Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa

With the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale just minutes old, multiple graded winner Midnight Memories (Mastery) became the nine-day auction's first seven-figure offering when selling for $1.45 million to Katsumi Yoshida. The 5-year-old mare, in foal to Curlin, was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. She was bred by Mike Pegram, Paul Weitman and Karl Watson and is a daughter of graded winner Tiz Midnight (Midnight Lute). She won the 2022 GII Zenyatta Stakes, as well as two Grade III events, and was third in last year's GI Beholder...

Moria (Ghostzapper), Canada's Horse of the Year and Queen's Plate winner who is just over 48 hours removed from a win in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, brought $4.3 million to the bid of Bayles Monday night at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consigned the 5-year-old, who is just shy of $3 million in earnings. Sold as Hip 293, Moira is out of MSW & GSP Devine Aida (Unbridled's Song) and campaigned for Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, and X-Men Racing.

Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) (hip 214) joined a string of high-class mares heading to Japan after selling for $2.8 million to Katsumi Yoshida Monday at Fasig-Tipton. The 5-year-old mare, consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, won this year's GI Apple Blossom Handicap and the last two renewals of the GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes for Michael Lund Petersen and trainer Bob Baffert.  

Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm went to $2.6 million for Private Mission (Into Mischief) early in the mare portion of the one-night session of the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The multiple graded stakes winner produced a colt by Gun Runner this spring for her first foal and went through the ring carrying to Curlin. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent as Hip 177, Private Mission is from the immediate family of GISWs Dunbar Road (Quality Road), Secret Status (A.P. Indy), and Dunkirk (Unbridled's Song).

Kevin Attard already knows it will be difficult, going back home to his barn at Woodbine and seeing an empty stall where stable star Moira (Ghostzapper) has been a steady presence for the past four years. The Canadian Horse of the Year and millionaire will perform in what will likely be her last dance in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday before she goes through the ring on Nov. 4 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. "This is probably one of the hardest things I've done in...

Lynne Lyons's hitherto untried €155,000 Keeneland September graduate Ethical Code (Justify), a Ger Lyons-trained daughter of G1 Phoenix Stakes heroine Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}), failed to sell when stalling on the €300,000 mark at Arqana's Breeze-Up fixture earlier in the year and dug deep to make a winning debut in Wednesday's DundalkStadium.com Fillies Maiden at Dundalk. A half-sister to dual Group-winning sire Requinto (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), she raced along the rail in fourth for most of this seven-furlong contest. Taking closer order in the home straight, the 7-1 chance was...

Bob Baffert has no qualms about admitting that Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) is going to be a difficult horse to part with. The three-time Grade I winner and $2 million earner has been a steady presence in Baffert's barn for the past three years. "When you have them for that long, you actually get emotionally attached to them," said Baffert. "She's such a sweetheart. She never gets worked up, never turns a hair and is just so professional. I've had some really good horses, but if they don't have the...

A Curlin colt whose fourth dam is the Phipps blue hen Blitey (Riva Ridge) sold for $1.3 million at Tuesday's session of the Keeneland September yearling sale. M V Magnier signed the ticket for Coolmore and White Birch. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, where Curlin stands, the Feb.11-foaled colt is the first foal out of GII Adirondack Stakes winner Thoughtfully (Tapit). Through the ring as hip 262, the bay was bred in Kentucky by Hill n Dale Equine Holdings, Inc and Determined Stud.

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, and Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY-The Keeneland September Yearling Sale had its first seven-figure transaction just an hour into its first session Monday and, when the dust had settled after a frenetic day of bidding, 14 yearlings had sold for $1 million or more. The group was led by a $2.2-million son of Gun Runner who sold to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm from the Four Star Sales consignment. The colt was one of five by the Three Chimneys stallion to sell for seven figures during...

A colt by super sire Into Mischief (hip 30) returns to the sales ring for the second time in six months when he sells through the Darby Dan Farm consignment during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale Monday. The yearling holds the distinction of having the highest previous sales price in the Saratoga auction's 240-head catalogue after selling for $650,000 as part of the Lothenbach dispersal the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale in February. A colt by Constitution (hip 59) has the next highest previous price, having sold for...

If there has ever been a quintessential Saturday afternoon sire--as well as Breeders' Cup sire and champion sire--Curlin would have to be at the top of the list. He tends to churn out top-level horses at a dizzying rate. "Not to take anything away from other great stallions, but I don't believe Curlin is second to anybody when you speak of Grade I performers and accomplishments," said John Sikura, who stands the 2007-08 Horse of the Year at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. "If you think of the Breeders' Cup,...

The mighty Curlin's heir apparent might be a son standing alongside him at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. Your average young stallion doesn't usually follow up a first-crop Classic winner with another one in his second crop. To be fair, your average young stallion doesn't often have a Classic winner at all. Good Magic is quickly proving he is not your average young stallion. "Classic horses are certainly the peak, the goal of anyone who breeds, sells, or owns, or even stands stallions," said Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura, who...