Mandy Pope

Whisper Hill Farm homebred Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) got out of a jackpot just in time Saturday to come out on top of Gulfstream's GIII Kitten's Joy S. exacta for the en fuego Todd Pletcher barn. Royal Spirit (Into Mischief) was second best, while favored Coinage (Tapit)--making his first start since finishing ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf--settled for third after showing the way. Second in his Belmont unveiling to next-out GIII Futurity S. winner Slipstream (More Than Ready) in October, Grand Sonata donned cap and gown around...

Clarkland Farm's 2016 Broodmare of the Year Leslie's Lady (Tricky Creek--Crystal Lady, by Stop the Music), whose produce include leading sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) and four-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder (Henny Hughes), died Jan. 24 at the farm, the Blood-Horse reports. She was 26 years old. Bred in Kentucky by David Hager II, Leslie's Lady was an $8,000 short yearling purchase from Hager's Idle Hour Farm at Keeneland January in 1997 and was acquired by owner James T. Hines for $27,000 from the Margaux Farm draft at the Keeneland...

by Jessica Martini, Brian DiDonato, and Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton November Sale opened Tuesday afternoon with strong returns for its weanling offerings before exploding with frenetic bidding from an internationally diverse buying bench on a wide selection of superstar mares that ultimately produced a sales record gross of $103,699,000 for 149 head. That figure bested the auction's previous record of $89,473,000 which was set in 2018. The average of $695,966 was the second highest in sale history, falling short only of the 2008 average of $772,297, while...

Some 21 hips after her Grade I-winning daughter Guarana (Ghostzapper) was hammered down for a then sales-topping $4.4 million, Magical World (Distorted Humor--Pleasant Home, by Seeking the Gold) soared past that amount and then some, eventually achieving a final bid of $5.2 million during a white-hot renewal of the Fasig-Tipton 'Night of the Stars' Tuesday in Lexington. Whisper Hill Farm's Mandy Pope signed the winning ticket on the 11-year-old mare, who was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale, agent, to dissolve a partnership with Three Chimneys. Pope indicated that she would...

Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun--Loving Vindication, by Vindication), victorious in the 2019 GI La Brea S. at Santa Anita, was the latest mare to shine at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale Tuesday, selling to a partnership consisting of Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway for $3.2 million. The Ontario-bred, cataloged as hip 184, was consigned to the sale by Lane's End and is a half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro) and SW & GSP Solemn Tribute (Medaglia d'Oro). Her second dam is GSW/GISP Chimichurri...

Mandy Pope made her first big splash at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, going to $1.3 million for Gainesway's hip 331. The Lexington nursery acquired the colt's dam Danzatrice (Dunkirk) for $105,000 at the 2014 OBS April Sale and raced her to seven victories, including a trio at black-type level and a third-place effort in the GIII Groupie Doll S. Danzatrice is a half-sister to Eclipse Award winner Jaywalk (Cross Traffic), who is a maternal granddaughter of the late Unbridled's Song the same as Danzatrice. Mandy Pope paid $3.8 million...

The unraced 3-year-old filly America's Joy (American Pharoah), a half-sister to Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday), Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), out of the 2016 Broodmare of the year Leslie's Lady suffered a fatal injury Sunday morning during a workout at Saratoga, according to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. Pope purchased the filly for a record $8.2 million at the 2019 Keeneland September sale. The news was a severe blow to her connections, who were anxiously awaiting the debut of a filly who appeared to have unlimited potential. Trainer...

6th-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 2:37 p.m. ET PERFECT GRACE (Tapit), a 3-year-old daughter of 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), kicks off her career for trainer Ralph Nicks. The Whisper Hill Farm homebred, given a 6-1 chance on the morning line, is drawn widest of all in post seven with Emisael Jaramillo aboard. Mandy Pope's operation went to $10 million to acquire Havre de Grace at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. TJCIS PPs

A Medaglia d'Oro half-sister to leading second-crop sire and MGISW Constitution (Tapit) was the first to reach the seven-figure threshold during Sunday's opening session of the Keeneland September sale when garnering a top bid of $1.1 million from Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. Consigned by Denali Stud, Agent LIX as hip 58, the Mar. 21 foal was bred in a partnership between Bridlewood Farm and Don Alberto Corp. The powerful co-breeders paid a sale-topping $3.5 million for group-placed dam Baffled (Distorted Humor) in foal to Tapit at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton...

Vanishing Point (Tapit), a full-brother to two-time Eclipse Award and three-time Grade I winner Unique Bella, was very green, but very good in his racecourse debut Sunday afternoon at Sapporo Racecourse, leading every step of the way en route to a seven-length tally. The mount of perennial leading jockey Christophe Lemaire, the son of GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Distaff heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song) jumped alertly from the widest gate in the field of seven and was switching back and forth across his leads while establishing the front passing under...

In the front field of Timber Town Stables along Lexington's Leestown Road, a quiet gray grazes contentedly while keeping a close eye on her two-month-old foal napping nearby. The mare takes a step towards you when approached, but the foal remains in a deep slumber, her four limbs stretched out in all different directions as she enjoys the afternoon sunlight. She opens her eyes slowly when you speak, begrudgingly making her way onto her nimble legs only when coaxed While she enjoys the care-free life of a newborn now, the...

Of all the jaw-dropping feats that a Thoroughbred is able to accomplish, perhaps nothing is quite as miraculous as watching a fierce, powerful racehorse transform to fill the role of motherhood.  Wayne Sweezey, who owns and operates Timber Town Stables alongside his wife Cathy, has watched this dramatic role change hundreds of times. But one mare on his farm in particular has excelled above and beyond both on the track and with a foal by her side. She won 13 of her 15 starts, never finishing worse than second, and...