Quality Road Colt Shines for Select Sales at Keeneland

It didn't take long for one yearling to jump up and surprise Select Sale's Carrie Brogden during the Sept. 15 session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Consigned as Hip 1385, the son of Quality Road  had been a stunner since the beginning at Brogden's Machmer Hall farm.

But a half-million dollar price tag was not on her radar.  

"I knew he'd had like 18 vets," Brogden said. "We knew he had had tons of action. Did I think he'd bring half a million? No. But was I thrilled? Yes. We tend to be conservative but it's been interesting.

"He jumped through the hoops. He had great vetting, he was very uncomplicated, and he was one of those horses that got better and better as he got older. In the spring he was immature but every day was a good day for him and he kept coming and coming and coming. Obviously the sire can do no wrong and we're just elated." 

Purchased by China Horse Club and Maverick Racing—the racing arm of WinStar Farm—for $510,000, the yearling was the highest-grossing youngster through the ring during Sunday's opening session of Book 3. 

"He's a nice athletic colt and by Quality Road," said Elliott Walden of WinStar Farm. "We felt like he was one of the better ones on the day. It's been solid (market) on both sides. It's been really good. It's tough to buy and conversely it's good when you sell." 

Bred by Machmer Hall, Hip 1385 is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Spring Storm, who has also produced multiple grade 3 placed Stainless. His female family extends to Countess Diana, a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner and 2-year-old champion filly.

"We bought the mare right before Stainless was graded stakes-placed. We bought her in foal to Proud Citizen and I guess I need to go get that filly back," laughed Brogden. 

Interestingly enough, Select Sales' second highest-priced hip to sell Sunday, a $375,0000 Flatter  filly (Hip 1373) purchased by Empire Thoroughbreds, agent for Kingsport Farm, was also out of an Unbridled's Song mare in Simply Sunny. The filly is a half sister to stakes winner Fore Left. 

"Simply Sunny is also by Unbridled's Song," said Brogden, who admitted she has a particular proclivity for mare's by the late stallion. "I just bought another Unbridled's Song privately off Glen Hill. Unfortunately I lost the dam of Gouverneur Morris (Addison Run) this year and that was really sad so I try to replace them." 

While Brogden said Book 3 was one of the strongest for her consignment, the veteran horsewoman said she was most excited that buyers have started to recognize what sets a "Machmer Hall" bred and raised horse apart from the crowd. 

"This is the first sale that people have specifically said to me, 'Ah, that's a Machmer Hall horse. We know you raised it like a runner,'" Brogden said. "That makes me feel really good."