Blood-Horse

As Michael Wrona found himself perched high above the sales ring Jan. 8 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, the racecaller leaned upon that experience.

They saved the best for last Jan. 8 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, as the 8-year-old Distorted Humor mare House Rules was purchased by WinStar Farm for $750,000 during the waning stages of the 6 1/2-hour second session.

Relaxing entry requirements and reducing the costs involved in obtaining a visa to work in Britain and Ireland could be a way of addressing the stable staff shortage in racing, according to Oliver Cole, assistant trainer to his father Paul.

Questioning a number of actions by the KHRC in awarding a Standardbred license in the Oak Grove, Ky. area to a partnership of Churchill Downs Inc. and Keeneland, Kentucky Downs has appealed the regulator's decision in court.

Just when it looked like the action was over, Best Performance, a 4-year-old chestnut daughter of Broken Vow, was purchased by Three Chimneys Farm for $560,000 in the final moments of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale second session.

They saved the best for last during the Jan. 8 second session of the Keeneland Horses of All Ages Sale as the 8-year-old mare House Rules was bought by WinStar for $750,000 during the final hour of the 6 1/2-hour session.

The winner of the Filly Triple Crown in Japan was unanimously named Horse of the Year in her native country Jan. 8.

The son of A.P. Indy sired 38 black-type winners, including champion Stevie Wonderboy.

The Kentucky operation concluded the season atop the individual breeders list in North America, as WinStar-bred runners accounted for $8,765,757 in earnings, according to statistics released Jan. 8 by The Jockey Club Information Systems.

The colt born Jan. 5 was bred by Randy Brandon.

Reiley McDonald's Eaton Bloodstock Sales McDonald went to $420,000 to secure the mare Sweet Dreams, a daughter of Candy Ride and the only mare in foal to Tapit cataloged in the four-day sale.

Buyer demand for daughters of prominent Spendthrift Farm stallion Into Mischief continued at the Keeneland Horses of All Ages Sale, with the purchase of Media Mischief by for $450,000.

Lavender Chrissie, a daughter of Scat Daddy in foal to Union Rags, was sold for $400,000 to light up the Keeneland bid board early during the Jan. 8 second session of the Horses of All Ages Sale.

A.P. Indy, the 30-year-old foundation sire of the Lane's End legacy—and one of the greatest North American sires in Thoroughbred history—keeps the same schedule as his younger colleagues, minus the trip to the breeding shed. 

Although it's been nearly seven months since Olin B. Gentry died at age 51 while attending an auction in Florida, the late Kentucky horsemen continues to have a presence in the equine marketplace.

With the pavilion almost empty and the crowd's attention waning, grade 1 winner Fatale Bere (FR) reignited the energy of the auction Jan. 7, bringing $700,000 from Shadai Farm and closing out the first session of the sale on a high note. 

Consigned as Hip 82, the first of three colts by American Pharoah, who recently returned to Kentucky after shuttling to Australia, was purchased for $330,000 by Brady Bloodstock from the consignment of Hurstland Farm (Alfred H. Nuckols, Jr.), agent.

During an electrically-charged Keeneland sale, champion Abel Tasman was led into the ring during the opening session of the Horses of All Ages Sale and the mare did not disappoint, selling to Coolmore Stud interests for $5 million.

McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds announced its fees for the 2019 breeding season, led by New York's leading 2-year-old sire of 2018 Central Banker, whose fee has been set at $7,500 live foal.

Champion Abel Tasman lived up to her star status Jan. 7 when the six-time grade 1 winner rocked the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale and sold to M.V. Magnier for $5 million.