Keeneland November Opener Starts, And Ends, With a Bang

by Jessica Martini, Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale opened with a jam-packed pavilion and the $4.6-million sale of the fractional interest in superstar Flightline (Tapit) and hit another high late in the day with the $5.5-million sale of champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) to Katsumi Yoshida Monday in Lexington. By the end of the opening session of the auction, 136 head had grossed $66,980,000. The average of $492,500 was up 14.77% from a year ago, while the median dipped 12.12% to $290,000.

During the 2021 opening session of the Keeneland November sale, 118 head sold for $50,634,000. The average was $429,102 and the median was $330,000.

The buy-back rate Monday was 26.49%. It was 28.92% during last year's opening session.

“Everything goes back to the demand for quality,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “We saw the quality stock–Shamrock Rose brought $2.4 million right off the Breeders' Cup last time and she comes back here today in foal to Curlin and she brings $3 million. Midnight Bisou brings $5.5 million, she brought $5 million the last time she went through the ring. So I think there is a buoyancy in the market and we certainly see a focus on the quality.”

While the interest in Flightline was included in Monday's sales statistics, the session average would still be up 7.7% without its inclusion.

Of the dip in the median, Lacy said, “In certain areas, it would not be unexpected to see some correction in some point. I think there is a very discerning market. Something that is worth something is going to bring money and the ones that might have a little exposure might be more vulnerable. And that's just a function of the marketplace. It's likely an adjusting market, but the fact that we are up so much in gross and we are up on average and we are just a little down in the median, I still think we are making forward progress and a slight adjustment, I think, is to be expected.”

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm was active as both a buyer and a seller Monday and Pope echoed Lacy's sentiments.

“As always, for the right horses, it's tough but it also has soft spots,” Pope said. “We tried to sell one, but didn't get it done. [The market] kind of woke up a little bit later during the day. This morning, it was too quiet. A lot of us didn't have a lot of time to do a lot of shopping with the Breeders' Cup and the sales all being on top of each other. It made it tough for some of the buyers.”

Seven horses sold for $2 million or more Monday, while 10 sold for seven figures. The entire 2021 auction had seven million-dollar transactions.

The top buyers represented another deep and diverse buying bench.

“We see a broadness in the marketplace,” Lacy said. “The top 15 horses that went through the ring were bought by 11 different buyers. So that's always good to see. And there was a good mix of domestic and international.”

The Keeneland November sale began just days after the track hosted the Breeders' Cup championship weekend.

“We are coming off a very successful Breeders' Cup,” Lacy said. “Our team put in a huge effort to turn this around from putting on the largest racing event in North America to switching to have the second largest horse sale in the world within a few hours. I have to commend everybody who is here.”

The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 16 and is followed on Nov. 17 by a horses of racing age sale. Bidding begins daily at 10 a.m.

A Bittersweet Goodbye to 'Bisou'

The connections of champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) (Hip 235) were overcome with mixed emotions when she topped Book 1 of the Keeneland September Sale after summoning $5.5 million from Japan's Katsumi Yoshida late in the session. A supplement to the auction, the dark bay sold carrying a Tapit filly, who will be her second foal.

Jeff Bloom, who picked up the mare for $80,000 at OBS April for his racing partnership, was among the first to congratulate Yoshida's bloodstock agent Shingo Hashimoto, even asking to exchange contact information so he could check on his star mare.

“It is hard to let her go, but the timing was right,” Bloom said. “She will go to a wonderful home and we look forward to seeing her babies out there. She will forever hold an incredible place in my heart, my family's hearts and my partner's heart. It is impossible to describe the journey she has taken us on. That is the beautiful thing about these horses. They afford us the opportunity to have these life experiences that we wouldn't be able to have. I have to sneak back down to the barn and give her a big hug. It's going to be weird to not be able to just go visit her whenever I want, but it's not that long of a flight to Japan, so there is that.”

Midnight Bisou was the topper after her first trip through a November sale ring back in 2020 at Fasig Tipton's Night of the Stars, where she was bought for $5 million by Chuck and Lori Allen, who were part of the original racing partnership on the mare. The Allens were right on Bloom's heels after the sale, shaking hands with Hashimoto. Lori Allen was quick to hand him a bag of peppermints, making sure the bloodstock agent knew they were Midnight Bisou's favorite.

When asked about the decision to bring their Eclipse winner back to auction, Lori Allen was too overcome with emotion to speak.

“We knew it was the right thing to do,” Allen said before rushing off to say goodbye to her clearly beloved Midnight Bisou. “The market was just really strong and we felt like we should just give her the opportunity for someone else to enjoy her. We have always been proud of her. From watching her at Del Mar when Jesus Camacho would get on her and she would just stand and watch everything. She was always very interested in things, very alert. All of the races she ran, she did just as much as she needed to to get the job done. She knew what she had to do and she did it and she loved it. I don't know if I've ever seen a racehorse that loved being a racehorse as much as she did.”

She continued, “Steve Asmussen and his crew did such a great job with her. One of her grooms just came and saw her a bit ago, which was really, really neat. She touched so many lives. She changed so many lives. She had such a fan club and it was really neat to see people here taking pictures of her and getting to see her again. She is such an elegant, feminine filly with a beast motor in her. She moved into motherhood really easily. She was a great mom to her first baby.”

Hashimoto was the underbidder on Midnight Bisou that day at Fasig-Tipton and was thrilled to get another chance to take home the star mare.

“We will take her back to Japan most likely,” said Hashimoto, who was back in action just four hips later for $2.7 million Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) (Hip 239). “I am kind of speechless. The first time I saw her was in Saudi, when she was running in the Saudi Cup. I already knew of her race record. She was at Fasig-Tipton in 2020 and if my memory is correct, we were in until $4.75 million and she ended up at $5 million. We were happy to see her again this year and were very lucky to purchase her.”

Midnight Bisou retired in 2020 with an impressive record of 22-13-6-3, earnings over $7.47 million and an Eclipse award as 2019's top older mare. All 13 of her wins came in graded stakes, even breaking her maiden in a Grade II, and five of those wins were Grade Is. The fleet-footed mare hit the board in her two trips to the Breeders' Cup and was a valiant second that day in Saudi Arabia against colts. The Allens have retained her first foal, a weanling colt by Curlin.

Midnight Bisou's Grade III-winning dam Diva Delite (Repent) (Hip 182) preceded her into the ring, RNA'ing for $775,000 while carrying a foal by Gun Runner. Her 2-year-old half-brother Verifying (Justify), a $775,000 KEESEP yearling, was second in the GI Champagne S. in October and finished sixth in a salty renewal of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Friday in Lexington. Midnight Bisou is also a half to SP Stage Left (Congrats).

—@CDeBernardisTDN

West Point Forms Breeding Partnership

West Point Thoroughbreds is known primarily as a racing partnership, but they have a very good reason to delve into breeding partnerships and did so Monday, going to $2 million in partnership with Determined Stud and Lane's End to secure Salty As Can Be (Into Mischief) (Hip 154). The 4-year-old is currently in foal to Quality Road, but will visit…you guessed it…Flightline (Tapit) next year. One of West Point's Flightline partners, Jane Lyon of Summer Wind Farm, was the direct underbidder on the mare and she got her turn just two hips later, taking home MGSW Edgeway (Competitive Edge) for $1.7 million.

“She is for a breeding partnership we put together,” West Point's Terry Finley said. “She will go to Flightline. We are going to buy a couple of others. The idea came internally. Our partners were like let's do something with Flightline when he retires. That's what we are doing. Determined Stud is taking a piece of the deal. Lane's End will be part of it. It is a great partnership. The power of the partnership going to Flightline. A lot of people want to be part of this horse and I do too.”

West Point has five shares in Flightline to use and will also be buying mares to go to other stallions.

Chris Baccari was the co-breeder of Salty As Can Be and stayed in for a piece when she sold for $800,000 at FTSAUG. She won two of six starts and was stakes-placed before being bred to Quality Road. Salty As Can Be is out of SP Theycallmeladyluck (Dixie Union), making her a half-sister to Grade I winner Salty (Quality Road), who brought $3 million at the 2018 FTKNOV sale.

“She's a very special mare,” Baccari said. “That family breeds that look. They all look that way. She was a very high-dollar sale filly, her other sister brought $1.4 million. It's just a family I've been very lucky with. Theycallmeladyluck has been very good to me. I'm very fortunate.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Rose Picking at Keeneland

Continuing the trend of Breeders' Cup winners being offered up at the November sales, Shamrock Rose (First Dude), the 2018 winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, joined an elite rank bringing $3 million during Keeneland's Book 1 session Monday. Stepping up to the plate for the champion sprint filly of 2018 was Tomoyuki Nakamura's KI Farm. Consigned by Lane's End, she sold in foal to Curlin.

“The physical and race record are what stood out,” said Nakamura through interpreter Sean Toriumi.

According to Nakamura, breeding plans have yet to be finalized, although there is a possibility she will remain in the U.S.

“[Curlin] is a top sire and that is something that stood out as well,” he said.

In regard to the hefty pricetag, he added, “It was in the rough range of what he was expecting. Right now, [Nakamura] is deciding whether to take to Japan or leave in the states. There are a lot of options for us.”

A winner of Woodbine's Ontario Debutante S. in her career debut at two, Shamrock Rose came into her own in the latter part of her sophomore season while under the tutelage of Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Reeling off four wins in a row, she capped off her 2018 season with wins in the GI Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland and her Breeders' Cup victory at Churchill Downs.

Lane's End's Allaire Ryan added, “She was a little bit of a difficult mare for us to appraise just based on how things have been selling the past couple of nights. Her activity level really picked up today at the barn, and we knew she was going to be going overseas wherever she goes. It certainly surpassed our expectations, which just goes to show you how strong this market is when something ticks all the boxes for two people.”

She continued, “It's so difficult to appraise mares like her. They could bring any kind of money and it's just how much two people want them. I would love to see her stay here (in the U.S.). She is a sweetheart. She was a farm favorite, even though we didn't have her for a long while, but we've had her for the past couple years. It's a little bit bittersweet, but of course she's going into great hands again so we can't be anything but happy for everyone.”–@CBossTDN

Walker's 'Dream' Run Ends with $2.7M Score

Offered at the tail end of a robust Book 1 session at Keeneland, Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) stole the late act with a $2.7-million final bid from the uber-active Katsumi Yoshida. The 5-year-old was consigned by her trainer Ed Walker, acting as agent on behalf of owner-breeder Olivia Hoare. Offered as Hip 239 in the supplemental catalog, she represented the fourth highest-priced offering of the session.

“Mixed emotions really. I'm very sad to see her go but amazing to make that kind of money; great for all,” said Walker. “I'm a racehorse trainer in Lamborn, England and to be selling her as a potential mare for millions of dollars at Keeneland is something I really never thought I'd do. It's been a novel experience and luckily, a successful one.”

Walker, who started training in October of 2010, enjoyed his first lifetime Group 1 victory with Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in last year's July Cup. However, Dreamloper gave signs of greater things to come while annexing last term's G3 Valiant S. at Ascot. Kicking off this season with a victory in the G3 Dahlia S. at Newmarket, she achieved a career high taking the May 29 G1 Prix d'Ispahan. Off the board in her next two Group 1 tries, she rebounded to take the Sept. 4 G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. Prior to her engagement in the Keeneland sales ring, she finished 12th in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Saturday.

“It's been a special story,” he continued. “After [the Prix du Moulin], I think it was kind of decided that she'd be sold. The plan was very much the Breeders' Cup, and obviously we were very much hoping to win the Breeders' Cup and then come here. It sort of felt like a natural move. Sadly, the Breeders' Cup didn't go to plan.”

The first runner for the trainer at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the Irish-bred also offered additional sentimental value as the daughter of another horse conditioned by Walker, listed winner Livia's Dream (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

“She's extra special because she's out of a mare called Livia's Dream, which was the first filly I ever trained,” he said. “It goes back a long way, so it's mixed emotions.”

Asked what prompted the decision to bypass the upcoming European bloodstock sales in favor of a U.S.-based sales venue, he explained, “With her European form and pedigree, Newmarket was obviously a very strong candidate. However, with her running in the Breeders' Cup and the volume of potential buyers over here, it made sense to have her go [to Keeneland]. I think the fact that she didn't run better in the Breeders' Cup probably took out a few of the local buyers, but I'm still very happy with that result.”–@CBossTDN

Coolmore Buying Spree Continues with Marion Ravenwood

Coolmore continued its frenetic buying spree Monday at Keeneland, going to $2.6 million to acquire Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy) (hip 187) shortly after purchasing a weanling filly by Medaglia d'Oro (hip 161) for $1.5 million. The 14-year-old mare is the dam of Nest (Curlin) and sold carrying a full-sibling to that likely 3-year-old filly champion.

“I was watching the videos with Michael [Tabor] just beforehand and Nest is just an incredible filly for Mike Repole and all of them,” M. V. Magnier said. “[Marion Ravenwood] produced very good animals and let's hope she continues to do so.”

Nest was a three-time Grade I winner in 2022 and was second in both the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Belmont S.

Marion Ravenwood is also the dam of GI Santa Anita H. winner Idol (Curlin) and this year's Sapling S. winner Lost Ark (Violence). She was consigned by the Lyster family's Ashview Farm, which purchased the mare in partnership with Rich Santulli's Colts Neck Stable for $400,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale.

Magnier said Marion Ravenwood would likely visit Triple Crown winner Justify next year.

Of the mare's final price, Magnier said, “It was plenty of money for her, but she's in foal to Curlin and that's a full-sibling to a very good filly.”

During Sunday's Fasig-Tipton sale, Magnier signed for four horses, including the $7-million sale-topping Gamine (Into Mischief), for $4,475,000.  @JessMartiniTDN

Pope In a State of Grace

Mandy Pope would not be denied when it came to MGSW & GISP Four Graces (Majesticperfection) (Hip 192), fending off all comers to acquire the 5-year-old for $2.3 million.

“She was a hell of a racehorse,” said Pope. “Not only is she a graded stakes horse, but the numbers that she ran were legit. And this family, all of the family, they all ran very legitimate speed numbers, so the quality is absolutely there and they're breeding it for it. I'm very excited.”

Pope has not selected a stallion for the dark bay yet, but she said it would be “someone nice.”

Bred and raced by the Whitham family, Four Graces captured a pair of Grade IIIs sprinting on the dirt and was second in the GI Derby City Distaff. She retires with a record of 15-4-4-1 and earnings just shy of $500,000.

Out of GSP Ivory Empress (Seeking the Gold), Four Graces is a half to MGSW & GISP young sire McCraken (Ghostzapper), MGSP Bondurant (War Front) and GSP With Dignity (Declaration of War).

“It's pretty special isn't it? She is a classy filly,” said Four Graces' former trainer Ian Wilkes. “That was great. It was above expectations. That's a great family. You have to look at what Mrs. Whitham and Clay have done to offer something out of the family like this and get rewarded.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Edgeway Poised for Flight

Fresh off a big GI Breeders' Cup Classic victory with Flightline (Tapit) Saturday, Summer Wind Equine's Jane Lyon was shopping for mates for the horse of the moment at Keeneland Monday. Catching her eye was Hip 156, MGSW and GSP Edgeway (Competitive Edge), and Lyon extended to $1.7 million for the mare. She was consigned by Lane's End.

“I think she's a beautiful mare and very fast,” said Lyon.    “Unfortunately, I get a little carried away now and then. We'll see what happens.”

The 5-year-old's dam, SW Magical Solution, is a half sister to Grade I winner The Lumber Guy (Grand Slam).

According to Lyon, plenty of time and effort goes into choosing the right companions for the likely Horse of the Year.

“We're still doing research on pedigree to see which bloodlines will or will not suit him and we thought she would,” she explained.

On the board in all four starts at two, including a win in the GIII Dogwood S., Edgeway added a trio of victories at three, highlighted by the GIII Rancho Bernardo S. and a runner-up effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. This season, she repeated in the Rancho Bernardo and also added wins in the GIII Las Flores S. and Kalookan Queen S.

“She is beautiful and obviously a very good racemare. Along with her pedigree, those things really boosted her in the sales ring,” said Lane's End's Bill Farish. “Jane Lyon likes to buy those pretty mares and she's had amazing success with them.”

—@CBossTDN

Coolmore Scoops Up Regally Bred Filly

It was no surprise to see a Medaglia d'Oro half-sister to champion Honor Code (Hip 161) summon $1.5 million. It was also no surprise to find Coolmore's M.V. Magnier signing the ticket on the regally bred weanling.

“She's a lovely, athletic filly,” said Magnier. “John Sikura, Dell Ridge and everyone are fantastic breeders. She is an exceptionally well-bred filly. She is a lovely filly. She is a sister to some very good horses. Honor Code was a very good horse.”

Hill 'n' Dale co-bred the filly's stakes-winning dam Serena's Cat (Storm Cat), a daughter of MSW Serena's Tune (Mr. Prospector). Dell Ridge Farm bought Serena's Cat from them for $1.4 million as a weanling at the 2003 KEENOV sale.

Serena's Cat's first foal was MGSW & GISP Noble Tune (Unbridled's Song) and her next foal was champion, MGISW and multi-millionaire Honor Code, who is now a member of the Lane's End stallion barn. Her 2014 Tapit filly, Serena's Harmony, summoned $3 million at that year's renewal of this auction. Her 2015 War Front colt Declarationofpeace brought $2.6 million here the following year and went on to be a stakes winner.

Serena's Cat continued her trend of seven-figure offspring here in 2016 with a $1.05 million Tapit colt now named Seclusive. He was followed by a $700,000 Tapit colt and $600,000 Curlin filly, all sold at this auction. Serena's Cat's 2019 Medaglia d'Oro colt was never offered at auction and she did not produce foals in 2020 and 2021. —@CDeBernardisTDN

Jouster to Japan

Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}), a graded stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star' for Starlight Racing and Glen Hill Farm, will be heading to Japan after selling for $1.5 million to Katsumi Yoshida. Starlight had purchased the 4-year-old for $360,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling in 2019 and she won four of 12 starts including the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland, and earned $326,105.

“I thought she might bring right in there,” Starlight's Jack Wolf said of the final result. “With the bottom side of her pedigree and being a Grade II winner, especially here at Keeneland, I am excited she brought that.

Jouster, who was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, is out of Playtime (Street Cry {Ire}), a daughter of champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat).

“Tonight it was business in deciding what to do with her,” Wolf said. “[Glen Hill Farm's] Craig Bernick and Starlight owned the horse together. It's our program to do the racing and Craig does both the racing and the breeding, but it's our game plan just to race.”

Wolf did admit there was a time he dabbled in the breeding half of the industry.

“When we had Harlan's Holiday, I bought 13 mares to support him,” Wolf said. “I decided after about five years of that I didn't want to do the breeding business.”

Yoshida purchased five mares for $8.05 million at Fasig-Tipton Sunday. His purchase of Jouster proved to be just a warm-up Monday, with his team following the session-topping $5.5-million purchase of Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) with the $2.7-million acquisition of Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).  @JessMartiniTDN

Best Strikes Early and Still Swinging Late at Keeneland

It didn't take long for things to get going at Keeneland Monday as OXO Equine's Larry Best got into the swing of things, extending to $925,000 for GSW Bees and Honey (Union Rags). Offered as Hip 18, the 4-year-old filly was consigned by Gainesway.

“I expected anywhere from $750,000 to $1 million,” said Best. “It's always higher than what you want, but when you look at the page, you expect to pay a premium. She is a beautiful filly that would fit a lot of different breeding programs.”

Campaigned by Gainesway and Andrew Rosen, the Shug McGaughey trainee won the GIII Comely S. during her sophomore season. The chestnut is out of Wickedly Smart (Smart Strike), a half-sister to GI Alcibiades S. scorer Wickedly Perfect (Congrats).

“I thought she'd be a nice mare for my broodmare band,” said Best. “She was very fast on the track. She had a nice pedigree and is young and she fits with my stallions.”

Best remains invested in Taylor Made stallions GISW Instilled Regard, GSW and GISP Instagrand and MGISP Rowayton.

“I'll probably breed her to all three of my stallions and go from there.”

Still active later in the session, this time shopping for weanlings, Best went to $700,000 for Hip 194, a colt by Quality Road. The Mar. 7 foal is out of unraced Donatella (Bernardini), who sold one hip later for $900,000 to WinStar Farm. This represents the family of late superstar sire and GI Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy.

“The physical was very good and he is by Quality Road,” Best said of the colt. “With a horse like this, you're at the top of the market. Given the pedigree, the price is supportable.”

Commenting on the overall market despite the depressed worldwide economy, he said, “Based on the latest sales, it seems like there is still a lot of money on the sidelines. There are people that have just done so well over the last decade or so and are just flush with cash. The stock market over the last decade has been almost unbelievable. Many people in the horse population benefitted from that. A lot of them are in it to have fun but also to meet the challenge of competition. I think it's rarified space.”

Based on the recent strength of Thoroughbred bloodstock markets, does Best expect to walk into the pavilion and spend more on horses?

“Not really, but I think you come into these sales and you evaluate each horse based on the individual. But after you understand what the market is, you just have to understand that you will have to pay more than you want or than you think. At some point it will turn around. It always does.”–@CBossTDN

Uncle Mo Colt Keeps LNJ Foxwoods Hitting on All Cylinders

The Roth family's LNJ Foxwoods has steadily built up an elite broodmare band and after years of success on the racetrack is now enjoying success in the sales ring, with a weanling colt by Uncle Mo (hip 157) selling for $575,000 to Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo Monday at Keeneland.

The weanling is out of Sensitive (Divine Park), a $475,000 KEESEP yearling purchase who won the 2019 Ellis Park Turf S. in the Roths colors.

“It's everything we hoped for,” LNJ Foxwoods' advisor Alex Solis said of the result. “We bought her as a yearling and loved her then. We won a stakes with her. Her first foal is very nice and her second foal, we get that. We are just trying to make room because we can only keep so many foals.”

Sensitive's first foal is yearling colt by Into Mischief and the mare was bred to Constitution this year.

The LNJ Foxwoods broodmare band is populated by the likes of champion Covfefe (Into Mischief), graded stakes winners Luck (Kitten's Joy), Fancy Dress Party (Munnings), and Boardroom (Commissioner), as well as Grade I-placed Dogtag (War Front).

“It's almost impossible now,” Solis said of the decision of what to keep and what to sell. “It's become, where can you rank them anymore? It's a high-class problem and we're lucky and fortunate.”

Hartley and DeRenzo, signing as AAA Thoroughbreds, purchased three weanlings at Sunday's Fasig-Tipton November sale. They purchased colts by Gun Runner for $675,000 (hip 97)  and $550,000 (hip 153) and a son of Tapit (hip 38) for $275,000.

Hartley said Sunday the plan would likely be to pinhook the weanlings as yearlings. @JessMartiniTDN

Caravel to Return to Races in 2023

Two days after Caravel (Mizzen Mast)'s wire-to-wire victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, she had been expected to make an appearance in the Keeneland sales ring Monday, but connections opted to keep the 5-year-old mare and continue racing her in 2023.

“I spoke to my brothers, who own her with me, and the whole family, and they decided that they think she needs another year of racing,” said Sheikh Fahad of co-owner Qatar Racing. “We thought we would give her another year and then she will probably come back to the sale next.”

Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables purchased Caravel for $500,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton November sale. In addition to her Breeders' Cup win, she also added the GIII Franklin S. and GIII Intercontinental S. to her resume this year.

“You don't get many Breeders' Cup winners, especially a filly beating the boys in the Sprint is incredible,” Fahad said. “And the way she did it was very exciting.”

Also at Fasig-Tipton last year, Qatar Racing was part of a partnership which purchased Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) for $5 million. After racing the 2020 GI Kentucky Oaks winner last year, the 5-year-old was put back through the ring at Fasig-Tipton Sunday and Mandy Pope bought out the partners at a matching $5-million price tag.

“At a price we were going to try to keep her ourselves,” Sheikh Fahad said of Shedaresthedevil. “Mandy was a great partner with us on the filly and think she is going to go to a good home. So I am happy enough with that.” @JessMartiniTDN