There is little doubt that Turned Aside's track record was the reason the son of American Pharoah turned heads late during the Jan. 14 final session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. Consigned as Hip 1563 by Lane's End, agent for the complete dispersal of the estate of Paul Pompa Jr., the 4-year-old graded stakes winner was purchased for $725,000 by West Point & D.J. Stable, L.E.B., agent.
"It is very rare to find a horse like this (to buy). (Turned Aside's former trainer) Linda Rice did a great job with him," said West Point Thoroughbreds' Terry Finley, who signed the winning ticket Thursday evening. "I got to know Paul about 10 years ago. He was a kind and classy guy, and you never heard a cross word about Paul Pompa. I hope we can carry on his legacy. He built a beautiful program. They won, and they did it in style. I was a huge fan. We in the industry are heartbroken and sad that we don't have Paul around anymore. We will do our best to sustain his legacy."
Bred in Kentucky out of the War Front mare Sustained, Turned Aside broke his maiden at 2 for trainer Linda Rice. A budding expert at turf sprints, he also took on stakes company in his first season of racing when he finished unplaced in the Atlantic Beach Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.
As a 3-year-old, Turned Aside closed out the 2020 season with two stakes wins in his final three starts. In the 5 1/2-furlong Quick Call Stakes (G3T) July 24 on the turf at Saratoga Race Course, the colt tracked early before delivering a quick burst in the stretch to post a clear victory. He replicated that performance in his final start of the season going six furlongs in the Nov. 28 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship Stakes at Aqueduct where he earned a 1 1/4-length victory.
"This is our second horse in partnership with D.J. Stable," said Finley. "We talked about this dispersal, and this horse has been on our radar for a couple of weeks. We think he has a lot of blue skies ahead of him. He will go to Mark Casse in Ocala, Fla. We have talked about racing him at (Royal Ascot), but certainly we would love to get him to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup."
Also offered as part of the dispersal was Turned Aside's dam, Sustained, who was purchased for $320,000 by Phil Schoenthal, agent for Determined Stud, during the Jan. 12 second session of the sale. The 11-year-old mare was offered in foal to Lane's End stallion Connect .
