Whisper Hill Farm Lands $2.1M Tapit Colt

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm went to $2.1 million to land a Tapit   colt about midway through the third session of the Keeneland September yearling sale Sept. 16 in Lexington, the highest price paid so far at the sale.

Sold as Hip 614, the colt was bred and consigned by Antony Beck's Gainesway, the third yearling of the session consigned by Gainesway to sell for at least $1.5 million.

The gray or roan colt is out of the Mr. Greeley mare Silver Colors, a daughter of 1988 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Winning Colors. Gainesway director of sales Michael Hernon said the colt impressed potential buyers.

"He was a great-moving, quality colt by Tapit from the family of Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors," Hernon said. "He's a homebred; a beautiful horse. He has quality. The reserve was below $1 million. It just shows you that in the right place, right time, and right product, this is what we are all in this business for."

Bob Baffert was bidding for underbidder Kaleem Shah.

"It's all about pedigree, you know, this is Book 1... by Tapit out of a mare by Winning Colors... something great has to happen here," the Hall of Fame trainer said. "He looked great; looked very sound. He had a presence. I could tell Mandy was going to buy him; she was locked and loaded. We're still looking."

The sale gives leading sire Tapit the top two highest-priced yearlings of Wednesday's final Book 1 session and the sale overall after Lael Stable went to $1.65 million earlier in the session on a colt out of grade I winner Pure Clan.

The yearling was the ninth to reach seven figures.