Buyers looking to start off the new year and a new sales calendar on a high note will be out in force Jan. 9 for the start of the 2023 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. Stocked with strong pages, the four-day sale will showcase quality individuals from some of the breed's most sought-after pedigrees, promising plenty of action in the ring.
While the buying bench for good mares has always been deep, so too is the bench for quality yearlings, and progeny of the meteoric Gun Runner are sure to attract attention in this spot. The son of Candy Ride was the leading 2-year-old sire in 2021 and continued his momentum to the top of the charts as the leading sire of 3-year-olds in 2022. He ranked third by average among the top weanling sires at the Keeneland November Sale, where Medaglia d'Oro and Quality Road showed the way; their progeny are absent from this catalog.
Among the three short yearlings by the Three Chimneys Farm stallion consigned to the sale is Hip 430, a filly out of Forest Valentine, by Forestry. Consigned by Indian Creek, agent, the bay was bred in Kentucky by Ridley Farm and is from the family of graded-stakes winner Carolyn's Cat, People's Princess, and Meadow's Flight.
"She's a very pretty filly," said Sarah Sutherland of Indian Creek. "She's very elegant and well grown. She has a lot of leg and stretch for her age. She is quite young, which is why we opted for the January sale, just to give her a little more time. She has a really nice demeanor and a great way about her. She's very light on her feet and covers a lot of ground.
"Our expectations are that she will be well received and I would think she would fall in line with some of the others that have sold well. I think she will be a filly that the market appreciates. We've had a few Gun Runners and they've all had that great scope and shown a lot of class. In that way, I think she's typical of them. She's also out of a mare that throws very attractive babies as well. I think she's got good qualities from both her sire and dam."
Additional foals on offer by Gun Runner are Hip 487, a filly out of Jing, by Sky Mesa from Hermitage Farm, agent, and Hip 270 a colt out of Willa, by Will Take Charge, from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
The only other yearling by a top weanling sire is Hip 400, a filly by Lane's End stallion Quality Road . Consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, the filly is out of Evocative by Pioneerof the Nile.
Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock, the filly boasts an impressive page as she hails from the female family of graded-stakes winner New Year's Day, Mohaymen, Justwhistledixie, Enforceable, and Kingly among others.
Sheriffa Stands Out With Charlatan Cover
One of the most attractive mares in the sale is Hip 182, Sheriffa, who is consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent. The 12-year-old mare is offered in foal to Charlatan .
A multiple grade 1 winner, Charlatan joined the stallion roster at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa in 2022 and has already generated plenty of attention from breeders and buyers. The son of Speightstown ended the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale as the leading covering sire by gross.
"He blew away the rest of the first covering crops sires last year in the Class Performance Index," said Jared Burdine of Hill 'n' Dale. "He dominated that class and it's indicative of what we try to do in getting him the best start at stud. He bred a book of mares befitting a king. He has every opportunity to prove what he's got."
Bred in New York by Colts Neck Stables, Sheriffa is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Smileforasmile. A hard-knocking racer in her own right, the daughter of Posse made 23 starts in her career and attained a 7-4-5 record with $469,984 in purse earnings. Her second dam, Erica's Smile (by Williamstown), was a multiple-stakes winner who also placed third in the La Brea Stakes (G1).
"She has a good cover, maybe a little bit late, but there is lots of activity in the pedigree that could boost her down the road," said Burdine. "There is upside to be had."
Sheriffa's page has several updates to offer buyers. Her 2020 colt by Flatter, Kid Billy, broke his maiden on first asking Dec. 31 at Aqueduct Racetrack for trainer Bill Mott and owner Dream Maker Racing. Similarly, her half brother by Midnight Lute, Greys the Boy, broke his maiden Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for Terry L. Stephens and trainer Gregory Foley.
"She comes from a family of solid stakes winners and runners," said Burdine. "Obviously, she earned $450,000-plus herself. She was a solid racehorse, and when you want to get horses off to the races, you want these horses from the kind of families that produce winners."
Another mare with an active family consigned by Hill 'n' Dale is Hip 315, Blamethechampagne, a 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride offered as a racing or broodmare prospect.
Bred in Kentucky by Popatop, Blamethechampagne is out of the Forest Wildcat mare Quippery and is from an equally active family. She is a half sister to Regret (G3T) winner Beyond Blame, the dam of Loggins . A son of Ghostzapper, Loggins stamped himself as one to watch in 2022 when he turned in a terrific 8 1/2-length romp in his career debut in September at Churchill Downs and followed that performance with a second-place finish in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 8 at Keeneland.
"She (Blamethechampagne) is also from the family of Jack Christopher and Street Boss, so she's got a deep female family and sires in the pedigree," said Burdine. "She's exciting for sure.
"Candy Ride has turned into a very good broodmare sire. He's the broodmare sire of Chocolate Gelato, Epicenter , Simplification , and Search Results... those are just the recent ones. He's getting it done."
Optimism Abounds as Action Kicks Off
With plenty to keep buyers coming back to the grounds, optimism remains high among consignors that the market will retain its strength into the new year and any talk of possible recession will be deferred.
"I don't see a huge dropoff in the market," said Burdine. "Will it tick down a little bit over time gradually? Possibly. But if you have what buyers want, you will get paid for it.
"Everybody is professional and sometimes the stars just align when people are shopping. It's all about the sales company bringing in the buyers, but people find the good horses. There is a strong market for people looking for mares, and with all the online resources and professionals on foot on the grounds, there is a buyer for most everything right now, especially at the top end, where there are multiple buyers."
"It seems to be the same old story where quality holds and you can feel it soften just a bit underneath that," echoed Sutherland. "We're trying to focus on keeping the horses that make sense and work at that level. There is no room for error right now, but there is a great appetite for nice horses. I don't think that will ever go away."
