Pomeroys Pistol, Dam of Thousand Words, Brings $475,000
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Pomeroys Pistol in the ring at the Keeneland January Sale
When a mare who is featured as the dam of a possible Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) contender shows up in the supplemental catalog of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, buyers take note.
Such was the case Jan. 14 when Pomeroys Pistol, a multiple graded stakes winner who was also grade 1 placed in the Prioress Stakes (G1) and Test Stakes (G1), made her way into the ring late Tuesday evening—and when the bidding war ignited, bloodstock agent Mike Ryan was not to be denied.
The veteran horseman scored the 12-year-old mare, consigned as Hip 795K by Brookdale Sales, agent for Hardacre Farm, on behalf of client Jeff Drown of Kindred Stables for a final bid of $475,000.
"(Drown) wants to play on the upper end of the market with quality mares," Ryan said of his client, who also own and races undefeated Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf presented by Coolmore America (G1T) winner Structor in partnership with Don Rachel. "She's obviously a very good mare—a brilliant race mare."
(L-R): Mike Ryan thanks Joe Seitz of Brookdale after purchasing Pomeroys Pistol at Keeneland
Bred in Florida by Amy Tarrant of Hardacre Farm, Pomeroys Pistol was also raced and trained by her breeder through 14 starts which earned her just over half a million in purses. She has produced only three foals so far, the last of which is current 3-year-old Thousand Words, a son of the late Pioneerof the Nile who was consigned by Brookdale to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was purchased for a cool $1 million by the Albaugh Family and Spendthrift Farm. The colt broke his maiden on first asking in October for trainer Bob Baffert and followed that effort with a win next out in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), a victory that put him on the 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby.
"Who knows how good this horse (Thousand Words) is," said Ryan. "He was a $1 million yearling, which is one hell of a yearling. She just turned 12, she's in great shape, and she's a mare that hopefully we can breed a couple of good ones out of her."
For his part, Joe Seitz of Brookdale Sales said the final price was right where he was expecting the market to go.
"That's what we were hoping for. It was spot on," said Setiz. "The fact that Thousand Words is undefeated and the leading horse on the Derby trail is great. He was a million dollar yearling, who looks just like his mother even down to the white socks. Spitting image. Put it this way, I think she might look inexpensive if things go the way we're hoping.
"She's an imposing individual. And here's something nice, the lady who owns this horse bred her, trained her, and bred Thousand Words. She (Amy Tarrant) made the entire family."
With Pomeroys Pistol offered not in foal to the sale, Ryan said several possible stallions for this year's mating were discussed, but that no final decision has been reached.
"We've talked about a few horses but Into Mischief is very high on the list," said Ryan. "She'd suit him. She's a big, scopey mare and obviously she's a fast mare and produced a good horse. Pioneerof the Nile isn't here anymore so we can't go there, but she'll go to a top-end horse and we'll see if we can get her in foal early."