Horse of the Year Flightline 's first weanlings went through the sales ring at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale Nov. 4, but his breeder and co-owner, Summer Wind Equine, was already thinking about the stallion's future by going to $2.6 million to purchase multiple graded stakes winner Private Mission.
"Flightline, he was a dream that I never expected and never will be repeated," said Summer Wind owner Jane Lyon. "I'm looking for good mares to go to him. In my broodmare band, I have a lot of young Tapit mares. Obviously, they can't go to him (a son of Tapit). I have to find some others."
The first broodmare to top $2 million at the sale, Private Mission was consigned as Hip 177 by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. The 6-year-old by Into Mischief produced her first foal this year, a colt by Gun Runner , and is in foal to two-time Horse of the Year and prominent sire Curlin .
Purchased by Charles and Susan Chu's Baoma Corp for $750,000 during Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale out of the Lane's End consignment, Private Mission won five of 10 starts for earnings of $405,300 in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. She was bred by Mt. Brilliant Broodmares.
A debut winner at 2, Private Mission won the Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) and Zenyatta Stakes (G2) at 3. At 4, she won the Santa Maria Stakes (G2) and placed in the Las Flores Stakes (G3).
Private Mission is out of the listed stakes-winning Unbridled mare Private Gift, making her a half sister to listed stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Secret Someone and multiple stakes-placed Profetiza, both by A.P. Indy. Another half sister, the Bernardini mare Gift List, is the dam of grade 1 winner Dunbar Road.
Lyon said the price tag went higher than she was hoping, but that it was important for her to acquire the mare because "a lot of my really good mares are aging out." She recently retired Littleprincessemma, dam of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah , whom she purchased for $2.1 million at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale.
"I came looking for a horse with a lot of pedigree that wasn't too old, and preferably in foal. Pretty much got it."
