Whisper Hill Buys Three on Day 1 of Keeneland November
Image:
Description:
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Four Graces in the ring at the Keeneland November Sale
Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm went on a spending spree Nov. 7 on Day One of the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale to secure three horses including grade 3 winner Four Graces for $2.3 million from the Denali Stud consignment.
The 5-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection last raced in August where she finished out of the money in the Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park. From a 3-year-career, the mare earned $495,371 with a record of 4-4-1 from 15 starts under trainer Ian Wilkes.
Her wins in graded stakes company include the Dogwood Stakes (G3) and Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3), both in 2020. The homebred for Whitham Thoroughbreds was runner-up in the Derby City Distaff Stakes Presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1) in May of this year.
"She was a hell of a racehorse. Not only is she a graded stakes horse, but the numbers that she ran were legit," Pope said. "And this family, all of the family, they all ran very legitimate speed numbers, so the quality is absolutely there and they're breeding it for it. I'm very excited."
Mandy Pope and Craig Bandoroff at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale
Pope, who made several top dollar purchases last night at Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars Sale, returned to Keeneland ready to open her wallet for the mare.
"(The price) is about where I thought she'd be. It'll be somebody very nice (on who she plans on breeding her to). As always, for the right horses, it's tough but it also has soft spots. We tried to sell one but didn't get it done," Pope said.
With the World Championships being held at the same venue only two days ago, Pope says it was difficult to find time to head out to the sales grounds to look at horses.
"It (the market) kind of woke up a little bit later during the day. This morning, it was too quiet. A lot of us didn't have a lot of time to do a lot of shopping with the Breeders' Cup and the sales all being on top of each other. It made it tough for some of the buyers."
Whitham bred the mare in Kentucky out of the stakes-placed Seeking the Gold mare Ivory Empress . All of the dam's six foals to race have come back winners including grade 2 winner McCraken as well as Bondurant and With Dignity who both placed in grade 3 company.
The dam also has a yearling Uncle Mo filly named Aunt Fannie and a 2022 Street Sense filly. She was bred back to Authentic for 2023.
Pope's other purchases included an unraced 3-year-old daughter of Speightster named Blackheartedgypsy in foal to Authentic who brought the hammer down at $350,000.
The WinStar Farm-bred filly was consigned as Hip 22 by Four Star Sales. She is out of the Congrats mare Starship Warpspeed who producedLongines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Shedaresthedevil and grade 3-placed Mojovation . The dam also has a yearling Uncle Mo colt and a 2022 full sister to that yearling. She was bred back to Gun Runner for 2023.
Completing the tally was Hip 63, a weanling McKinzie filly who Pope scooped up for $275,000 from the Gainesway consignment.
The filly is out of the grade 3 winning Graeme Hall mare Graeme Six. The dam has seven winners from nine foals to race. She produced 2015 Monmouth Oaks (G3) winner Delightful Joy , and multiple stakes winner Seymourdini . She also has a 2-year-old Tapit filly named Wish It. She was bred back to McKinzie for 2023.