Marion Ravenwood

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...

Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy), the stakes-winning dam of expected champion 3-year-old filly Nest (Curlin), GISW Idol (Curlin) and this year's stakes-winning juvenile Lost Ark (Violence) was unsurprisingly popular in the Keeneland November sales ring Monday, with Coolmore's MV Magnier coming out on top to secure the 14-year-old for $2.6 million. Hip 187, in foal to Curlin, was consigned by the Lyster family's Ashview Farm. Ashview and Richard Santulli's Colts Neck Stables paid $400,000 for Marion Ravenwood at the 2017 renewal of this sale while she was carrying eventual MSP Dr...

Wayne Lyster always knew it to be miracle enough, for a farm this size, simply to get both into the starting gate. The Derby-Oaks double hadn't been accomplished since the heyday of Calumet, 70 years previously, and at Ashview, they foal out no more than a couple of dozen mares every spring. As such, Lyster can justly take pride in the fact that both Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and Nest (Curlin) finished their races so well, for fifth and second, respectively, that they are now converging instead on the GI...

The old school has found a new Idol. The son of Curlin made his breakthrough a couple of weekends ago in a race cherished by traditionalists, and did so with genes of which much the same might be said. Indeed, if the GI Santa Anita H. winner can go on from here--and he has still only made six starts--to lead the older-horse division, then we'll be looking at one of the most eligible stud prospects on the scene. Even traditionalists, of course, must accept that the world moves on. Or,...