Mauro Lucas and Nathan McCauley hit a pinhooking home run at Keeneland's September Yearling Sale when they sold the top-priced filly (Hip 2597) of the Sept. 16 session for $535,000 to Winter Creek Stables.
The pair purchased the Girvin filly for $65,000 as a short-yearling from the Mulholland Springs consignment at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale in February.
"We didn't expect that much, but that's pretty exciting that she (Hip 2597) brought that," Lucas said. "It feels really good.
"For me, she was a special filly, a beautiful filly. I loved the way she moved. I think she's going to be a really good racehorse."
Lucas, a Guatemalan native, is the divisional yearling manager and a treasured employee at Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky., where he has been for the last 19 years after coming to the States.
"We have this award at Taylor Made, and it's called the John Hall Award," explained Mark Taylor of Taylor Made. "He (John Hall) was our yearling manager for years, and he passed away a few years ago.
"So, we have this award and it's for the person who helps the other teammates out the most, and does everything John Hall would do—takes care of the horses, always cares about the horses, cares about the people, doesn't care if it's his job, not his, like the most selfless person. Last year was the first year we did it, and he (Lucas) won in a landslide. He's just awesome."
Taylor said one of Taylor Made's team members, Nathan McCauley, had seen the Girvin filly in the back ring at Fasig-Tipton in February, and urged Taylor to come take a look.
"He (Lucas) was looking for a weanling. He had never really done a lot of pinhooking before.
"Mauro (Lucas) prepped her, did everything, took care of her all winter. And, I kept looking at her, I'd go over and see her, and I was like 'Wow, this is a really, really nice filly'."
Blossoming every day since February under the care of Lucas, the nearly black filly dazzled in the sunlight Tuesday, capturing the attention of many prospective buyers.
"Probably 10 different people told me that she was the nicest filly selling today," Taylor said. "She's a beautiful filly. I didn't know if she could bring that much, but then when the Girvins started selling in this sale, everybody recognized that he's a serious sire in the making. This is his first Kentucky crop.
"It was a great story and a great partnership. The entrepreneurial spirit kicked in, and they got a great result."
Girvin led the eighth session by gross, with 15 yearlings selling for a total of $1,693,000. Dorth Vader demanded the stallion respect this summer when she won the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course June 6. She most recently finished a head behind 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1).
Girvin stood the 2025 season for $25,000 at Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky. He previously stood at Ocala Stud in Florida from 2019-2023.
Bred in Kentucky by Mulholland Springs, Hip 2597 comes from a strong female family. The filly is out of the stakes-placed and graded stakes-producing mare Stormandaprayer, who is the daughter of grade 1 winner Stormy Pick.
Riding high off a tremendous result Thursday, Lucas said he plans to try his hand at pinhooking again this November. He said horses with their first crop being offered this fall have caught his attention—specifically 2023 Horse of the Year Cody's Wish and three-time grade 1 winner Taiba .
