by Steve Sherack & J.N. Campbell
DEL MAR, CA — A stallion share (2.5% fractional interest) in undefeated 2022 Horse of the Year and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Flightline (Tapit) brought $2.5 million from Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm to top the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale held in Del Mar's paddock Wednesday evening.
The final offering of the sale, the stallion share was consigned by Lane's End Farm as Hip 12. Flightline welcomed his first foals this year and will command a $150,000 stud fee at Lane's End in 2025.
Flightline, of course, was bred by Summer Wind and brought $1 million as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling. He was campaigned in partnership by Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, with Summer Wind Equine also staying in for a piece.
A share in Flightline sold for $4.6 million at the 2022 Keeneland November sale, just two days after his jaw-dropping win in the Classic.
“The foals that Flightline is producing are just different,” said consultant Dr. Steve Jackson, who signed the ticket on Lyon's behalf. “They're strong and they're correct. Lots of class. They are just really, really nice foals, so it made sense to go after this share. This was the amount at the top end that we thought this share would go for and we hit the mark.”
A stallion share in #BreedersCup champion Flightline sells for $2.5 million at tonight's @keeneland Championship Sale! pic.twitter.com/2EAgtjVPqe
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) October 31, 2024
A stallion share in GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint 7-5 morning-line favorite Cogburn (Not This Time) (Hip 5) brought $475,000 from Richard and Connie Snyder. Cogburn set a North American-record time for 5 1/2 furlongs (:59.80) while capturing the GI Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga. He will be retired to WinStar Farm at the end of the year for the 2025 breeding season.
Cogburn is campaigned in partnership by Clark Brewster and L. William and Corinne Heiligbrodt and trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.
“We are happy and obviously excited about Cogburn and all that he has done this year,” said WinStar Farm's President/CEO & Racing Manager Elliott Walden. “The chance to offer this share came up and Keeneland did a fabulous job putting this on.”
The GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint-bound Pandora's Gift (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) (Hip 11) brought $850,000 from Randy Sarf's LSU Stables. The Sarf family will also be represented by 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel) in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Pandora's Gift, Group 3-placed in Ireland, finished third for owner/trainer Stuart C. Williams in the GII Franklin Stakes at Keeneland last time Oct. 13.
A total of five head brought $4.325 million, good for an average of $865,000 and a median of $475,000.
A 50% ownership interest in impressive GIII Vosburgh Stakes winner and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile contender Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke) RNA'd for $950,000.
“The idea was a simple one behind this [Keeneland Championship Sale] and that was to have a party with a sale, and not a sale with a party,” said Keeneland President Shannon Arvin. “That was really the intention and I think we are thrilled with the results. Anytime you introduce something new, it can take a little while for people to register what we are doing, and it was great that so many people came out who were willing to give it a shot.”
Arvin continued, “We knew we wanted to offer different types of bloodstock, so definitely ones that had relevant updates or ones that were actually running in the World Championships. This is a game that takes complete patience, and how often do you have a chance to buy something on a Wednesday that is going to run at this level on a Friday or Saturday.”
Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy added, “With something new it always takes time to gain real traction. We were really pleased with the ones that sold. The others that didn't sell got very, very close. We were appreciative of the people who supported the sale from the selling side. It is also important to remember that the horses that can go forward not only for the Breeders' Cup, but for the rest of the year. We had participation from the Middle East and again from the major breeders on the Flightline and Cogburn shares. We certainly learned from this experience and the feedback was really positive. It was something fun to do and we achieved that.”
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