With the Physicals and the Sire Power, Sumaya Poised for Big September

Oussama Aboughazale's Sumaya Stable, now into its seventh year based in Kentucky, is hoping to make a big impact at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, starting with seven standout offerings in the auction's boutique Book 1 section next Monday and Tuesday.

“We have a very strong group this year, physically, and we've got some good sire power behind us,” Aboughazale's bloodstock manager Frances Relihan said. “The vets have been kind to us as well. We are looking forward to the sale next week. We had a good start to the sales season, we sold one filly up at Saratoga quite well. So we hope it continues.”

That strong start at Saratoga was provided by a filly by Gun Runner (hip 33) who sold for $850,000 to bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle. The team will be hoping to get a similar result when opening its Keeneland September offerings with another daughter of the Three Chimneys' stallion (hip 38) offered through the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment.

“That's a tribute to Mr. Aboughazale,” Relihan said. “He rolled the dice on Gun Runner on the bubble year, which was great. We bred five mares to him. We had one sell at Saratoga, then we have three in September, and we've held one out for October that was a little bit more late-maturing. But I am huge fan of Gun Runner. We've bred to him at Sumaya every year since he was retired. It's nice to have them at the right time.”

Hip 38 is a daughter of graded-placed Bling on the Music (Too Much Bling). In Book 2, Sumaya will offer hip 579, another filly by Gun Runner out of Just Fine (Chi) (Doneraile Court). The yearling is a half-sister to Aboughazale's Chilean champion Amani (Chi) (Morning Raider {Ire}).

The first yearlings by GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic have been in demand in the sales ring this year, with his Saratoga offerings led by an $875,000 colt added to the $475,000 sale-topping filly at the Fasig-Tipton July sale.

“They sold incredibly well up there at Saratoga,” Relihan said of Authentic's yearlings. “There were some very nice horses by him.”

Through Taylor Made's consignment, the farm will offer a colt by the Spendthrift stallion (hip 46). Out of Brushwork (Discreet Cat), he is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner and multiple graded placed Kitten's Cat (Kitten's Joy).

“The Authentic colt we have just continued to improve,” Relihan said. “He was a very nice foal. They all go through various stages as they mature and they go a little backwards as you wean them. But he's really come into his own the last couple of months. He's an elegant kind of horse, a good mover, quite flashy–he's chestnut with some white socks. He's got a lot of presence to him.”

The yearling's granddam is multiple Grade I winner Manistique (Unbridled).

“There a good bit of substance in the family and with the kind of the refinement and the elegance of Authentic, he took the right parts from all of them,” Relihan said of the yearling.

Aboughazale, a native of Jerusalem, began his racing operation while living in Chile. He made a base in the Bluegrass when he purchased the former Belvedere Farm in Paris, Kentucky in 2016. One of the first broodmares he purchased for the farm was graded-stakes winner Delightful Joy (Tapit), who he acquired for $700,000 at the 2017 Keeneland January sale. The mare gave the operation its first seven-figure sale when her first foal sold for $1 million to Shadwell at the 2019 Keeneland September sale. Her daughter Window Shopping (American Pharoah), a $700,000 graduate of the 2021 Keeneland September sale, won the GII Summertime Oaks for Perry and Ramona Bass.

“We picked up the mare early on when Sumaya was being established,” Relihan said of Delightful Joy. “We bought her as a maiden and she's a beautiful-looking mare. She is three-for-three with three foals to race so far. Window Shopping gave us a great update there.”

Through the Gainesway consignment, Sumaya will offer a filly by Into Mischief out of Delightful Joy as hip 92.

“The Into Mischief filly, in my opinion, is one of the best physicals the mare has produced,” Relihan said. “She has a lot of class about her. She has the strength of Into Mischief, which you like to see with the Into Mischief body, but coupled with the refinement and the elegance of a Tapit mare. It doesn't hurt that the Kentucky Oaks winner [Pretty Mischievous] this year was bred on the same cross.”

Aboughazale's International Equities Holding purchased Elude (Medaglia d'Oro), in foal to Street Sense, for $105,000 from the Godolphin draft at the 2022 Keeneland January sale.

“She was a very solid mare, with great bone and substance,” Relihan said. “But what I liked the most about her was how well she moved, even being heavy in foal, she just had a tremendous walk to her. And I liked the mating in her, too. We thought she would fit our program at Sumaya. She's a very nice mare, so we were very happy and very lucky to get her.”

The luck continued for the farm when a little over a year later, the mare's son First Mission (Street Sense) was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following a 6 3/4-length maiden score at Fair Grounds. He continued his winning ways in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. a few weeks later. While the colt was forced to scratch out of the GI Preakness S., he is back on the work tab for trainer Brad Cox just as his yearling full-brother goes through the Keeneland sales ring with Gainesway as hip 106.

“First Mission didn't come onto the radar until the beginning of this year,” Relihan said. “When he came out and broke his maiden second time out, you could really see what he was then. So we were quite excited, especially having a full-brother to him on the ground. We were fairly devastated when he scratched before the Preakness. The good news is he is back on the work tab. That's encouraging and Brad is very positive about the horse. He's hoping that he takes on where he left off in the spring time.”

Of First Mission's yearling brother, Relihan said, “He's a very nice colt. He's very smooth for a Street Sense. He has a beautiful head, neck and shoulder. He's a tremendous mover, very light on his feet, gets over the ground well. He has a temperament that nothing phases the horse. He comes up, he pricks his ears, he stands up. So he's a very nice type.”

Early in Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland sale, Sumaya will offer a filly by Constitution (hip 210) with Gainesway. A daughter of stakes winner and graded-placed Lights of Medina (Eskendereya), the yearling is a half-sister to graded winner Pioneer of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile).

“She looks like a strong kind of filly,” Relihan said. “She is a little bit of a different type of Constitution. She has got quite a strong body on her and a big hip, but she looks very quick.”

The operation will also offer a colt by War Front (hip 287) in Book 1. The yearling is out of Purrfectly Mine (Mineshaft), whose dam Purrfectly (Storm Cat) is a half-sister to European champion Culture Vulture.

“He's a nice War Front colt, he's very forward,” Relihan said. “He was very Danzig-looking early on, but now he's starting to get some stretch to him. So we are very pleased with him.”

Sumaya's Book 1 contingent is concluded with a daughter of Not This Time (hip 334) who sells with Taylor Made. The yearling is out of Spirit of Dawn (Malibu Moon), a half-sister to graded winner Javerre (Outflanker).

“She's a really good physical, really racy looking and elegant and looks the part,” Relihan said. “We like her quite a bit.”

Sumaya was at the forefront of Not This Time's success. The operation bred the stallion's first Grade I winner, Princess Noor.

“Mr. Aboughazale has been a really good supporter of Not This Time,” Relihan said. “I love the strength of them. A lot of them are very well made and are good movers. They have a great hind leg and a good hip to them. They just have a lot of presence to them. They are nice horses overall.”

Sumaya will offer another pair of fillies by the Taylor Made stallion in Book 2: hip 617, a half-sister to Lights of Medina; and hip 672, out of a half-sister to multiple graded winner Protonico (Giant's Causeway).

“She's  a big strong filly who looks like a colt. A lot of presence to her,” Relihan said of hip 617, while adding of hip 672, “She looks a lot like Not This Time himself in coloring and with a pretty, pretty head. She's a nice filly.”

Sumaya's Book 2 offerings also include hip 445, a colt by Omaha Beach out of Bauble Queen (Arch), who is a half-brother to multiple graded winner Blitzkrieg (War Front).

“He is a May 20 foal, so he's going in with a little bit of a disadvantage with the foaling date,” Relihan said. “But I think if somebody wants a nice horse to give him time to mature, he could be a nice horse for the future.”

Sumaya Farm is home to some 40 broodmares. Asked if the operation would be shopping at the November breeding stock sales, Relihan laughed and said, “That depends on how good the September sale is.”

The Keeneland September sale Book 1 sessions Monday and Tuesday begin at 1 p.m. Book 2 sessions Wednesday and Thursday begin at 11 a.m. Following a dark day, the auction continues through Sept. 23 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.