Only two years into the business of consigning horses at public auction, Norevale Farm has reached the seven-figure threshold with one of its sales.
Leo and Sarah Dooley's Norevale Farm recorded its first million-dollar sale Sept. 17 when CHC, Maverick Racing, and Light Post Ventures partnered to purchase a Life Is Good colt for $1 million during the Keeneland September Yearling Sale's fourth session. WinStar Farm buys horses as Maverick Racing.
For the husband-and-wife consigning duo, the milestone marks rapid progress for a young operation that made its sales debut in 2024 at Fasig-Tipton's The July Sale.
"Life goal achieved today," Sarah Dooley said a short time after the sale of Hip 941.
John Donaldson and Gregg Hill bred the colt in Kentucky out of the stakes-winning Speightstown mare Cougarstown. All eight of her foals to race are winners, topped by graded stakes winner Treason (Constitution ) and listed stakes winner Elevenses (More Than Ready).
Sarah Dooley noted it is the first million-dollar horse for the breeders, as well.
Donaldson Bloodstock bought Cougarstown for $115,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale while in foal to Not This Time . Donaldson raced the resulting foal, La Puma who, into her 3-year-old season, has a 3-for-7 record and $112,449 in earnings. Donaldson and Hill subsequently bred the mare to Constitution, and that mating produced Mahee's Grit, who is now age 2 and working at The Thoroughbred Center in advance of her racing career.
"It's so rewarding. John's a terrific horseman," Sarah said of Thursday's sale. "I'm so proud of my husband. I'm so proud of the team on the farm. I'm so proud of the horse.
"It's just you never know when it's gonna happen. I dreamed it for about a half second—just didn't want to say it out loud. We're just thrilled for everyone involved."
The Dooleys operate Norevale Farm near Lexington, providing boarding for mares, foals, yearlings, and layups, as well as foaling, breeding, sales preparation, and quarantine services.
Sarah grew up on her family's commercial breeding farm and graduated from the Irish National Stud program and Godolphin Flying Start. She later worked as sales coordinator at Hunter Valley Farm, where she met Leo.
Leo, a native of Kilkenny, Ireland, began his involvement in Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Europe before coming to the United States and working for the late Gerry Dilger at Dromoland Farm. He later worked at Hunter Valley before serving as broodmare manager at Indian Creek.
The colt's appeal to his buyers is obvious. CHC and WinStar Farm raced Life Is Good, and since his retirement from racing, he has stood at WinStar. He currently is the second-leading first-crop sire in North America. His fee was $60,000 this past breeding season.
"Hopefully they've got another giant on their hands," Sarah said.
