Dialed In Colt on Top at KEENOV

[Wandering Eyes]

A weanling colt by Dialed In topped all returns during Monday’s eighth session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. The first of two Book 5 sessions saw 234 offerings change hands for gross receipts of $5,197,600. The average was $22,212 and median was $14,500. The RNA rate was 21.48%.

Hip 2767, the aforementioned session topper, sold to Brookstone Farm for $145,000. He was consigned by Brendan and Olive Gallagher’s Frankfort Park Farm, which had purchased him in utero for $35,000 at this sale 12 months ago. The Mar. 2 foal hails from the extended female family of Grade I/Group 1 winners Elusive City, Coup de Fusil and Lukes Alley, but got a more immediate pedigree boost when 2-year-old half-sister Belle Laura (Mucho Macho Man) finished third in Keeneland’s GII J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine S. last month before competing in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Click for Thorostride Video Inspection.

The second-priciest purchase of the day was racing or stallion prospect War Chest (War Front), who was picked up by Meah/Lloyd Bloodstock on behalf of BG Stables and D Meah Racing from the Lane’s End consignment as hip 3135. Out of MGSW Wine Princess (Ghostzapper), herself a daughter of Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter), the $500,000 KEESEP yearling was a Belmont Park maiden special weight winner on debut last September and has since hit the board in a pair of optional claimers on the NYRA circuit. Agent David Meah purchased recent GI Shadwell Turf Mile S. hero Next Shares (Archarcharch) at this same auction 12 months earlier.

“We got him under budget, and we are happy,” Meah said of War Chest. “He is the one horse of the day we wanted. If he wins [allowance races in Southern California], he will make his money back in two races. If we get super lucky and get some black-type, we have a chance to do things in the future [with him at stud]. BG Stables stands stallions in California.”

Meah’s wife Anna will train the current 3-year-old.

The session’s top mare was Holidays Saratoga (Harlan’s Holiday) (hip 2873), who sold as property of Fairlawn for $85,000 to ERJ Racing LLC. The winning daughter of MSW Saratoga Humor (Distorted Humor) and half to MGSW Heart Stealer (Speightstown) was carrying her first foal by Will Take Charge.

Keeneland November continues Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. Visit www.keeneland.com for more information.

View the full article