Eclipse, LNJ Foxwoods Secure $800K Into Mischief Filly
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
The Into Mischief filly consigned as Hip 123 in the ring at The July Sale
Tucked away upstairs in the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion, Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners went to war July 13 to secure an $800,000 Into Mischief filly at The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in Kentucky.
Eclipse teamed with the Roth family's LNJ Foxwoods to land the filly out of the Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, the dam of multiple stakes winner Leggs Galore .
The bidding quickly jumped up to the half-million price point, making the filly the first to go that high Tuesday afternoon. Consigned by Burleson Farms, agent, as Hip 123, she was also the second by her heavyweight Spendthrift Farm sire in the ring
"No surprise that we had to go to war for her," Wellman said. "I think all the heavyweights were on her. We were right in that neighborhood of where we thought she was going to be. Maybe a bump or two more than that, but for this kind of filly they're hard to get your hands on."
Aron Wellman after the purchase of the Into Mischief filly consigned as Hip 123 at The July Sale
Bred in Kentucky by McKenzie Bloodstock, the bay filly is the fifth foal out of the unraced mare Cashing Tickets, a full sister to grade 3 winner Conveyance . From three starters, the mare has three winners, and an unnamed 3-year-old with recent works at Canyon Breeze Training Center in Utah.
The filly was a standout among the other yearlings for Wellman.
"She was very craftily placed from a pedigree perspective and physical perspective; she certainly stood out," he said. "As soon as I laid eyes on her, it was one of those things where I picked up the phone and called Alex (Solis II, bloodstock agent and racing manager for LNJ Foxwoods) within seconds of seeing her. I knew we were going to need to bring out the big guns.
"Very grateful to Alex and Jason (Litt) and their team, and of course the Roth family, for partnering with Eclipse on this filly. Alex and I just thought this was the right one to take a swing for the fences."
Alex Solis II at Fasig-Tipton
Wellman did not mention a specific plan of action for the filly.
"Alex and I will huddle up now that the dust is about to settle here and we'll figure something out," he said.
Burleson Farms consigned Hip 123 for long-standing client Jack Sims of McKenzie Bloodstock, owner of dam Cashing Tickets. The mare was purchased from the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $55,000 in foal to Bayern , resulting in Leggs Galore. Cashing Tickets has a Good Magic filly by her side.
"We bought her at Keeneland a few years ago. When we bought her that fall she had an Into Mischief baby that brought $200,000 for (breeder) Stonestreet Stables at the 2017 Keeneland September sale, before Into Mischief was really 'Into Mischief.' We decided to breed to Into Mischief. That filly (White Mischief ) brought $775,000 as a 2-year-old but she had a lot of vet issues. She only ran twice."
Eclipse Goes Solo on Good Magic, Tapwrit Yearlings
Early in the sale, Eclipse struck at $155,000 for Hip 11, a colt from the first crop of Good Magic consigned by Summerfield. The colt was bred in Virginia by Knockgriffin Farm out of the Langfuhr mare Delicate Affair and his female family includes multiple grade 1 winner and sire Seeking the Gold and champion Queen of the Stage.
Wellman said Hip 11 will go to Stonestreet, who campaigned Good Magic, for to be broke.
"(Good Magic is) a sire that I think deserves a real shot. He's obviously a son of Curlin , he was brilliant at age 2, went on at age 3. (Hip 11) a beautiful horse, an expensive yearling out of a Langfuhr mare, and we've had success in the past out of Langfuhr mares," said Wellman.
Wellman also likened Hip 11 to Eclipse's 2014 Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Danza .
"This colt actually reminded me a little of Danza when he was a yearling," he said. "He's not the biggest individual; I'd call him medium-sized but he's really well put together. I'd call him extremely athletic. Really efficient walk, easy on himself, he seemed like he has a good mind."
Eclipse went to $100,000 for Hip 90, a daughter from the first crop of their 2017 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Tapwrit . The filly, consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, was bred in Kentucky by Newtown Anner Stud Farm. She is out of the Uncle Mo mare Tizn'tshebeautiful, a daugter of grade 2 winner Tizfiz and a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner Tiz the Law .
"It's hard to be totally objective when we were so intimately involved with Tapwrit from the time he was a yearling through his racing career. He won an American classic for us carrying our silks, so he's near and dear to the Eclipse brethrens' hearts for sure," Wellman said. "But we try to be as objective as possible and evaluate each prospect as an individual. There are several progeny of Tapwrit out here. By and large they really did impress across the board. There were a few that we liked. She was our favorite of the bunch. Just a really classy filly with a ton of scope, beautiful walk. Seemed like she had a really good sense about her. Very well put together."
Wellman said Hip 90 would be broke at Bridlewood Farm where Tapwrit was broken (Bridlewood was also a race partner in the classic winner) before being sent to Todd Pletcher, who trained Tapwrit.