Twin Creeks Banner Unfurled at Keeneland September

The Twin Creeks Farm name is a very familiar one in horse racing. Having been associated with a host of big-name horses in the past as both a breeder and owner, the operation will now venture into new terrain, offering it's first draft of yearlings on Day 4 of this season's Keeneland September Sale.

The initial seven-horse draft on offer is highlighted by five yearlings by WinStar sire Constitution.

“Overall, we thought this was a very solid group and these individuals were very similar,” Twin Creeks' Randy Gullatt said. “And they all have a very strong pedigree behind them. I hope we have already proven the point that we can breed and sell great horses, so I think they will be very popular here.”

In a fateful move that would pave the way for the string of successes that would come in the breeding shed and on the racetrack, Twin Creeks teamed up with WinStar Farm to campaign $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling purchase Constitution (Tapit), victorious in the 2014 GI Besilu Florida Derby and 2015 GI Donn H. Standing for an advertised fee of $85,000 in 2022, Constitution currently heads the earning's list of North American fourth crop sires with runners in both North America and Europe.

“He's been so important to us, both in racing him and now as a sire,” he said. “We've raced four graded stakes horses by him that we also bred.”

According to Gullatt, Hip 812 and Hip 888 are likely to garner plenty of attention next week. The former, who is out of Sharp Instinct (Awesome Again), is a half-brother to GSW Send It In (Big Brown). The latter is a half-brother to Grade II-placed Afleet Destiny (Hard Spun). Both yearlings are by Constitution.

Gullatt explained, “These colts in particular have a really special look to them. They both have that special physical that most of these buyers seem to be attracted to. I think being by Constitution and having that look, I would think they'd be very popular.”

Hoping to catch lightning in a bottle again, Twin Creeks has already tasted top-level success with another son of Constitution. Consigned on behalf of breeder Twin Creeks by Becky Thomas's Sequel New York in 2018 renewal of the Saratoga Preferred New York bred Yearling Sale, Tiz the Law–out of Tizfiz (Tiznow)–was purchased for $110,000 by Jack Knowlton's Sackatoga Stable. Trained by Barclay Tagg, the colt went on to win the GI Belmont S. In addition to the GI Runhappy Travers S., GI Curlin Florida Derby and GI Champagne S.

“Tiz the Law is a very different type of horse from the colts we are offering at Keeneland September,” explained Gullatt. “He was a smaller sort of horse and had an exceptional mind, but he wasn't a [physical] standout as a yearling. And Constitution was a relatively unknown stallion at the time that Tiz the Law sold.”

He continued, “But I think these colts are a step above [physically] than Tiz the Law was as a yearling. Obviously, Constitution's stature as a stallion has also grown since Tiz the Law sold.”

Another member of the Constitution brigade received a timely boost her page. Hip 1019–out of a half-sister to GISW Celestine (Scat Daddy) named Haunted Heroine (Ghostzapper)–is a full-sister to Law Professor, winner of the Sept. 1 Tapit S. at Kentucky Downs. Trained by Rob Atras, the Twin Creeks homebred is also responsible for a win in last season's GII Santa Anita Mathis Mile.

“I think he's going to be an exciting fall horse for us,” Gullat said of Law Professor. “We're quite high on him.”

Of his full sister, he added, “She should make an incredible racehorse, and hopefully, as a broodmare for someone one day.”

Among the Twin Creeks offerings not by Constitution, Hip 906 is by the recently deceased More Than Ready out of Baffling (Graydar)–a homebred, half-sister to Constitution out of Baffled (Distorted Humor). The immediate family also boasts Group 2 winner Boynton (More Than Ready) and Grade III scorer Jacaranda (Congrats).

“We had the mare Baffled for some time and sold a More Than Ready out of her named Boynton for $750,000 [at Keeneland September in 2015]. So, we know that the niche works.”

He added, “She is a big, strong, two-turn, classy filly. I think she can be a tremendous broodmare for someone someday.”

According to Gullatt, Hip 1093, by Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) out of May Night (Gulch), has been withdrawn from the sale and will be retained by Twin Creeks to race. Twin Creeks also campaigned the GI Travers S. and GI Belmont Derby winner with Bob LaPenta, Madaket Stables and Siena Farm.

“She's the only Catholic Boy that we have,” he said, explaining the decision to scratch. “It looks like it might be [dam Song of Bernadette]'s last foal, so we decided we want to keep that family.”

Planting the Seed

According to Twin Creek's Randy Gullatt, the addition of farm manager Ryan Bardin to the team was instrumental in facilitating the move to sell its own product at public sale.

“We have done occasionally in the past, but nothing to this degree,” explained Gullatt. “This year, I have a new farm manager to help out and we had a nice group of horses and we thought we could sell them all on the same day. And we thought, 'why not this year be the year we start selling our own in September'.”

Expanding upon the decision to assume selling duties at Keeneland September, Gullatt continued, “Sequel New York sells all of our New York breds, and Taylor Made sells our Kentucky horses. And we're still going to use them. Taylor Made sold a horse for us in July and they will sell something for us in October and November as well. Sequel sold a horse for us at Saratoga in August. September is just such a unique place. It's close to home and its something that we can do on our own now. We also thought the horses were all of similar quality and, being able to sell them on the same day, that played a role in the decision as well.”

Also on offer, next week are a pair of Constitutions–a filly, Hip 779 out of Grade II winner Pure Silver (Mission Impazible) and Hip 792, another colt by Constitution out of Remedy (Creative Cause) from the family of champion Beholder and Into Mischief. Rounding out the consignment is Hip 799, a daughter of freshman sire City of Light.

Underscoring the relevance of the younger sires, not only to Twin Creeks program, but also to the industry as a whole, Gullatt said, “Especially with the fillies, having these current horses on the track adds that 'sexy' value to these yearlings. I think this market always enjoys that fresh face. The first-year stallion, new horse or an up-and-coming stars like Constitution. Big names mean a lot to pedigrees. Having that current horse just gives you a family that people want to invest into. Those are the ones we want to bring here.”