Beholder's Half Brother Brings $3 Million

Clarkland Farm hit another home run at the Keeneland September yearling sale Sept. 14 when a half brother to three-time champion Beholder and to grade I winner and sire Into Mischief   was purchased by M. V. Magnier for $3 million on behalf of Coolmore Stud interests.

The Scat Daddy yearling colt, Hip 454, was produced from the stakes-winning Tricky Creek mare Leslie's Lady, as were Beholder, Into Mischief, and a Curlin   filly named Leslie's Harmony who lit up the 2014 September yearling sale bid board when sold for $1.1 million.

The price was highest at the September sale since Mr. Besilu was purchased by Besilu Stables for $4.2 million at the 2010 auction.

Scat Daddy stood at Coolmore until he died prematurely last December.

"He's by Scat Daddy and he's out of an exceptional race filly," Magnier said. "He's a very good mover, he's very good looking, and from a very good family. We had a lot of luck with Scat Daddy in the past and hopefully it will continue."

Magnier said the colt will be campaigned in Europe.

Clarkland, operated by Fred and Nancy Mitchell and Marty Buckner, bought Leslie’s Lady for $100,000 from the Estate of James T. Hines at the 2006 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Fred Mitchell said he was surprised at the amount the colt brought.

"I thought maybe he might be the highest price of the sale, but I thought $2 million might catch him...," Mitchell said. "I don't think anybody can have the disposition that this colt's got and the conformation that he's got. He took 5 1/2 days of showing and never missed a beat, the way be moved, like he was on fire all the time, he was just striding out, unbelievable."

Mitchell said Leslie’s Lady is in foal to Medaglia d'Oro   and that Clarkland would retain the foal if it is a filly.

Purchased by B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm for $180,000 at the 2011 Keeneland yearling sale, Beholder has won 17 of 22 starts and earned more than $4.7 million. She was voted champion filly at ages 2 and 3 and was champion older mare, and is currently pointing for the Oct. 1 Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I).  

Erin Shea contributed to this article.