Kitten's Joy Filly Big Pinhook Score for Graves

Brian Graves' day job is general manager at Gainesway, but he is also one of the most astute pinhookers in the business, with a lengthy record of buying horses for resale at profit.

His latest score came early during the Sept. 14 second session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale when a Kitten's Joy  filly bought as a weanling for $140,000 was sold for $800,000 to Heider Family Stables.

Bred in Kentucky by Pewter Stable and Kittens Joy Syndicate, the filly (Hip 229) is out of the hard-knocking Eddington  mare Joya Real, a $450,999 earner whose 10 wins from ages 4 to 7 included three stakes.

"We got lucky on this filly," Graves said of the filly purchased at last year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in the name of his Fish Stables. "She just developed the right way. We thought she was one of the top fillies we had on the farm this year. When buyers came through everybody liked her. She walked the same every time. The top judges found her."

The filly's windfall not only benefited Graves, but others within the Gainesway organization that are involved in the horseman's pinhook ventures.

"It's a family operation (Gainesway) and everybody works hard, so when I buy a weanling it's open to anybody at Gainesway to get involved," Graves said, noting that the ownership group included farm owner Antony Beck, former farm manager Neil Howard, yearling manager Sherri Ivanovich, and others.

Scott Heider said the filly will go to trainer Joseph O'Brien in Ireland. Heider was quick to point out that the conditioner also has a 2-year-old Kitten's Joy filly named Corsa, who was bought as a weanling for $250,000 for the Heiders.

"We love sending Kitten's Joys to Joseph over in Ireland," Heider said. "They fit really well. We were really excited about this filly the last couple days. We had to certainly stretch here. Kitten's Joys, commercially, aren't usually lighting up the board like that. We've looked at them all, and there are some great offerings, colts and fillies. This filly is super athletic. She looks like a horse who's going to fit Ireland with the way she moved.

"But, part of (the decision to keep bidding) was the strength of our conviction for Kitten's Joys in Ireland, specifically with Joseph. It's worked, so we're going to go back to the same well and try it again. I think Joseph will be very happy with her. We're excited."