Oct 28, 2008

CUPS RUNNETH OVER

Four Star Sales had a number of Breeders’ Cup contestants run well at Santa Anita before shipping back to Kentucky for sale at the upcoming auctions at Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland.

Curlin was the featured performer and it pained us (and millions of others) to see him falter in the final yards.
It’s unlikely that defeat did any harm to his half-sister Deputy who is selling under our banner at Fasig-Tipton on November 2 in foal to Curlin’s sire, the mighty Smart Strike.
Deputy’s 2008 colt by Fusaichi Pegasus precedes his dam into the ring.

Munnings did not reproduce his stellar early form in the Juvenile but should bounce back and become a 3-year-old to reckon with.. Another Fasig-Tipton offering is his dam, La Comete in foal to his sire, Speightstown.

City Style garnered fourth money in the Juvenile Turf. His dam Brattothecore sells at Keeneland as Hip 2970, in foal to the young Sunday Silence stallion Hat Trick.. I had the pleasure of purchasing both Brattothecore and her damsire Katahaula County. We privately purchased the pair for under $50,000.

Brattothecore was bred by Bill and Susan Stewart in the Cariboo region of British Columbia. They are among the very few breeders still active in that area and their stress on quality has produced a number of fine horses who thrived outside the province. The interior of BC is cowboy country and it takes true grit to spend the winter foaling mares.

We recall visiting the Stewarts some years back when the mercury dipped to about 30 below zero (Celsius or Fahrenheit, take your pick at that level) and the couple spent the night in the foaling barn. It snowed that night belt buckle deep to a tall cowpoke I was somewhat more comfortable in the farmhouse.

Good sense prevailed a few years later and they relocated to the charming border town of White Rock, BC.

Getting back to the matter at hand, Four Star proudly presents Honey Ryder, the leading money winner at Fasig-Tipton with some $2.8 million in earnings. She sells in foal to Giant’s Causeway.

Stablemate and fellow Grade I millionaire Panty Raid further grace our consignment. The American Oaks victress sells as a broodmare prospect.

Stakes mares Final Fling, Graeme Six, Truly Blushed, Wild Chick, Bold Passage, and Devil House round out our stellar collection.

High Fly is a 2008 half-sister to She’s All Eltish from the second crop of Florida Derby (G I) winner.