Whisper Hill Farm

The first week of January doesn't have much in common with the first Saturday in May--with the exception that the inaugural TDN Top 12 has arrived to herald the coming of the seemingly far-off GI Kentucky Derby season. Get tied on and enjoy the ride. 1) ARABIAN KNIGHT (c, Uncle Mo--Borealis Night, by Astrology) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $2,300,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $86,025. Last start: 1st Keeneland Maiden Special Weight, Nov. 5....

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack tracks down top horses on the sidelines. Whisper Hill Farm homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (c, 3, Tapit--I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie), off since posting a jaw-dropping, 23-length victory in the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park July 2, is gearing up for a 4-year-old campaign. Forced to miss intended second-half targets in the GI Runhappy Travers S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby with a foot issue, Charge It has since posted a trio of breezes this winter...

7th-Fair Grounds, $54,000, Msw, 12-3, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:46.90, ft, 7 1/2 lengths. TAPIT SHOES (c, 2, Tapit--Awesome Flower {MSW & MGSP, $556,593}, by Flower Alley) made the most of a troubled trip at first asking, tackling a sloppy track at Churchill Oct. 30 to wind up sixth after trailing most of the race. With the addition of both blinkers and Lasix Saturday, the half-brother to Cyberknife (Gun Runner), MGISW, $2,087,520 had the betting public's favor, going off at 8-5 over the same distance as his debut. Racing again off...

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm was active, per usual, at the top of the market at Fasig-Tipton November Sunday evening, and Pope picked up right where she left off Monday across town at Keeneland. She went to $2.3 million to pick up 5-year-old racing or broodmare prospect Four Graces (Majesticperfection), a MGSW/GISP half-sister to MGSW young sire McCraken from a deep Whitham family. The near $500,000 earner was consigned by Denali Stud has hip 192.

Whisper Hill Farm's Mandy Pope had already signed the $5-million ticket for GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) during Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars, and she made another high-dollar addition to her world-class broodmare band when spending $2.9 million to secure 2019 GI Frizette S. heroine Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map). Barren to Uncle Mo in her first mating, the half-sister to GSW/MGISP Point of Honor (Curlin) was carrying a first foal by that one's top sire. The Steve Asmussen-trained Wicked Whisper was a $500,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Alex and...

2020 GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) brought $5 million at Fasig-Tipton November 12 months ago when Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm partnered with her previous campaigners--Flurry Racing Stables and Qatar Racing. This time around, Pope went to the same price to buy out those partners and take home the $2,777,458 earner. Since last year's transaction, Shedaresthedevil took the GII Fleur de Lis S. amid placings in the GII Azeri S., GI La Troienne S. and GI Clement L. Hirsch S. She was consigned to the sale as a...

By Christie DeBernardis and Jessica Martini A $1.4-million son of super sire Into Mischief (Hip 604) led a sextet of seven-figure sellers during the opening session of Book 2 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Wednesday. Consigned by Summerfield on behalf of Stonestreet Stables, the colt was purchased by Larry Best of OXO Equine. With six horses eclipsing the million-dollar mark Wednesday, the sale total now comes to 28. During the equivalent session last year, just two yearlings brought seven figures, including the $1.7-million sale topper. "It was a great...

Mandy Pope outlasted Chad Brown, who was bidding on behalf of Peter Brant, to take home a Tapit filly out of MSW & GSP Danzatrice (Dunkirk) (Hip 603) for $1.1 million during the Book 2 opener at Keeneland Wednesday. The chestnut was bred and sold by Gainesway. Her dam is a half-sister to champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic). Pope purchased the filly's full-brother for at the auction last year for $1.3 million with Gainesway staying in for a piece. He is now named Tapit Trice and is in training with Todd...

by Jessica Martini, Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis The elite Book 1 section of the Keeneland September Sale, which began with a powerhouse session Monday, maintained its energy all the way through to the end of Tuesday's second session. After nine yearlings sold for $1 million or more Monday, a further 13 horses topped that mark during Tuesday's session, led by a $1.8-million son of Constitution. "Coming out of day one, I think that momentum was almost euphoric," said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. "Coming into day two,...

A filly by Quality Road helped get the Keeneland September Yearling Sale off to a quick start Monday in Lexington when selling for $1.2 million. Claiborne Farm's Bernie Sams signed the ticket on the bay yearling on behalf of an undisclosed client. The bay filly (hip 8) was consigned by Gainesway and was bred by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm, which purchased her dam, Princesa Silvia (Medaglia d'Oro), for $1.4 million at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. The mare is a half-sister to champion Saint Liam (Saint Ballado), Grade I...

8th-Saratoga, $115,000, Alw, 8-6, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 7f, 1:23.90, gd, 1 1/2 lengths. SAINT TAPIT (c, 3, Tapit--Havre de Grace {Horse Of The Year, Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $2,586,175}, by Saint Liam) graduated by four lengths on debut at Belmont June 26 and was favored at 8-5 to repeat here in this first try against winners. With the track freshly sealed after rain poured down over Saratoga, the blue-blooded chestnut tracked from a two-wide third through a :22.93 opening quarter. He drew even with the leader as the half went up...

The lightly raced 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit), a forgettable 17th with a nightmare trip in the GI Kentucky Derby, put it all together with a jaw-dropping victory in Saturday's GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park. The rail-drawn 3-5 favorite--a green second while making his stakes debut at third asking in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Apr. 2-- pressed Fluid Situation (Warrior's Reward) from second while racing in tight quarters along the fence here. Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez bulled his way into the clear after brushing with the...