Ontario breeder and consignor Sam-Son Farm started with success on the second day of Book 4 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Sept. 21 and kept it going. Sam-Son's first horse of the day, Hip 2434, a filly by the late Pioneerof the Nile, quickly sold for $295,000 to CJ Thoroughbreds. The consignment did even better with its next horse through the ring, a filly by the recently deceased Bernardini consigned as Hip 2517, who went to $300,000 before agent Ben McElroy was able to secure her.
On hand to see the yearlings through the ring, Sam-Son racing manager Tom Zwiesler was all smiles.
"The sale has been going great; it's a testament to the Samuel/Balaz family bringing these horses here," he said.
The Canadian nursery, which the late Ernest Samuel began in 1972, has amassed 85 Sovereign Awards and campaigned numerous Canadian classic winners. Sam-Son also owned and bred 1991 Canadian Triple Crown winner Dance Smartly. The operation announced last October that it would begin dispersing its breeding and racing stock.
This year Sam-Son Farm brought a consignment of six horses, all sold on Tuesday.
"We got in the right spot on the right day; it's been very smooth," said Zwiesler. "We have had great action in the barns. The Bernardini was a standout individual as was the Pioneerof the Nile."
The bay filly by Pioneerof the Nile is out of the stakes-winning Giant's Causeway mare Mythical Mission, a full sister to Canadian champion and multiple graded stakes winner Irish Mission.
The gray or roan filly by Bernardini is from the same female family. She is out of the unraced Unbridled's Song mare Siren's Song, a half sister to Mythical Mission.
McElroy acquired Hip 2517 for Canadian client Mark Dodson, who under the name Daybar bred the 2021 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser winner Munnyfor Ro.
"We're a little more successful at the moment," McElroy said after signing the ticket for the filly. "She is for a client of mine, Mark Dodson. He's been a client of mine for a long time; we have had some nice fillies. This is one, if she does well on the track, we will keep her for the broodmare band. … We know how good Bernardini is as a broodmare sire. If she can get a bit of black type or stakes on her pedigree, she will be a great addition.
"She will get broke down in Ocala then ship to Josie Carroll," said McElroy.
McElroy agreed the strong market is being maintained through the second day of selling for Book 4.
"I'm not surprised on the price, based on this sale. We would have liked to have been $200,000-$250,000, obviously, but with the strength of the sale and with her being a rare commodity…" said McElroy.
At the end of session eight, Sam-Son Farm had sold all six of its yearlings for gross receipts of $1,090,000 at an average price of $181,667. In addition to the consignment's top two prices, a Mendelssohn filly (Hip 2537) was bought by agent Gayle Van Leer for $120,000, a Hard Spun filly (Hip 2538) went for $25,000 to Moon Suk Han, a Hard Spun colt (Hip 2651) was sold for $140,000 to Exline/Border Racing, and a Mendelssohn (Hip 2667) colt brought $210,000 from D.J. Stable.
"We love watching our own run, and it's going to be fun for us to watch these and become fans," said Zwiesler. "I think these fillies (Hips 2434 and 2517) might meet each other at the (Woodbine) Oaks in a few years."
