Picking their spots with select purchases Nov. 13 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Gainesway Farm bought two promising mares near the top of the market.
Early in the day, agent Larkin Armstrong stretched to $340,000 to land the Giant's Causeway mare Trophy Wife, a 12-year-old producer from an active family that has had very recent success in the sales ring.
Trophy Wife was bred in Kentucky by Phipps Stable out of 2005 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner Pleasant Home, making her a half sister to the Distorted Humor mare Magical World, dam of grade 1 winner Guarana. Magical World sold for a sale-topping $5.2 million Nov. 9 at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale, to Whisper Hill Farm and Three Chimneys Farm. Guarana brought the second-highest price of The November Sale at $4.4 million, when John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale took her home. Both were among a group of mares offered at that sale to dissolve a partnership between Hill 'n' Dale and Three Chimneys.
"(Gainesway CEO) Antony Beck loved her and we thought it was a great opportunity to get into an amazing family," said bloodstock agent Larkin Armstrong, who signed the ticket on the mare. "We loved Guarana and Magical World, they obviously bought several million (at Fasig-Tipton), so hopefully we can get some nice foals from this mare."
Consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent, for Phipps Stable as Hip 1083, Trophy Wife was offered in foal to Mastery on a May cover. Of her six foals, four to race have all been winners, including High Tech and Power Move, both stakes-placed. Her most recent foal is a 2021 colt by More Than Ready, and she has an unraced 2-year-old Union Rags filly named Inviting with recent workouts at Niall Brennan Stables. Trophy Wife was not pregnant in 2020.
Armstrong said the price paid for the mare was fair, while a bit more than the buyers hoped she would cost.
"It was possibly more than we were hoping she would bring, but we're still happy," he said. "(The market) is very strong... so you have to be aggressive on the ones that you really want."
Armstrong struck again late in Saturday's session, this time for the $240,000 El Padrino mare Pink Caddy. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency as Hip 1403, the stakes-winning mare was offered carrying her first foal, by Munnings . The mare is a half sister to grade 2 winner Call Paul and to black-type winner Maythehorsebwithu. Her female family includes 2001 Secretariat Stakes (G1T) winner Startac, while multiple runners by her third dam achieved success in stakes company in France.
"We thought she was a beautiful physical and we really liked her pedigree and thought it was a great mating to Munnings," Armstrong said. "Munnings has risen over the years and he's a stallion that we have a lot of respect for. He's one we think fits her well."
Gainesway has purchased selectively this week at Keeneland, partnering with Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm Nov. 10 to take home the $475,000 Orientate mare Daisy Mason, a daughter of blue hen producer Leslie's Lady in foal to Not This Time to complete a trio from this sale. Shopping Nov.9 at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale, the Lexington operation spent $4,530,000 on four horses: the $3.2 million Hard Not To Love, $550,000 Sanenus, and $500,000 Miss Stormy D—all open mares acquired in partnership with Whisper Hill—and the $280,000 Money Huntress, sold in foal to Gun Runner .
