Mike Ryan Spends $2.1M for Colt by Pioneerof the Nile

At the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, agent Mike Ryan went to $1 million for a son of Curlin  on behalf of the Edwards family's e Five Racing.

That turned out pretty well, as the colt named Good Magic  went on to earn an Eclipse Award in the 2-year-old division after winning the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). As a 3-year-old, Good Magic won the betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) and was second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Hoping to duplicate that feat during the Sept. 11 third session of the September sale, Ryan went to $2.1 million for a colt by Pioneerof the Nile  on behalf of e Five.

Consigned as Hip 519 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the dark bay or brown colt was bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm out of the Distorted Humor  mare Magical World. The colt is a half brother to Guarana, winner of the Acorn Stakes (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and stakes winner Magic Dance. The colt's second dam is 2005 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner Pleasant Home, who is out of a half sister to dual champion Sky Beauty. He also counts the dam of five-time grade 1 winner Point of Entry among his female lineage.

"We're hoping he's as good as this horse up here," Ryan said, pointing to his Good Magic cap. "He reminded me of him a lot: his mechanics, his movement, his aura, his demeanor. He's a May foal, but he's beautifully made. He's got a stallion's pedigree. The way the market was going, we thought it was going to take that kind of money to get him. He's bred to get a mile and a quarter. He's naturally lean and athletic, and hopefully he could be like Good Magic and carry it forward."

Ryan said the colt will be trained by Chad Brown and that other partners might be brought in. Brown trained Good Magic for e Five and Stonestreet Stables.

Mark Taylor with Taylor Made gave all the credit to Three Chimneys for the colt's success in the ring.

"This colt was a May foal, and he was just beautiful," he said. "It took a little bit of imagination to imagine what he was going to be six months from now. He was still a baby. There were more mature horses back there, but he just has all the right parts, a really smart colt. The physical is there, but he also has this intangible class. Really, Three Chimneys gets all the credit. They got him here, they bred him, they raised him. Chris Baker and his whole team there just did a fantastic job. All we had to do was show him and promote him."

Although the colt was the lone purchase of the day for Ryan, the agent spent $2.51 million during the first two days of the marathon sale on five fillies and an $800,000 Curlin colt consigned by Denali Stud, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised.