New York-bred broodmare Ack Naughty, the dam of Grade 1 winner Practical Move, was one of 12 seven-figure purchases at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Keeneland Photo.
Sales of New York-bred weanlings played a role in the “incredibly strong” market for foals at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale that concluded Thursday in Lexington.
Six New York-breds sold for six figures during the sale, including a filly that landed a bid of $200,000 during last week’s opening session. Overall, Keeneland reported sales on 34 of the 39 New York-bred weanlings through the ring for $1,744,500, an average price of $51,309 and median of $35,000.
“It’s very encouraging to see the demand for New York-breds continue to remain strong in a competitive foal market,” said New York Thoroughbred Breeders Executive Director Najja Thompson. “A credit to our breeders in continuing to produce attractive foals and consignors offering to the public.
“We have implemented several initiatives working with the New York State Breeding and Development Fund and the New York Racing Association, Inc. to ensure participation in the New York-bred program remains robust and beneficial for breeders and owners. These measures include our recently updated mare residency rules for broodmares in-foal purchased at public auction, bonuses for New York-Sired progeny and purse parity for New York-breds on the NYRA circuit in 2026.”
Arthur Hoyeau, agent, went to $200,000 to purchase the top-selling weanling, Hip 111, a daughter of Justify and third foal out of the Australia mare San Saria. Bred by Lakland Farm and consigned by Sequel New York, the filly is a full sister to the unraced 2-year-old filly Guinevere, who sold for $925,000 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.
Hip 86, a filly from the second crop of Horse of the Year Authentic, sold for $140,000 to Castleton Way during the opening session. Bred by Pine Ridge Stable LLC, foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the filly is the fourth foal out of the stakes-placed Bretheren mare Onebrethatatime.
A half-sister to the filly by Not This Time sold for $170,000 at last year’s Keeneland November sale and an unnamed 2-year-old Audible filly sold for $190,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.
The third highest-priced weanling was also a filly, Hip 1900, a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner McKinzie named Pinky Brier. The filly sold for $130,000 to Chivalry Racing and Final Furlong as the last offering during Sunday’s fifth session of the sale.
Bred by Danzel Brendemuehl and Colleen Smith, foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls and consigned by Gainesway, the filly is the first foal out of the Grade 2-placed Tapiture mare Exchange Vows. A half-sister to Big City Lights, Exchange Vows finished third in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.
The top-selling New York-bred colt, Hip 2714, a son of Tacitus and half-brother to New York-bred stakes winner Dream Central and stakes winner Dreamalildreamofu, sold for $125,000 to ELC Investments to highlight Book 4. Bred by and foaled at John Jayko’s Fedwell Farms in Saratoga Springs, the colt is out of the stakes-placed Deputy Wild Cat mare Dreamed to Dream. He was consigned by Sally Thomas, agent.
Dreamed to Dream is the dam of four winners led by Dreamalildreamofu, a daughter of Commissioner who earned $289,403, sold in foal to Maxfield for $340,000 at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Dream Central, a daughter of leading New York sire Central Banker bred by Fedwell Farms, won the Suzie O’Cain Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and the Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Belmont Park last season. Dreamed to Dream is also the dam of Whiskey Frens, a colt by Speightster who sold for $80,000 at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.
The top price paid overall for a New York-bred was $1.8 million by Juddmonte for Ack Naughty, an 11-year-old daughter of Afleet Alex out of the stakes-placed General Meeting mare Dash for Money. Consigned by Sequel New York, agent for Chester and Mary Broman, Ack Naughty sold in foal to Into Mischief as Hip 246.
The Bromans purchased Ack Naughty, a four-time winner who finished second in the 2014 Chelsea Flower, second in the 2017 Mount Vernon and third in the 2017 John Hettinger, for $500,000 in foal to Upstart at this year’s Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. That sale came about a month after Practical Move, a son of the Into Mischief stallion Practical Joke, won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. He later added the Grade 2 San Felipe and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby to rank among the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby before an injury knocked him out of the Triple Crown.
Ack Naughty did not produce a live foal in 2023 and is the dam of a yearling colt by Complexity that sold for $300,000 at the Keeneland September sale. Ack Naughty, who won four of 15 starts and earned $310,450, was bred by Waterville Lake Stables Ltd. LLC.
Stakes winner Gambling Girl, runner-up in this year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and third in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course, sold for $875,000 to Spendthrift Farm during the opening session. Offered as a racing or broodmare prospect as Hip 245, the 3-year-year-old daughter of Dialed In out of the winning Empire Maker mare Tulipmania was consigned by Highgate Sales, agent.
Bred by and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Gambling Girl is 2-3-3 in 12 starts with $568,910 in earnings.
Purchased by Repole Stable for $200,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Gambling Girl won the 2022 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes and finished third in that year’s Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes to earn champion New York-bred 2-year-old filly finalist honors. She competed exclusively in stakes company at 3, with runner-up finishes in the Busanda at Aqueduct, Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct and a diminishing neck defeat in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
Hip 3277, a weanling filly from the first crop of Beau Liam, topped Thursday’s final session on a bid of $35,000 from Phil Hager’s Taproot, agent for Final Furlong Racing Stable. Bred by Fergus Galvin, Spruce Lane Farm, Mashnee Stables, Copper Beach Stables et al, foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs and consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, the filly is out of the winning Arch mare Miss Nancy.
Keeneland wraps up its 2023 auction season with the horses of racing age sale at noon Friday. Eighteen New York-breds were cataloged, including multiple stakes winner Eye Witness and stakes-placed Aggregation. Click here for a mini catalog of the New York-breds.
