by Jessica Martini, Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis
LEXINGTON, KY – The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, which surpassed the $100-million mark in gross sales for the first time in its history last year, went past that milestone for the second time Sunday when 169 horses sold for $101,214,000.
“Another remarkable November sale just concluded here at Fasig-Tipton,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Last year, we surpassed $100,000,000 in gross for the first time–that was kind of one of those goals that we dreamt about, but didn't think it was realistic–and we were fortunate enough to do it last year and we did it again this year. It's kind of a magical night. The excitement and the energy was palpalable and it's a great environment to transact business and to sell some really quality horses.”
The sale average of $598,899 dipped 13.9% from the 2021 figure of $695,966, while the median of $250,000 fell 16.7% from a year ago. With 71 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 29.6%. It was 23.2% last year.
When the final hip went through the ring, 31 horses had sold for seven figures, with champion Gamine (Into Mischief) leading the way when selling to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier for $7 million. The Coolmore team followed up on its big weekend of three Breeders' Cup winners purchasing four million-dollar mares for $17.9 million.
Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm nearly kept pace with the Irish operation, purchasing out partners to wholly acquire GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), as well as the $2.9 million Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) in foal to Curlin.
Despite facing a less-than-favorable exchange rate this year, Japanese buyers were out in force at Fasig-Tipton Sunday, with Emmanuel De Seroux making two six-figure acquisitions, including the $4-million purchase of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff runner-up Blue Stripe (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}), on behalf of Grand Farm. Katsumi Yoshida purchased five mares for $8.05 million, led by the $2.1-million Kalypso (Brody's Cause).
“The thing that was encouraging tonight–just like last year–was the breadth of participation,” said Browning. “We had strong, strong participation from our friends from Japan. We had strong participation from our domestic buyers. We had strong international participation really throughout. The Europeans were active. And it was nice to see our friends from Australia being back and being active in the marketplace. Our industry has become more international in nature and that was reflected in the activity that took place on the sales grounds today.”
Gamine Offers Explosive Finale to Fasig Tipton November
Having done very little wrong throughout a near-perfect racing career, Gamine (Into Mischief) continued to exert her dominance over her contemporaries in the sales ring Sunday, headlining Fasig-Tipton's November Sale with a session-topping $7-million final bid from Coolmore's M V Magnier. Offered in foal to Quality Road, the 2020 champion female sprinter was consigned by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale on behalf of Michael Lund Peterson.
“She is just so unique,” said Sikura. “She has the right pedigree, she had freaky ability. If you look at her physically, she is a stud horse. A beautiful face and a big, long beautiful body. She is just a queen.”
He added, “High-end Buyers, like the Coolmore team, they want the very best. They have to feel moved, and that it is a unique opportunity and if they don't buy her, that they missed something.”
A $220,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, Gamine flourished into a $1.8 million juvenile purchase at Fasig-Tipton in Timonium in May. The winner of five of six starts at three, including the GI Acorn, GI Test S. and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Gamine added four more wins in 2021–all at the graded level–highlighted by the GI Ballerina and GI Derby City Distaff S.
“That was a very good price for her, but at the end of the day, she was an absolute champion,” said Magnier, who had a busy night. Magnier was listed as the buyer on four mares–for gross expenditures of $17.9 million–Sunday.
“She was an absolute freak on the track,” he continued. “The guys were very keen to get her. She has been fantastic for Michael Lund Peterson and well done to him. In fairness, we don't see much better than her. Let's hope she has a nice foal.”
According to Magnier, she will remain in the U.S. to be bred.
“The way Justify is going right now, there is a good chance she will go to him.”
Asked whether having such a strong showing during this weekend's Breeders' Cup, registering three victories over the course of the two-day championships, played a role in the strength of the operation's buying efforts at Fasig Sunday, Magnier said with a laugh, “Well, it definitely helped.”
“All of our guys are in it for the love of racing and they want to win Breeders' Cup races. Hopefully, she will breed one for them.”
And the weekend's activity both in the sale's ring and on the racetrack highlighted many Coolmore-based sires, both bourgeoning and established.
“American Pharoah has had four Grade I winners this year and Justify is doing things that no one would have expected him to do. Uncle Mo and Munnings have been strong and the young horses are doing very well too. It only happens because there are breeders that support us.” @CBossTDN
Pope Makes a Deal for the Devil
A year ago, Mandy Pope teamed with Staton Flurry and Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing to purchase GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) (hip 233) for $5 million. While her partners were hoping to race, Pope always had her eye on adding the mare to her broodmare band and the breeder paid the same price again to buy out her partners Sunday at Fasig-Tipton.
“I was buying the partners out and she is going to the breeding shed,” Pope said after signing the ticket on the 5-year-old. “That's why I bought her last year, but we decided to go racing for one more year.”
Shedaresthedevil is out of Starship Warpspeed (Congrats) and is half-sister to graded placed Mojovation (Quality Road). Before going through the Fasig-Tipton sales ring a year ago, she won the Oaks, as well as the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. and GI La Troienne S. for Staton Flurry's Flurry Racing Stables.
For the partnership, the bay mare added a win in the GII Fleur de Lis S., as well as third-place efforts in this year's Clement Hirsch and GII Azeri S. and a runner-up finish in the La Troienne S.
Shedaresthedevil was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, which also advised Sheikh Fahad on the purchase of Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast), who was purchased for $500,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton November sale and who is expected to go through the ring Monday at Keeneland.
“No, to be honest,” Hunter Valley's Adrian Regan admitted when asked about the result. “We thought she wouldn't make as much as last year. But it's just fantastic and we're delighted she's staying in the country. I have to thank Mandy for buying her. Both myself and Fergus [Galvin] say she is the classiest mare we've ever been around.”
Of the decision to continue racing the mare in 2022, Regan said, “[Trainer] Brad [Cox] still thought there was plenty left in her and there was. Her X-ray report after all her runs, what is it 21 starts, came back perfect. That will tell you what a tough and sound a mare she is. At the end of the day, Mandy got a lovely mare. We hate seeing her leave the farm, but we are grateful she is staying in the country.”
As for mating plans for Shedaresthedevil, Pope said, “We have a couple of stallions in mind, but we will have to see who else is going to retire. She'll probably going to Gun Runner or Flightline or one of the top stallions.”
By the end of Sunday's auction, Pope had signed for two mares, going to $2.9 million for Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) (hip 253), and a $575,000 weanling half-brother by Authentic (hip 125) to Cyberknife. @JessMartiniTDN
Campanelle A Hot Commodity at Fasig
Group 1 winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (Hip 272) was in high demand, as expected, at Fasig Sunday, summoning a whopping $5 million from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier.
“She was a very nice yearling,” said Magnier. “Her breeder has always liked her, even when she was a foal and a yearling. She is a nice filly. She is very fast. She has done great for Barbara Banke and we look forward to breeding her.”
As for what's next, Magnier said, “We might breed her here and then bring her home [to Ireland]. We have a couple of ideas in mind. We could breed her to Justify or bring her back to No Nay Never. There are plenty of options.”
Ben McElroy went across the pond to secure some European-bred fillies on behalf of Stonestreet's Barbara Banke with the goal of racing both here and in Europe with Wesley Ward. A 190,000gns TATOCT acquisition, the bay opened her account with a trio of victories, including the 2020 G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot and that year's G1 Prix Morny at Deauville.
She crossed the line a head short in her next trip to the royal meeting for the G1 Commonwealth Cup, but was promoted to first via DQ. Campanelle won twice in 2022, taking the Giant's Causeway S. in April and the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint S. Sept. 10. The 4-year-old closed her career with a troubled seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Saturday in Lexington and retires with a record of 11-6-0-2 and earnings over $1.05 million.
Campanelle is out of SW Janina (Namid) and her second dam is GSW Lady Dominatrix (Danehill Dancer). —@CDeBernardisTDN
Uncle Mo Filly Tops Weanlings at Fasig-Tipton November
Well into Sunday's session of the Fasig-Tipton November sale, a weanling by Uncle Mo provided fireworks when bringing a $1.35 million final bid. Following a rapid fire volleys, which was precipitated by the eventual underbidder Legion Bloodstock, Paramount Sale's Gabriel Duignan signed for Hip 128, a filly out of multiple Grade I winner Bellafina (Quality Road). The Feb. 11 foal was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent.
“She is just a beautiful filly,” said Duignan, who said he was signing on behalf of a partnership. “She is by Uncle Mo and out of a hell of a mare. She is just drop dead gorgeous. It's as good as it gets. She also seems to be like the good Uncle Mos. You get them really pretty.”
Regarding the final price, he added, “I thought she'd bring about a million. It's just where it is now for the good ones.”
He continued, “I think the market is strong here. It's been strong all year, especially for quality.”
Equally high on the filly was Eaton Sales' Reiley McDonald. “Any time you get a million or more for a weanling, you're doing well.”
Outlining her allure, he said, “In this case, the filly was exquisite. She looked exactly like her mother. With the long neck and the huge shoulder-depth and length and big hip. So I wasn't surprised at the price. It's a lot of money, but I would say she was worth every penny of that and maybe more.”
He added, “She was a good size, but not too big. And she had all the same traits that her mother had. She had a massive shoulder with great angle. Great, huge depth and a long back. She looks like she's equipped to carry the speed and the long back to carry the distance. Those don't come along too often.”
Bellafina, an $800,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida juvenile purchase by Kaleem Shah, showed her ability early, graduating in her second career start in the GII Sorrento S. before adding victories in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. and GI Chandelier S. Fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, she returned at three to annex the GII Santa Ynez S., GII Las Virgenes S. and the GI Santa Anita Oaks. Coolmore bought a stake in the filly following a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint that season, and she filled the same position again in the GI La Brea S. She added a win in the GIII Desert Stormer S. at four before retiring with seven wins from 18 starts and earnings in excess of $1.6 million.
“She is a gorgeous filly and obviously she is very well bred,” said Shah. “I'm in partnership on these horses, so it's a practical decision to sell them. But I'll admit, I do have seller's remorse on this filly. She is a gorgeous filly and I wish I had kept her. I hope she'll do well for herself and for the new owners.”
Later in the session, Bellafina sold to Coolmore for $4 million.
Coolmore Comes Back for Bellafina
After going to $1.35 million to buy out partner Kaleem Shah for the first foal out of Bellafina (Quality Road) earlier in the session, the Coolmore team was back in action to acquire the mare herself (hip 264) for $4 million from the Eaton Sales consignment. The 6-year-old mare, who was purchased by Shah for $800,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, won the won the 2018 GI Chandelier S. and GI Del Mar Debutante S. and came back in 2019 to win the GI Santa Anita Oaks. She sold Sunday in foal to 2020 GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. winner Tiz the Law.
“We raced in her partnership with Kaleem,” said Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. “She's a lovely filly. She's very well bred and she's in foal to Tiz the Law, who was an exceptional racehorse. It was just unfortunate that it was the COVID year because he probably would have won the GI Kentucky Derby if it was run in May.”
Buying out the same partnership, the Coolmore team went to $1.9 million to acquire multiple Grade I-placed Donna Veloce (Uncle Mo), also in foal to Tiz the Law. Shah, who acquired Donna Veloce for $800,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, purchased the mare's first foal, a weanling filly by Justify (hip 159), for $400,000 earlier in the session. @JessMartiniTDN
Grand Farm Secures Distaff Runner-Up
Just one day after almost pulling off a major upset across town in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, Blue Stripe (Arg) (Equal Stripes) (Hip 316) was in the spotlight once again, bringing $4 million from Japan's Grand Farm with Emmanuel de Seroux acting as agent.
“She almost won the race,” de Seroux said. “She is a super filly and she is beautiful. On top of that, we love Argentine mares. They do very well in Japan.”
When asked if she will race or retire to the breeding shed, he said, “We will see. There is a good chance she will be bred.”
A four-time winner in her native land including a Group 1, Blue Stripe made her first American appearance in last year's Distaff, finishing a well-beaten seventh. Capturing the GII Santa Margarita S. in her seasonal bow, the bay was a close second in the GII Santa Maria S. in June and won the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. at Del Mar Aug. 6. Given a breather, Blue Stripe came within a nose of soon-to-be two-time champion Malathaat (Curlin) at odds of 24-1 in Saturday's Distaff, earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.
Out of Argentinian MGSW Blues For Sale (Arg) (Not for Sale), Blue Stripes is a half to 2019 Distaff winner Blue Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize), who topped that year's renewal of this auction at $5 million. Taylor Made sold the mare for Pozo de Luna.
Pope Strikes For Mare With Fitting Name
After buying out her partners at $5 million on MGISW Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) earlier in the session, Whisper Hill Farm's Mandy Pope was back in action, going to $2.9 million for GISW Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) (Hip 253). The mare sold in foal to super sire Curlin, who was represented by three Breeders' Cup winners Saturday across town at Keeneland.
“It was the perfect name,” joked Pope's advisor Todd Quast. “She is a lovely mare. She has done everything right, great physical, bred to Curlin. We are very, very happy.”
A $500,000 KEESEP purchase by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, Wicked Whisper won three of eight starts for trainer Steve Asmussen, topped by the GI Frizette S. She failed to get in foal to Uncle Mo last year, so the Curlin she is carrying will be her first foal.
Wicked Whisper is a half-sister to GSW & MGISP Point of Honor (Curlin) and SW Velvet Mood (Lohnro {Aus}). Her dam Zayanna (Bernardini) is a half to MGSW & GISP millionaire Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve) and GSW Dilemma (Grand Slam).
“She has an amazing physical,” said Conrad Bandoroff of Denali Stud, which consigned the mare. “Alex and JoAnn Lieblong buy very good-looking fillies and she certainly fits that mold. She was fast. She was a good 2-year-old. Not only did she have the physical and the pedigree, but she had the racetrack performance. We wish them the best of luck.”
It's been a great weekend for Denali, who sold Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner as a yearling for $1.05 million at KEESEP.
“I've been beaming with pride,” said Bandoroff. “Just to have the smallest little fingerprint on Malathaat gives us tremendous pride. We are eternally grateful to Shadwell and Stonestreet for letting us ride the coat tails on a champion. The fangirl in me, I just love her.” —@CDeBernardisTDN
Kalypso to Japan
Japanese buyers made up a major part of the market at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November sale and, despite a less favorable exchange rate in 2022, bidders from the Far East were quick to get on the board Sunday in Lexington when Katsumi Yoshida purchased Grade I winner Kalypso (Brody's Cause) (hip 192) for $2.1 million.
“We know that she was racing well and she had an outstanding racing career,” said Shingo Hashimoto, who signed the ticket on behalf of Yoshida. “We thought she was a very good candidate to bring to Japan. We're very excited to have bought her. We will breed her, but we haven't decided to keep her in the U.S. or send her to Japan yet.”
Kalypso, out of a full-sister to graded winner Prospective (Malibu Moon), was purchased for $240,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale. Racing for David A. Bernsen, Gainesway Stable, Rockingham Ranch and Chad Littlefield, she won last year's GI La Brea S. and GII Santa Ynez S. and was second in the 2020 GI Starlet S.
Hashimoto agreed the exchange rate would make buying more difficult in Kentucky this year.
“We have a big list, but it's going to be tough to buy,” he said. “It's like 30% that the exchange rate has been depreciated for the Japanese yen. So it's tough, but we've got to deal with it.”
Despite the unfavorable exchange rate, Yoshida was plenty busy Sunday. In addition to Kalypso, his team signed for Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro) (hip 262) for $2 million; Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot) (hip 266) for $1.85 million; Going to Vegas (Goldencents) (hip 293) for $1.5 million; and Plum Ali (First Samurai) (hip 220) for $600,000. @JessMartiniTDN
Grace Adler Gives Lund Peterson, Lanni, Even More Reason to Celebrate
Just a few hips after Gamine lit up the board at $7 million from Coolmore, Grace Adler (Curlin) reeled in a cool $2 million from Narvick International. Winner of the GI Del Mar Debutante, Grace Adler was also consigned by Hill 'n' Dale on behalf of Michael Lund Peterson.
Narvick's Emmanuel de Seroux said, “We bought her for Grand Farm of Japan. She was a fantastic 2-year-old and she's a beautiful filly by Curlin. She is everything that we were looking for.”
“The price was fair value, I think. Compared to some of the other horses that brought $3 million, she belongs with them.”
In addition to Lund Peterson and Hill 'n' Dale, a common thread between Gamine and Grace Adler are Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and bloodstock agent Donato Lanni.
“Bob and I work everything together. We're a team. He really does all the heavy lifting, training them is the toughest part. He's done a great job developing these horses.”
“It's great to see the market as strong as it is. They are fillies that are beautiful, were successful on the racetrack and they retired sound. These are just the kind of mares people want to buy. They are collectors items. But it is just gratifying to see these horses go to the track and do well.” —@CBossTDN
Princess Grace Headed to Australia
MGSW & GISP Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}) (Hip 221) is headed to Australia after being snapped up by the China Horse Club for $1.7 million Sunday evening. A trainer has yet to be determined.
“We thought she was an absolute queen, apex physical, very consistent form,” China Horse Club's Michael Smith said, after signing the ticket alongside the Teo family and other CHC principals. “We are going to take her to Australia and try to make her a Group 1 winner. She has another 12 months of racing in her and then she will be a beautiful addition to the broodmare band.”
As for the price, Smith said, “We really stretched to get her, but considering it was Sheikh Fahad and Coolmore who were the underbidders, I think it shows we were on the right track. Mr. Teo has always had a bold global vision for China Horse Club and we feel that Princess Grace can add to delivering on that given her international pedigree and profile.”
Owned and bred by John and Susan Moore, Princess Grace won a quartet of graded events on the grass and placed three times at the highest level while under the care of trainer Mike Stidham. The dark bay's record currently stands at 14-7-3-3 with earnings of $1,456,223.
Princess Grace is out MSP Masquerade (Silent Name {Jpn}), who is a half-sister to GSW Svea Dahl (Honor Grades).
Wertheimer Family Gives $1.5M for Thinking of You
In 2015, American Pharoah reached the zenith of American racing when winning the Triple Crown. However, at stud, the Coolmore stallion has shown an international appeal, as illustrated by Thinking of You, who realized $1.5 million at Fasig Tipton Sunday night. Stepping up to secure the daughter of the unraced Galileo (Ire) mare Fabulous (Ire) was Pierre Yves Bureau, signing on behalf of the Wertheimer family. Offered as Hip 245 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the mare was sold in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify.
“That is a page that we don't see very often in a sale,” said Bureau. “She has a very nice family and by a good young stallion. That makes a difference and I hope she'll be a good one. We thought she'd be more than a million but it was higher than I thought. I was a nice page.”
The 4-year-old is a full-sister to G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Above the Curve and a granddaughter of GSW Mariah's Storm (Rahy), who famously produced European Horse of the Year and leading sire Giant's Causeway.
“I thought she'd bring around that number,” said Taylor Made's Mark Taylor. “If you look down the page, it's one of the best families in the catalog. It's the family of Giant's Causeway. She has a sister that is a top-class runner and that is in foal to Justify. For people who breed at the top of the market, she ticks all the boxes. And she was a beautiful mare on the end of the shank, so I was confident she'd bring north of a million, and could bring 1.5 and maybe a touch more. So that was a very fair price.”
Taylor Made is very familiar with the family, also having sold Mariah's Storm.
“We sold Mariah's Storm, carrying Giant's Causeway,” recalled Taylor. “She brought $2.6 million. It seemed like Coolmore paid a lot at the time but it turned out to be a bargain.”
Commenting on the desire for international pedigrees, he added, “The nature of her pedigree is what everyone is looking for. The world is shrinking. You're seeing horses from Japan racing all over the world and European horses racing over here. So I think you'll see that more and more. This pedigree is a great representation.”–@CBossTDN
Gun Runner Filly Proves Popular at FTKNOV
A daughter of red-hot sire Gun Runner (Hip 97) sparked some fireworks during the weanling portion of FTKNOV, summoning $675,000 from Randy Hartley, who purchased her on behalf of a partnership.
“We will see how it goes,” said Hartley, who works in partnership with Dean DeRenzo. “Our goal will probably be to pinhook her back as a yearling. We are just trying to buy some nice babies.”
He continued, “We love Gun Runner so much. Gun Runners are so hard to get. She is a special filly with a big pedigree and we felt she had so much residual down the road. We sold Taiba as a 2-year-old, so we have special feelings for him. We are trying to buy the best Gun Runners we can get our hands on.”
Hip 97 was the second daughter of Gun Runner to eclipse the $600,000 mark Sunday, following Hip 31, who brought $625,000 earlier in the day.
“She is a big, leggy, two-turn horse,” said Hartley, who scooped up a son of Gun Runner (Hip 153) for $550,000 later in the day. “She's all class. Her presence is different than anything I've seen here so far. When the other filly brought $625,000 earlier, we knew we'd have to go to at least $600,000 because this one is a bit stretchier.”
Bred by Newstead Corp, Hip 97 is out of the Tapit mare Temptress, who is also the dam of MGSW & MGISP millionaire Tenfold (Curlin). The weanling's third dam is MGISW millioanire Possibly Perfect (Northern Baby). Hip 97 was consigned by Elite, which is known for selling racehorses and broodmares.
“We are in the weanling business now,” said Elite's Brad Weisbord. “We expected a little less, but Gun Runner is hot, the market is hot and that filly was hot. We're excited for the seller. Randy and Dean do a great job. They will probably turn her into a seven-figure horse.”
He added, “We will probably branch out a bit in '23. The only reason we sold a weanling here is because we had a baby out of a momma that we are selling. We got a call and were asked if we were selling weanlings. We had one, so figured why not take two. But, we said it has to be a great one because Elite sells at the top end of the market, so we only want elite product. The seller said this filly was a superstar. She sold great. We are all very excited.” —@CDeBernardisTDN
The New Hill Makes Most of Kentucky Trip
The New Hill Farm had just one horse in its Fasig-Tipton November consignment, but the operation made the most of the opportunity when selling a weanling filly by Gun Runner (hip 31) for $625,000 to the phone bid of Dell Ennis. The bay, who was bred by Mark Erlandson, is out of the unraced Mama Yay (Mineshaft). Erlandson purchased the mare, in foal to Arrogate, for $20,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale. She is the dam of Empire House (Empire Maker), who finished third in the GII Zenyatta S. last month and is from the immediate family of Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Elite Power.
“It's such a great boutique sale and all of the right people are here,” said The New Hill Farm's Lili Kobielski. “A filly like this deserves to be here. She is obviously by the right sire and the female family was already fantastic. Then we had that big update with Elite Power winning the Sprint and her half-sister placed in a graded stakes. So the stars all just aligned.”
Of the trip to Kentucky from her base in Hoosick Falls, New York, Kobielski said, “She brought us here. Our farm is in New York and we usually sell in New York at the Saratoga Fall Sale or the Preferred Sale or the Select Sale up there. But this just seemed like the perfect spot.”
Tanya Johnson prepped the filly at The New Hill and admitted the weanling may have been pampered.
“It was a lot of fun and a great pleasure to be given the opportunity to even have a horse like that,” Johnson said. “We knew she was pretty special the minute she got there, so she may have gotten away with a few things that another one might not have.”
Asked to describe the weanling's personality, Johnson smiled and said, “She's a diva.”
While Mama Yay is currently in Kentucky, Erlandson is active in the New York market.
“Mark participates in the New York program and that's how we met,” Kobielski said. “Several of his mares are in New York, but I'm not sure if he's planning on sending her to back to have a New York-bred foal. That would be thrilling, of course. We love the New York-bred program, obviously, and the rewards are fantastic. I am delighted for the breeder. He's very sharp. He bought the mare for $20,000 and he bred to Gun Runner in his bubble year before he became the superstar that he is. So it's just a wonderful result.” @JessMartiniTDN
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