Claiborne Farm's Lyrics Sells for $270,000

Demand for younger mares remained strong into Book 3 of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Lyrics, a 4-year-old Speightstown  filly in foal to Lea , was hammered down for $270,000 midway through the Nov. 8 session. She was consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent, and was purchased by Tom Evans of Trackside Farm.

"She's very correct. Her first dam has been bred very well. She's young," Evans said. "Youth rules in this market. You have to pay for that. Our client was willing to step up. This is for Tenlane Farm, which is my brother, Bob Evans. It's third-crop Lea. Hopefully, that made her affordable. That was my last bid.

"It's a very active family, so we liked her very much. She'll come back to the farm in Versailles (Ky.) and, hopefully, have many years there. We have no plans on who to breed her back to yet."

Bred by Fares Farm, Lyrics brought $475,000 during the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She won a nine-furlong maiden special weight event on the turf at Santa Anita Park in 2017, when she raced for Ramona Bass, Claiborne Farm, and Adele Dilschneider.

From the female family of Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Exaggerator , Lyrics is the second foal out of the Unbridled's Song mare Embur's Song, Canada's champion older mare of 2011 who was purchased by Bridlewood Farm for $900,000 at the 2015 November sale.