Lights Out at Keeneland November

by Jessica Martini, Brian DiDonato, and Christie DeBernardis

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale saved its best to almost last Wednesday with Paris Lights (Curlin) capping a day of solid trade when bringing a final bid of $3.1 million from Spendthrift Farm. The racing or broodmare prospect was one of seven to top the million-dollar mark during the one-session Book 1 section of the 10-day Keeneland November sale.

“It was a good, steady, strong session,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said Wednesday night. “We felt great about the way today went.”

In all, 118 horses sold for $50,634,000 Wednesday at Keeneland for an average of $429,102–up 10.35% from the 2020 Book 1–and the median was up 17.86% to $330,000. With 48 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 28.92%. It was 27.68% a year ago.

“The 18% increase in median, I think was encouraging,” said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “The money is spread across the board a lot more. I think overall, it was a very honest, fair and encouraging session as we move forward.”

During the first session of last year's November sale, 135 head sold for $52,942,000. The average was $392,163 and the median was $280,000. Concrete Rose topped the session when selling for $1,950,000 and the filly was one of nine to bring seven figures on the day.

Japanese buyers, who were so active during Fasig-Tipton November sale Tuesday night, continued to be a major presence at Keeneland Wednesday, taking home two of the top seven lots, but the domestic buying bench was responsible for five of the day's seven million-dollar mares.

“As we welcome back more and more travelers from around the world–I think we saw a far more diverse group–they are active and they are going to be active into Books 2 and 3,” said Lacy. “I think that's really encouraging as we step forward into the next year or two.”

Arvin added, “It was nice to have the international folks back. Definitely we saw internet bidding go down because there were so many international folks who were able to be here, which was great to see. And the domestic buying bench stayed very strong and steady as well, as it was in September.”

Matt Dorman's D. Hatman Thoroughbreds purchased the session's top-priced weanling when going to $800,000 to acquire a filly by Frankel (GB) from the Four Star Sales consignment.

“It's strong for any kind of quality,” Four Stars' John Greathouse said of the market. “You go up there and whatever you think you can pay, just add at least 50% to it. If you've got a quality horse here, I think you will do well.”

Greathouse continued, “I think there is a lot of money floating around right now. Purse money is good and people are wanting to race. There is a hunger for racehorses. That's translated into the sales, which has been nice. Breeders are finally getting rewarded, so you can buy a mare and do ok. It's a nice change. I hope it stays.”

The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 19 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Paris 'Lights' Up Keeneland
Grade I winner Paris Lights (Curlin) (Hip 224D), a late supplement to the sale, lit up the ring just three hips from the end of the Book 1 session, bringing the day's top price of

$3.1 million from Spendthrift Farm. Offered by Elite on behalf of WinStar, the 4-year-old filly sold as a racing or broodmare prospect.

“She is going to Into Mischief and comes from as good a family as we have in the stud book, so there is not much more you can ask for,” Spendthrift's Ned Toffey said after signing the ticket. “It is very competitive. We tried on one earlier and didn't get it. We are happy to get this one and this is very much what we thought we had to pay.”

WinStar purchased Paris Lights dam Paris Bikini (Bernardini) from Bobby Flay for $425,000 at the 2016 KEEJAN sale. She is a daughter of SP Lacadena (Fasliyev) and a half-sister to Flay's GSW & MGISP America (A.P. Indy), who produced Grade III-winning 'TDN Rising Star' and $1.5-million FTSAUG co-topper First Captain (Curlin). Paris Bikini summoned $1.95 million from Japan's Katsumi Yoshida carrying a foal by Uncle Mo at the 2020 FTKNOV sale.

Paris Lights RNA'd for $200,000 at KEESEP and was place into the WinStar Stablemates Racing program. Entrusted her to Hall of Famer Bill Mott, she captured Saratoga's prestigious GI CCA Oaks last season and was shelved for the rest of the year. The bay returned a winner in the GIII Distaff H. in April and was last seen in a Belmont optional claimer in September. Paris Lights retires with a record of 9-4-0-3 and earnings of $403,842.

“It was a unique opportunity and we're very grateful,” said Elite's Brad Weisbord. “WinStar doesn't generally sell this type, so we really appreciate Elliott Walden, Dave Hanley and the Trout family for trusting Elite to consign Paris Lights. This is the product of an Eclipse Award-winning breeder producing a top class racehorse and clearly they were rewarded. Bill Mott had her looking extremely well coming off the track and it all came together for an excellent result. She is going to a great home in Spendthrift Farm, who is establishing a powerhouse breeding operation themselves.”

Paris Lights was one of just two purchases for Spendthrift Wednesday, the other being the $120,000 mare Hrasky (Speightstown) (Hip 128). They also purchased four mares at Fasig Tuesday, topped by the $3.4 million champion Vequist (Nyquist).

Last year the late B. Wayne Hughes' operation dominated the November market, purchasing nine mares at Fasig for over $24 million, including $9.5-million dual Eclipse winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), and another three during the opening session of KEENOV, topped by $1.5 million Holy Helena (Ghostzapper).

When asked about the decline in purchases this term, Toffey said, “We are pretty happy with where our broodmare band is right now. You always have to add to the top and keep culling. We are trying to add really select mares.”

Both Monomoy Girl and MGISW Got Stormy (Get Stormy), a $2.75 million FTKNOV buy last term, returned to training following their purchase, but are now retired to the Spendthrift broodmare band.

“Monomoy Girl will go to Into Mischief and Got Stormy we are still thinking about,” Toffey said. —@CDeBernardisTDN

Tapit Mares Reward Rosen & Beck
Pink Sands (Hip 183) was one of two Tapit mares owned by Andrew Rosen and Gainesway's Antony Beck to summon seven figures Wednesday at Keeneland, bringing $2.3 million from Masahiro Miki while carrying her first foal by the red-hot Into Mischief. The Japanese horseman was also active at Fasig-Tipton Tuesday, buying a pair of $3-million mares in GradeI/Group 1 winners Brave Anna (War Front) and Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

“She is named after our favorite spot, the Pink Sands [Resort] in Harbour Island [Bahamas],” said Rosen while standing alongside Beck. “That's been good to us and the mare has been good to us. She was a good race mare and I am happy to own her with Antony. You just have to sell one once in a while. Sometimes it's nice just to get a good sale. The racing ix exciting, the breeding is exciting, but the sales ring is also exciting.”

The CEO of Theory, Inc., added, “Into Mischief was a great choice for the mare and is probably the best sire America has. You have to have one to compete in either the sales ring or the racetrack.”

A $625,000 FTSAUG purchase, Pink Sands is out of Grade I winner Her Smile (Include). The Shug McGaughey pupil captured the 2019 GIII Rampart S. and 2020 GII Inside Information S. She retired at the end of her 2020 season with a record of 21-3-6-4 and earnings of $490,800. Pink Sands' 5-year-old full-brother Timing Now is already in Japan. He was third in a Hanshin allowance on the dirt Oct. 17 and second in a similar spot Oct. 31.

“I think the market is very strong for the right type of horse,” said Beck, whose operation consigned the 6-year-old mare. “Pink Sands was a great racemare and Shug McGaughey did an outstanding training job. We are very happy with the price.”

About 15 hips prior, another Tapit mare Mind Out (Hip 168), owned by Beck and Rosen in partnership with the Roth family's LNJ Focwoods, realized $1.2 million from Dana Bernhard.

“I think the Tapit mares are pretty special,” Rosen said. “We had another filly that we owned together with LNJ, who brought $1.2 million just before. So it has been a very good day for Tapit.”

Beck added, “We are very happy to have him. He has been an absolutely outstanding stallion for Gainesway.”–@CDeBernardisTDN

Sams Strikes Early
Bernie Sams was the first to sign a seven-figure ticket at Keeneland Wednesday when the Claiborne Farm Bloodstock Manager went to $1.4 million to land the well-bred Satin and Silk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on behalf of an undisclosed client. The 4-year-old, offered in foal to young Triple Crown winner Justify, was consigned by Eaton Sales as hip 13.

“It was for a farm client,” said Sams. “We tried to buy a couple mares last night [at Fasig-Tipton], and got outbid, but we liked her and we've got a couple others we like today, so we'll see. [Half-sister] My Miss Sophia's at the farm, and we know the family well, so we'll keep our fingers crossed.”

A 900,000gns Tattersalls October yearling purchase by Coolmore's M.V. Magnier in 2018, Satin and Silk was off the board in six tries for Aidan O'Brien. She is a half to GI Besilu Stables Florida Derby winner Materiality (Afleet Alex) and GSW and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song), who fetched $4 million in foal to Claiborne's War Front at the 2018 renewal of this sale. The War Front colt My Miss Sophia was carrying at the time has blossomed into two-for-two 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis, winner of the GII Pilgrim S. at Belmont

“It probably helped,” Sams said when asked how much Annapolis's exploits might've impacted the price, adding of the Justify cover, “If she has a good colt, we'll see what happens.”–@BDiDonatoTDN

Bernhards Building Broodmare Band
Louisianians Dana and Jim Bernhard made their first foray into the Thoroughbred bloodstock market at this year's yearling sales with five purchases total including a $1-million War Front colt (click for more), and they began to build their broodmare band Wednesday with the help of Matt Weinmann of Equine Analysis Systems.

The Bernhards kicked things off with the $700,000 Glitter and Gold (Bodemeister) (hip 122)–a half to champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in foal to Curlin and consigned by Hill 'n' Dale–and then went to $1.2 million to secure hot broodmare prospect Mind Out (Tapit) from Gainesway as hip 168.

“She's a beautiful Tapit filly, 'TDN Rising Star', showed a lot of talent on the track,” said Weinmann of Mind Out as the Bernhards headed back to the barn to see their new purchase. “It's a really nice family. We've played with a few horses in that family. We're really excited about her. The Bernhards are just getting their broodmare band going, and she's going to be one of our standout broodmares at the farm.”

An $850,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, Mind Out was a debut-winning juvenile at Del Mar for Gainesway, LNJ Foxwoods, Andrew Rosen and trainer Simon Callaghan. She hit the board in both the Surfer Girl S. and California Oaks.

Glitter and Gold was a $10,000 KEESEP yearling and had last changed hands publicly for $2,500 in an Emerald Downs claimer. The two-time winner's genes obviously grew significantly more valuable after Swiss Skydiver's exploits over the past two seasons, which included the 2020 GI Preakness S. en route to the Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old filly. Swiss Skydiver sold for $4.7 million to Katsumi Yoshida at Tuesday evening's Night of the Stars. —@BDiDonatoTDN

Maxim Rate to Japan
Grade I winner Maxim Rate (Exchange Rate) (hip 191) will be heading to Japan after selling for $1.2 million to the bid of Ken Mishima, who was acting on behalf of an undisclosed client, Wednesday at Keeneland.

“The plan will be to send her to Japan and breed her,” Mishima said after signing the ticket on the 5-year-old mare.

Of the seven-figure price tag, Mishima added, “It's high, but she's a very nice mare.”

Maxim Rate, campaigned by Slam Dunk Racing, Stable Currency and James Branham, captured this year's GI Gamely S., as well as the 2020 GII Goldikova S. and 2019 GIII Senorita S. She was second in last year's GI Rodeo Drive S.

The mare was consigned by Eaton Sales.

“I actually thought it was the best bargain of the last two days,” Eaton's Reiley McDonald said. “She is stunningly beautiful and she won graded stakes at three, four and five. And in this market, I really thought she would have brought more, but she sold and I am happy for those guys. They got a really nice mare. At the high end, the sale just doesn't seem to have the pop that it did last night. But we came to sell her and we did. You can't quibble with seven figures. From that standpoint, it was a very nice sale.” @JessMartiniTDN

Goodman Gets His Top Pick Late
Greg Goodman of Mt. Brilliant Farm struck during the supplemental section of offerings Wednesday at Keeneland to take home Look Me Over (Hard Spun), a half-sister to last week's GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance winner Corniche (Quality Road). The final price was $1.2 million for the 4-year-old, who won a Churchill maiden special weight and Ellis allowance earlier this year while in foal to Kitten's Joy. She was last seen on the track missing third by a neck in Ellis's Kentucky Downs TVG Preview Ladies Mile S. Hunter Valley consigned the chestnut as hip 223 on behalf of Qatar Racing.

“We had three horses all day that we loved, including this last one that we couldn't afford, the one we bought and one other,” said Goodman after coming up short on session-topping Paris Lights. “We loved her. She was our first choice all day and we're just happy to get her.”

Goodman had a bit of added insight in his corner, as his advisor Marette Farrell bought Corniche for a sale-topping $1.5 million at OBS April on behalf of Speedway Stables. Corniche, who earned 'TDN Rising Star'-dom for a sharp Del Mar debut, also annexed Santa Anita's GI American Pharoah S. Oct. 1.

“Marette bought Corniche, so she kept up with him,” Goodman noted. “Obviously, we all know now after Friday that he's a great horse and maybe a Derby horse, so we're really happy to get her. She's beautiful and she's literally one of three mares who we were even interested in at all.”

Look Me Over, who was a $235,000 KEESEP yearling, is out of MGSW and GISP Wasted Tears (Najran). —@BDiDonatoTDN

No 'Downside' for Black Ridge
Bill and Will Daugherty and Bill Barr's BlackRidge Stables cashed out on a shrewd buy Wednesday when their Downside Scenario (Scat Daddy) garnered a winning bid of $1.15 million from Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. The 8-year-old mare was consigned by Taylor Made Sales as hip 101 and is in foal to Into Mischief.

BlackRidge paid $250,000 for Downside Scenario–a winning half-sister to Dubai MGSW Cool Cowboy (Kodiak Kowboy)–while she was carrying her first foal by Into Mischief at the 2018 Keeneland January sale. The resulting colt was sold to Shadwell for $425,000 that November, and grew up to be 'TDN Rising Star' Mutasaabeq, the impressive last-to-first winner of the 2020 GII Bourbon S. at Keeneland and winner of the Mucho Macho Man S. as a freshly turned sophomore.

Downside Scenario, a $290,000 KEESEP yearling, was claimed for $40,000 out of her final start. Her subsequent produce is a current 2-year-old filly by California Chrome who was a $17,000 KEESEP RNA and $22,000 OBSAPR juvenile; a yearling colt by Uncle Mo who brought $400,000 from Suehiro Racing; and a foal colt by Audible.

“That was a little above expectations,” said Will Daugherty. “We bought this mare in 2018 for $250,000, and obviously had a great success right off the bat with Mutsaabeq. And she just kept delivering for us all the way through the end. We had a great partner in Randy Hill on her from start to finish. We're glad to see her move on.”

The BlackRidge partners' first-ever equine investment was in California Chrome before he took the 2016 G1 Dubai World Cup, and they also bought into Cathryn Sophia right before she won that same year's GI Kentucky Oaks.

BlackRidge's first broodmare buy was Laffina (Arch), who they acquired at the 2016 Keeneland November sale after she RNA'd for $290,000 carrying future MGISW juvenile Bast (Uncle Mo). BlackRidge sold Bast for $200,000 as a KEENOV weanling and Laffina for $1.5 million while in foal to Ghostzapper at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

“We had a little piece of GSW and MGISP Estilo Talentoso (Maclean's Music) [who sold for $600,000] and RNA'd an Uncle Mo filly as well, so we'll take her on to the next level and look to pick up one or two more this week,” Daugherty said when asked if BlackRidge had done any business on Tuesday at Fasig. “We'll use some of this to cycle back into the market hopefully.” —@BDiDonatoTDN

Frankel Filly to Dorman
Matt Dorman purchased a weanling filly by Frankel (GB) (hip 144) for $800,000 under the name of his D Hatman Thoroughbreds racing division Wednesday at Keeneland, but admitted the long-term goal will be for the filly to join his Determined Stud broodmare band.

“We have horses that run, so she will be in the racing program and hopefully improve her page and go from there,” Dorman said. “She's long-term for us.”

Bred by Stephen Sullivan and consigned by Four Star Sales, the weanling is out of Lady Ederle (English Channel) and is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Nay Lady Nay (Ire) (No Nay Never) and multiple Grade I placed Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never).

“Obviously, it's Frankel and it's a great page, a great family, and she has great conformation,” Dorman said of the filly's appeal. “She checked all the boxes.”

Four Star Sales' John Greathouse said the team was pleased with Wednesday's result.

“She was a foal share with Juddmonte and Stephen Sullivan and I think she exceeded expectations for both of them,” Greathouse said. “We got her in midsummer and she was always a really nice horse. We were proud of how she did, how she shipped in. And she really acted nice down there and everybody seemed to like her.”

Juddmonte purchased the weanling's half-sister Nay Lady Nay for $1.7 million at Tuesday's Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Dorman's Determined Stud made its first appearance as a seller at the Fasig November sale. The operation sold a filly by Uncle Mo (hip 64) for $400,000 to Glen Hill Farm, while RNA'ing two other weanlings.

“I was very happy selling one for $400,000. He's a great horse, but we are breeding to sell,” Dorman said. “The other two, we put prices on them that we think are good and we can bring them back and sell them as yearlings.”

Determined Stud was also active buying broodmares. The team went to $350,000 to acquire Hard to Resist (Johanesburg) (hip 264)–dam of Going to Vegas (Goldencents)–at Fasig-Tipton and to $300,000 to take home Sociable (Run Away and Hide) (hip 23)–dam of Keeper ofthe Stars (Midnight Lute)–at Keeneland Wednesday.

“We were looking for ones that had either won graded stakes or had been graded stakes producers,” Dorman said. “So we got one Grade I producer last night and another one today.” @JessMartiniTDN

Lanni Scoops Up Quality Colt for Chus
Donato Lanni fended off all comers to win a prolonged bidding war on Hip 111, a $600,000 son of Quality Road. He was acting on behalf of Susan and Charlie Chu's Baoma Corp.

“Obviously, Quality Road had a good weekend in the Breeders' Cup,” Lanni said. “This colt is the type of horse that I think is going to grow up to be a really strong, athletic horse. We will send him to [Hill 'n' Dale at] Xalapa and then race him.”

He continued, “It is really tough to get a good colt in September, so I thought if we could find one here, let's buy him. Last year we brought a Justify colt here for the same price and we kept him.”

It is not unusual to see Lanni buying expensive horses for the Chus, though typically they focus on fillies.

“They like to buy one colt a year just to have that hope that they have a [GI Kentucky] Derby horse on their hands and can run in those big colt races,” the bloodstock agent said. “Bob [Baffert] has done a great job for them and they are great, lucky people. That helps a lot.”

Lanni continued, “They have three stallions at Bridlewood and she supports all three, but hopefully we will have one standing in Kentucky.”

Consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, Hip 111 was bred by SF Bloodstock, which also sold his dam Exotic Notion (Lemon Drop Kid) (Hip 110) to Avenue Bloodstock for $800,000 carrying this colt's full-sibling one hip earlier. Exotic Notion is a half-sister to MGISW and popular young stallion City of Light (Quality Road).

“It is always a great compliment when Donato Lanni buys from your program,” said SF's Tom Ryan. “He is a beautiful colt. He is one of those colts who was stunning from the day he was born and everything went according to plan. He presented himself as a November candidate early on. The mare is a half-sister to, possibly to date, Quality Road's best son. It felt like the right move to present him here in November.”

As for Exotic Notion, who is stakes placed in Argentina, Ryan said, “The mare also sold very well. It was great to be able to put her foal on display beside her and she was carrying a foal sibling. It was a very intriguing package for anyone to put in their broodmare band.”

Yearlings from the first crop of City of Light were extremely well received at Keeneland September. A colt by the Lane's End stallion topped the premiere auction at $1.7 million and another one of his sons brought $1.05 million. His top sire and barnmate Quality Road was right behind him with the auction's second-most expensive offering, a $1.6 million colt, and had another son bring $1.15 million.

As Lanni mentioned, Quality Road had a stellar Breeders' Cup weekend with his unbeaten and soon-to-be champion son Corniche winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and his daughter Dunbar Road was a very close second in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.

“City of Light is a stunning physical and the yearlings that were presented in Saratoga and September were amazing,” Ryan said. “Quality Road has really risen to an elite status in the last couple of years and it really feels like he will continue to maintain that status for years to come. He is breeding the best mares in the country now. He is a great stallion to produce a sales horses and on top of that he produces brilliant racehorses.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Mattress Mack In It For the Long Haul With Into Mischief Filly
James McIngvale, better known as “Mattress Mack,” not only plans to keep the $510,000 weanling filly by Into Mischief (Hip 48) he purchased Wednesday for racing, but he already has her future mate picked out. No surprise…it's his champion sprinter Runhappy.

“I like Into Mischief,” McIngvale said, while sporting a 2021 World Series sweatshirt featuring his beloved Houston Astros. “I like the filly. My sister-in-law Laura Wohlers, who is the trainer, liked her. I think she will make a good mate one of these days, after she runs some races, for the great Runhappy. I am glad to have her.”

Consigned by Paramount Sales for breeders Drumkenny Farm, American Equistock and Dromoland Farm, Hip 48 is out of a half-sister to Grade I-winning sire Latent Heat (Maria;s Mon), MGSW Art Master (Royal Academy) and GSW Indian Flare (Cherokee Run).

Given the filly's sire and physique, McIngvale said he was not surprised by the price.

“I thought it would be about that,” he said. “The auctioneer said if you go to $510,000 he will quit, so I did. [Buying as a weanling], you get a lower price, but obviously there is more risk. I have never been afraid of risk. I love to gamble and I am gambling today.”

McIngvale is well known in the racing world for his creative promotions for his young stallion Runhappy and is famous nationwide for his massive bets on the Astros. He has brought his two passions together at the November Sale by bringing a new owner into the game.

“My friend Alex Bregman, who plays third base for the Houston Astros, is here and he is buying horses, so I brought some new people to the horse business,” McIngvale said. “I am glad to have Alex getting in the horse game. It is a great sport and we do everything we can to help racing through the advertising and promotion of Runhappy.”

“I have to show you guys this,” McIngvale said to the group of reporters and he reached in his pocket for a folded piece of paper. He opened it to reveal Wednesday's TDN Sire List, which featured Leading Second-Crop Dirt Sires by Black-Type Winners.

“See, there he is,” McIngvale said, pointing to Runhappy's name at the top of the list. “I am always promoting. I am a salesman.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Bregmans Have Long-Term Racing Goals
With the World Series in the rearview mirror, Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman was enjoying some down time at the Keeneland November sale Wednesday. Bregman and wife Reagan recently began building a racing stable, buying a handful of yearlings, as well as a weanling, this fall.

“Growing up in New Mexico, I always used to go to the track with my grandfather,” Bregman said of his initial interest in racing. “My dad is on the racing commission in New Mexico. So we have always had a strong love for horse racing in our family. And my wife grew up with hunter/jumpers, so she's always loved horses.”

With the encouragement of the Astros number one fan Jim McIngvale, the Bregmans made their initial racing investments this year and while their plans remain flexible, their interest is for the long-term.

“This is the first year that we actually got involved in the business,” Bregman confirmed. “I'm looking forward to it. I would like to do a lot of things in the business. First and foremost, I want to win races.”

The Bregmans, assisted by bloodstock agent Mike Akers, purchased three yearlings at the Keeneland September sale, led by a $150,000 son of Medaglia d'Oro (hip 1314) and another two at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall sale–a $67,000 daughter of Kantharos (hip 135) and a $65,000 filly by Goldencents (hip 499). They acquired a weanling daughter of Practical Joke (hip 131) for $45,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale.

“We bought a few yearlings and we have one weanling. We are looking to race them and we have two fillies that we are hoping will be good broodmares down the road,” Bregman said. “We are thinking long-term. We want to run from within. We haven't completely nailed down everything we want to do yet. But we want to be in the horse racing business for a long time.”

He continued, “Right now, four of the yearlings are down in Ocala with Ciaran Dunne and two of our yearlings are here over with Laura [Wohlers] and Mack.”

Bregman was at the November sale fresh off a trip to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup last weekend.

“It was a lot of fun,” Bregman said of his first Breeders' Cup experience. “We had the whole family there, it was a blast. I actually own a half-share of Runhappy, so it was awesome to go see Following Sea [run third in the GI Qatar Breeders' Cup Sprint. I thought he looked great. And honestly, I look forward to Runhappy do really well. I think he's on the rise and he'll be a great stallion.”

Bregman's off-season plans start with healing a broken hand and also includes spending time with his new racing prospects.

“I'll be enjoying the time off, going to see the horses with the wife and watching them grow up and hopefully grow into some winners,” Bregman said. “Being with the horses, healing the broken hand and also just training and getting ready for next season.” @JessMartiniTDN