Hips to Watch at Keeneland September Day 4

As the Keeneland September yearling sale transitions into Book 2 after a one-day hiatus that followed the blockbuster three-day Book 1, the catalog consists of horses with a little less pedigree and conformation—but they are nonetheless quality individuals.

Included in Book 2 are sons and daughters of Tapit   and War Front  —the sires most in demand in Book 1—but they're not the only leading stallions whose progeny could bring big figures.

With nearly 400 horses cataloged for the Friday, Sept. 16, session, this selection of top hips to watch is based on sire power and blacktype within the female family, key updates, and any previous sale prices.

Hip 662, a Curlin   colt consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, has one of the most active female families in the catalog, with significant recent upgrades. The colt’s dam, the unraced Storm Cat mare Surf Song, is a half sister to champion Midshipman   and grade II winner Fast Cookie, the dam of dual grade I winner Frosted. One of the leading handicap horses of 2016, Frosted has added the Whitney Handicap (gr. I) to his resume that already included the Mohegan Sun Metropolitan (gr. I) and a grade II in Dubai earlier in the year. The colt was bred by Dr. Glenna Salyer.

A full sister to Ring Weekend, the grade I winner who since the catalog has added a victory in the grade II Bernard Baruch, is part of Gainesway’s consignment. The Tapit   filly, Hip 839, bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and Saint Elias Stables, is out of the stakes-placed Cryptoclearance mare Free the Magic, a half sister to grade II winner Forest Wind.

The only War Front   yearling in Book 2 is Hip 648, a filly whose second dam is the grade II-winning Red Ransom mare Wandering Star. Consigned by Claiborne Farm, which bred the bay yearling in partnership with Joseph Allen, the filly is out of the Johannesburg mare State, a half sister to grade II winner War Command and grade III winner Naval Officer.

Craig and Holly Bandoroff’s Denali Stud, agent for Stonestreet Bred and Raised, sends out Hip 726, a bay filly by Distorted Humor   out of the two-time grade I winner Ask the Moon, by Malibu Moon  . Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings bought Ask the Moon for $1.8 million from Gainesway's offerings to the 2013 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

One of the top-priced pinhooks in the sale is Hip 649, a Curlin colt consigned by Baccari Bloodstock. Purchased by Baccari for $210,000 from Castle Park Farm at the 2015 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, the colt descends from a top female family of hard-knocking runners that were products of the late John C. Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm. Second dam Western Hemisphere, a daughter of Golden Eagle’s stallion, two-time leading California sire General Meeting, was a multiple stakes winner who earned more than $400,000.

Western Hemisphere is a full sister to General Challenge, Mabee’s gelding whose nine wins included the Pacific Classic, Santa Anita Handicap, and Santa Anita Derby, all grade I.

KEENELAND SEPTEMBER YEARLING SALE HIPS TO WATCH—DAY 4

Hip—Description/Consignor

648—F., War Front  —State, by Johannesburg/Claiborne Farm, agt.

649—C., Curlin  —Stellar Atmosphere, by More Than Ready  /Baccari Bloodstock, agt.

662—C., Curlin  —Surf Song, by Storm Cat/Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agt.

726—F., Distorted Humor  —Ask the Moon, by Malibu Moon  /Denali Stud, agt. for Stonestreet Bred and Raised

839—F., Tapit  —Free the Magic, by Cryptoclearance/Gainesway, agt.