Hip 2266, a filly by Hill 'n' Dale Farm's Good Magic , and Hip 2302, a filly by Spendthrift Farm's Omaha Beach, were the co-highest priced fillies at $400,000 Sept. 15 during the first of two sessions for Book 4 of Keeneland's September Yearling Sale.
Hip 2302 is out of the Arch mare Carmel Beauty, who is a full sister to multiple grade 1 winner Arravale, who won two Sovereign awards in 2006 for champion grass mare and Horse of the Year in Canada.
Carmel Beauty is the dam of five foals to race, all winners, including impressive maiden winner Carmel Coast, who is a full sister to Hip 2302. Carmel Coast broke her maiden at Saratoga Race Course by 5 1/2 lengths for trainer Whit Beckman Aug. 10.
The filly was bred and consigned by Hunter Valley Farm and purchased by Legion Bloodstock.
"She's a beautiful filly," said Kristian Villante of Legion Bloodstock about Hip 2302. "We have her full sister Carmel Coast, who won first time out at Saratoga, and is going to the Frizette (Stakes) next.
"We all loved her, so we brought Whit (Beckman) to see her yesterday. He kind of thought she was a spitting image of her sister, so that made a lot of sense for us."
The filly was purchased for Kevin Page of Page Equestrian, who is new to the industry. Page owns a filly named Regaled, who is a half sister to Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up Drexel Hill.
"It's kind of a similar play for him off the pedigree angle," said Villante.
Hip 2266 was bred and consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Farm. She is the second foal of the Uncle Mo mare Aunt Kat, whose dam is graded stakes winner and graded stakes producer Carolyn's Cat. Glenangus Farm signed for the Good Magic filly.
McPeek Still Going Strong During Book 4
Kenny McPeek continued to add to his list of horses Monday, bringing his total to 17 yearlings bought through the seventh session. The trainer of 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna is known for his keen eye for finding an athlete at a modest price.
He bought Thorpedo Anna for a mere $40,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale. The filly by Fast Anna has won 12 of her career starts, racking up earnings over $5 million.
McPeek's highest-priced yearling of the day was Hip 2138, a colt by Candy Ride out of the Giant's Causeway mare Screen Goddess, who is a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner Star Billing. He was bred in Kentucky by George Krikorian.
"I thought he was an exceptional individual, one of the best looking Candy Rides I ever laid eyes on," McPeek said. "We're partnering with Brad Weisbord on him. He's an exceptional individual, and just a smooth operator."
He also purchased Hip 2097, a filly by McKinzie, for $220,000 from Summerfield's consignment. The filly received a timely update when her half sister Rileytole ran third in the Spinaway Stakes (G1) Aug. 30.
She previously went through the sales ring as a short yearling at the Ocala Breeders Winter Mixed Sale in January, where she was purchased for $97,000 by Lambholm. The filly was bred in Kentucky by Don and Jackie Duppenthaler and Wade and Donna Russell.
"She had a lot of leg to her, kind of reminiscent of a filly that I had years back—Take Charge Lady—(she was) that kind of filly. (Hip 2097) has a fantastic hip on her, a lot of length."
McPeek purchased eight yearlings Monday, and plans to shop through the end of the sale.
"There's still plenty of quality here. We just kind of sort through them. That's our job, we march through," he said. "We've seen everything for tomorrow already. Dominic Brennan and I have worked together for three-plus decades; he's a big part of our team, we've been getting the work done."
