Adam Snags Three Pricey Yearlings on Day 2

After picking up three yearlings during the first session of Book 1 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Don Adam of Courtlandt Farm returned Sept. 13 on Day 2 to snag three more for gross receipts of $3.3 million.

A $1,350,000 Into Mischief   filly topped the trio. Consigned by Upson Downs Farm as Hip 359, the filly became the first seven-figure horse for Upson Downs' Alex Rankin after 35 years in the business.

"Mr. Adam is a great owner, he'll give her a great shot. it couldn't be a better situation," Rankin said. "This is our first million-dollar horse. I was hoping it was a seven-figure horse, but you just never know. 

"She had everybody on her and she showed up and showed herself, and it worked out for us." 

Rankin sold the filly for breeder Michael Hui, who claimed the filly's dam, Nina Fever, at Keeneland Racecourse in 2011. Hui had to retire the mare shortly afterward when an injury forced the end of her career on the track.

"He was a racing guy and he sent her to me right after and we've been able to raise these horses for him and it's just been a wonderful relationship," Rankin said. "I'm so glad he got this money because he deserved it and the filly deserved it. She was just class from the time she was born. We're over the moon."

Earlier Tuesday, Adam went to battle, going to $1,050,000 to secure another yearling by Into Mischief in Hip 344, a colt consigned by St George Sales.

Out of the Medaglia d'Oro   mare Moi, the colt was a $570,000 pinhook for St George from the Taylor Made Sales consignment to the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale.

"He was very nice when we bought him, then he grew up and he kept on doing everything," said Archie St George. "He jumped through all the hoops and was vetted nearly 20 times and he was just in top physical. (We're) just lucky to sell a horse like this.

"It is a lot of money and thankfully it paid off. I would like to give a lot of credit to my wife, Michelle, and Roger Callahan, all the boys in the farm they do all the work. Of course, thanks to Courtlandt Farm and Mr. Adams and everyone, Hopefully, the horse wins, that's the main thing."

Completing Adam's purchases from the second session was Hip 205, a Medaglia d'Oro   filly consigned by Woods Edge Farm that he took home for $900,000.

Bred by Woods Edge Farm and Godolphin, she is out of the Speightstown   mare Dazzletown.

"She's just a lovely filly. We had an unbelievable amount of interest in her, and she vetted as clean as a whistle," Peter O'Callaghan of Woods Edge said. "Medaglia d'Oro with Speightstown is such a successful match, that mix with Speightstown gives her a little more hip and shortens them up a little bit. They aren't making too many more of these Medaglia d'Oro fillies, and they just wanted her. It was a fabulous sale. We had a very modest reserve on her. It's a great market. There is great energy here." 

Adam's racing manager, Ernie Retamoza, said the filly will be a nice addition to their stable.

"(She is) a lovely filly," he said. "We had her pegged a touch lower than we had to go, we pulled the plug and then Mr. Adam went one more, and we were able to secure her.

"Like I mentioned yesterday, we are just trying to build our racing stable and get some quality in there. Steve Asmussen and Shug McGaughey train for us, and hopefully, we will have some success and have a graded-stakes filly."

On Day 1, Adam purchased a City of Light   colt consigned as Hip 73 from the Betz Thoroughbreds consignment; Hip 150, an Into Mischief   filly from the Stonehaven Steadings consignment; and a Nyquist   filly consigned as Hip 166 from the Burleson Farms consignment for gross receipts of $2,300,000.