$1.25M Into Mischief Filly Tops Spendthrift Quartet

Spendthrift Farm purchased four standout individuals Sept. 14 at the second session of the Keeneland September Sale, led by a $1.25 million daughter of resident stallion Into Mischief out of the grade 1-winning Super Saver mare Embellish the Lace. The bay filly consigned as Hip 356 from Meg Levy's Bluewater Sales draft was bred in Kentucky by China Horse Club. The mare, a $2,400,000 purchase in 2016 by China Horse Club at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale, has produced four foals, all of which are unraced to date. This is also the family of grade 1-winning Afleet Express, by Afleet Alex, and stakes winner and grade 2-placed Reporting for Duty. Further down the pedigree the family of Eye of the Tiger and Wildwood Flower show up, while grade 1 winner Materiality is on the page as well. General manager Ned Toffey was on hand to sign for Spendthrift, founded by the late B. Wayne Hughes and now entering a new era under the leadership of new owner Eric Gustavson. "We hated her, kind of ugly, she didn't walk out well," Toffey joked of Hip 356 before continuing in a more serious vein: "This filly is obviously by the right sire, out of a grade 1 winner, great depth of family, sort of cliche, but she ticked all the boxes. She's the classiest filly we saw in the sale, and we are really excited to have her. "Sometimes you see the pedigree and then are disappointed on the physical, but there is nothing disappointing on this filly. You just hope you will be able to afford them," Toffey added. "We will break and get a plan, wait and see. She will go to Ocala. Raul Reyes (of King's Equine) will get her and then in the spring we will make a plan," said Toffey. A Justify filly from Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consigned as Hip 253 out of grade 1 stakes-placed American Cleopatra, a full sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner, 2015 Horse of the Year, champion 2- and 3-year-old male (2014 and 2015) American Pharoah, sold to Spendthrift for $750,000. Two Quality Road purchases will also be headed home to Spendthrift, the first a colt consigned as Hip 239 by Eaton Sales on behalf of breeder Barronstown Stud. The colt is out of the stakes-winning grade 1-placed Candy Ride (ARG) mare Wynning Ride, winner of the 2010 Iowa Distaff Stakes and producer of 2017 Hopeful Stakes (G1) winner Sporting Chance, by Tiznow, and stakes winner Quikfast N Ahurry. The next horse in the ring, Hip 240, a $525,000 filly consigned and bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, was also signed for by Toffey. She is out of Yes It's Jackie who comes from the family of Vargas Girl—dam of 2018 champion 3-year-old filly and champion Abel Tasman, who stormed the 2017 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn Stakes (G1), Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), and ran second in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).