Three Witches (Into Mischief) (hip 936), just a week removed from a third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint, became the 12th seven-figure filly of the Keeneland November sale when selling for $1.7 million to the internet bid of Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd. The 4-year-old filly is expected to stay in training in the U.S. next year.
“She'll stay here in America and we'll try again on the racetrack,” said Keeneland Australian representative Barry Bowditch. “For a mare that raced five days ago, in one of the strongest Breeders' Cup races of the week, she looked so well and handled the trip back so well. You just feel that the best of her racing is yet to come. It will be great to have a new investor racing horses here in America.”
Bowditch said a trainer is still being discussed for the filly's 2024 campaign.
Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan purchased Three Witches on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale. Trained by Saffie Joseph, the dark bay earned a trip to the Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita with a win in the GIII Princess Rooney S. in October.
“It's always a hard decision [to sell] when you have something special that's won a Grade III and you drop her in the Breeders' Cup and at 30-1 she hits the board,” Edwards said. “We believed in her and Saffie did a phenomenal job suiting her up and getting that Princess Rooney win for us and going to the Breeders' Cup. That was all Saffie.”
Of the decision to send the graded stakes winner through the ring at Keeneland, Edwards said, “I have a fair number of mares now. I have graded-stakes winning mares on the roster and I figured I would move some inventory and see what happens next. We need to make room for up-and-coming stars.”
Of Three Witches' $1.7-million price tag Friday, Edwards said, “I was super excited with that result. We knew there would be interest, we knew she would be the big horse for today. Keeneland did a phenomenal job. Chip McGaughey and his crew did a great job recruiting her and obviously bringing in the buyers. We were super happy with the job they did and the outcome was phenomenal. I wasn't expecting $1.7 million, but I was very happy to get it.”
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