Into Mischief Filly Tops Courtlandt Farm Purchases

Accompanied by Mike Cline and racing manager Ernie Retamoza, Don Adam of Courtlandt Farm was not afraid to drive up the bidding Sept. 14 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The trio, who staked out a spot inside the sales pavilion, bought three more pricey yearlings to add to their three purchased during Sunday's opening session of Book 1. "Mr. Adam has a plan," said Retamoza, who also signed the winning tickets on four other six-figure yearlings last week at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase for receipts of $1.47 million. "I don't know if we'll stick to a number, but we would like to pick up eight or 10 yearlings total," said Retamoza. "When you get outbid on nice colts you just have to keep swinging. We're excited about what we got at Fasig-Tipton and what we've got here so far. We have a few more to go and hopefully we will get lucky." Topping the purchases on Monday was Hip 275, a $1,025,000 filly by Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief out of the Distorted Humor mare Mary Rita. Bred in Kentucky by her consignor, Clearsky Farms, the filly's third dam is champion and prolific producer, Personal Ensign. "We thought she was a big, beautiful filly with a lot of substance to her," said Retamoza. "We've looked at a few Into Mischiefs and yesterday we got outbid on the colt that brought $1 million. We're a big fan of Into Mischief. We thought she had a lot of substance and a lot of class and she's the kind of filly we want in our race program." Courtlandt spent $950,000 on Hip 366, a colt by Lane's End Farm's Quality Road out of Rutile (by Medaglia d'Oro). The dark bay or brown colt was consigned by Lane's End and bred in Kentucky by David Ingordo and Jerome Moss. His second dam is stakes winner Set Them Free, the dam of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Giacomo, grade 1 winner Tiago, grade 3 winner Stanwyck, and grade 2-placed Sea Jewel. Completing Monday's purchases was Hip 314, a gray or roan colt by Into Mischief out of Not in Jest (Unbridled's Song). Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Aaron and Marie Jones and was purchased by Courtlandt for $690,000. The colt's second dam is multiple grade 1 winner Stop Traffic, the dam of grade 1 winner and sire Cross Traffic. Total receipts for Courtlandt's six yearlings purchased across the two-day span come to $4,325,000. "For the right horses (the market) is strong," said Retamoza. "A lot of horses, if they're average or below that—you see what's happening. It seems like there were more RNA's yesterday than today, but the right horses are bringing the money. It seems like for all the better ones you have to go further than you thought you'd want to go. But that's the way the sale is going. Everybody is on the same ones it seems."