay Racing bought out partner Qatar Racing to obtain full ownership in the filly, who they plan to continue racing as a 4-year-old in 2026.
READ: Morplay Takes Over Full Ownership of Shisospicy
Sapphire Nights will be one of the first mares offered at public auction in foal to grade 1 winner Domestic Product. A son of Practical Joke , Domestic Product was well received by breeders in his first year at stud, covering 224 mares according to a report from The Jockey Club. He will stand the 2026 breeding season for a $25,000 stud fee.
"This is a very exciting mating," Bandoroff said. "I think Domestic Product is an exciting new prospect. He's a son of Practical Joke and he was a very fast winner of the Allen Jerkens for Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables. He's a striking, beautiful horse. He's got size, he's got scope. He's a nice physical mating with the mare.
"Being a full sister to Shisospicy, the two sisters are pretty similar physically. Neither are the biggest fillies in the world, they're more on the medium side, so Domestic Product is going to add some size and scope to the mix, which is going to complement (Sapphire Nights) nicely."
Sapphire Nights and Shisospicy were both bred in Kentucky by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and produced from the Into Mischief mare Mischief Galore. A winner on the track, Sapphire Nights' second dam is dual grade 3 victress Maren's Meadow (Meadowlake).
Another mare going through the ring Thursday with Breeders' Cup connections is Helen Marie from the Gainesway consignment. Offered as Hip 809, the 7-year-old Tapit mare is a full sister to grade 2-placed Royal Obsession, the dam of grade 1 winner and recent Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) fourth-place finisher Clicquot. A 3-year-old daughter of Quality Road , the late-blooming Clicquot has enjoyed a rapid ascent to top-level success in 2025, going from maiden winner during the Keeneland spring meet to a grade 1 winner of the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing in September. Clicquot was withdrawn from Fasig-Tipton's November sale after her Breeders' Cup effort.
Helen Marie is currently in foal to young Gainesway stallion Muth . She has already produced two foals, including a yearling colt by Olympiad who sold for $210,000 at this year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
A son of Good Magic , Muth fetched $2 million as a 2-year-old in training before scoring grade 1 victories at 2 and 3 in a short but brilliant career for trainer Bob Baffert and Zedan Racing Stables. Muth, who covered his first mares this past term, will stand for a $30,000 stud fee in 2026.
