Whisper Hill Lands $1.3M Tapit Colt Bred by Gainesway

A striking son of Tapit   bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds caught Mandy Pope's fancy Sept. 14 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, as the Whisper Hill Farm owner went to $1.3 million to bring the colt home.

Consigned by Gainesway as Hip 331, the gray or roan youngster is out of the grade 3-placed stakes-winning Dunkirk  mareDanzatrice , a half sister to 2018 champion 2-year-old filly Jaywalk . The family has also produced multiple graded stakes winner and New York sire Mission Impazible  .

"I love Tapit. As everyone knows, I have been buying a lot of (his progeny)," Pope said of the Gainesway supersire. "This one was raised at Gainesway; I have a lot of faith in how they raise their horses and the horsemanship available on the farm. I felt like the horse had a good foundation in the beginning. He's level headed, unlike some of the Tapits. We are going to go on and make a stallion."

Known for her collection of high-dollar mares, Pope said she would consider sharing the colt.

"Typically I focus on fillies, but this is a thing where I will probably try to work out some kind of partnership," she said. "We are hoping to secure some less expensive colts in the sale, some good racehorses. But this one was our opportunity to get one that could have a good future to be a stallion and I'm sure Gainesway would love to have him back as a stallion."

The colt will be sent to Whisper Hill Farm in Florida for breaking and training, with his future trainer to be determined, Pope said, although she added: "Todd Pletcher liked him, so he might go to him."

Pope was able to secure one bargain buy Tuesday, a $325,000 colt from the first crop of yearlings to hit the sales ring by 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify  . Consigned as Hip 367 by Four Star Sales for breeders Orpendale, Chelston, & Wynatt, the colt was bred in Kentucky and is the first foal out of the group 3-winning Galileo mare Flattering , a full sister to group 1 winner Love  and group 3 winner Peach Tree  and a half sister to the multiple group 2 winning race mare Lucky Kristale . The mare dropped another Justify colt this year.

Brian Graves, general manager of Gainesway, reflected upon the rapid-fire success of two yearlings consigned by the leading Kentucky operation. Just moments after Pope's purchase, a Curlin   colt consigned by Gainesway as Hip 333 on behalf of Stonestreet Bred & Raised brought $1.3 million from M.V. Magnier.

"It's been a record day," Graves remarked. "We thought we had the chance for the Tapit and the Curlin colt to sell that well. The Tapit colt was a homebred of Mr. Beck's and … we are as excited as we could be. Then two hips later to get the same amount for Barbara Banke (was very satisfying)."

Graves predicted additional strong action to come for middle-market horses consigned to future sessions of the sale.

"I thought it was a little spotty in Book 1, feast or famine," he said. "We were really lucky our clients gave us some of the horses that broke through; we feel fortunate to have come out that way. 

"I'm expecting the market to open up when we get to the horses that bring $300,000. It's going to be a feeding frenzy."

Lauren Gash contributed to this report.