Pin Oak Strikes Again for $1M Sweet Sami D

Jim and Dana Bernhard's growing operation at Pin Oak Stud added grade 3-placed winner Sweet Sami D to their collection Nov. 8 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Consigned by Stonehaven Steadings as Hip 573, the 6-year-old daughter of First Samurai sold in foal to leading sire Gun Runner. Pin Oak purchased four mares for combined receipts of $1,910,000 during Tuesday's second session of the sale. ANGST/GASH: Bernhards Purchase Pin Oak Stud "She is a gorgeous mare, in foal to Gun Runner; she was probably one of my favorite physicals of the day," said Matt Weinmann of Equine Analysis Systems, who serves as the Bernhards' advisor. "Really high-quality mare, in foal to one of the best stallions on the planet. We're just extremely happy to have her. I think that was our last bid that we put in. Luckily, we got her." Leah O'Meara of Stonehaven Steadings was visibly moved by the windfall. "We owned her in partnership with my parents, with the farm, so I didn't want to bring her out here, but I am glad we did," she said with tears in her eyes. "She exceeded my expectations by far. I'm speechless." Acquired privately by Stonehaven Steadings last year, Sweet Sami D was bred in Kentucky by Farfellow Farms out of the winning Victory Gallop mare Treaty of Kadesh, a daughter of 1994 Bayakoa Handicap (G2) winner Thirst for Peace. She had a 4-4-4 record from 21 starts, earning $254,200 and running third in the 2019 Monmouth Oaks (G3). Stonehaven sent her out for one start, a third in the 2021 All Along Stakes at Laurel Park in October of 2021, then brought her home to the farm. "She's a mare that just blossomed ever since she's been at the farm," Aidan O'Meara said. "We put her in foal with Gun Runner last year with the thoughts of coming this way, then of course, Gun Runner's gone on and done well... We decided we'd take a chance and see what the market would do. "There is an obvious attachment with her, which is bittersweet. We were talking ourselves in and out of bringing her, and even when we were out here, we were (discussing) what might or might not happen, but this was an incredible result, we are delighted to make the decision we did and come out here with her. It has worked out spectacular and it is just incredible." The momentum continued for Stonehaven Steadings from a Keeneland September Yearling Sale at which they sold a $1.55 million yearling and finished among the sale's top 10 consignors by average. On Tuesday, however, Sweet Sami D was their lone sale. Their other horse through the ring, Twilight Curfew, failed to meet her reserve when the hammer fell for $195,000. "We were loss for words in September here, but this is even more incredible," Aidan O'Meara said. "It's hard to even fathom the kind of year we've had, it's so incredible. We've been so blessed and so many things have gone our way in an industry where things are kind of known for being difficult as far as having things work out, but we're blown out of the water. "It's just been an incredible year for us, and hopefully we can use this as catalyst to build off of, and we're looking forward to keeping moving forward."