MarchSeptember 28, 2018 16, 2020 .COM SPECIAL SEPTEMBER The Top 20 Keeneland September Book 2 Graduates Of The Decade By Joe Nevills Book 1 of the Keeneland Sep- Sold to Sutton Place Stables tember Yearling Sale is the one for $230,000 in 2014; Con- that gets the headlines, with signed by Dromoland Farm flashy prices and pedigrees The standard-bearer for Uncle grabbing seven-figure bids from Mo’s record-setting debut crop, the deepest pockets in the game. Nyquist won each of his first The marathon sale’s second eight starts – five of which were book might not have the same in Grade 1 company. He locked front-page appeal, but it has con- down champion 2-year-old male sistently offered some of the auc- honors after winning the 2015 tion’s most visible graduates on Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and then the track over the past decade. he became the second horse in history to wear the roses in the Not every Book 2 is created Kentucky Derby after taking the equal, with some commencing BREEDERS’ CUP/JAMIE RHODES 2012 Juvenile. He also finished third in as soon as the second session Beholder the Preakness Stakes. following a hyper-boutique Book 1, and others going into the Continued on Page 4 auction’s first weekend gatherings. The Book 2 population can also differ year-to-year from a snappy two-day tilt to a four-day march through the upper-middle market. As such, every Book 2 horse is there for a different reason. Some sellers prefer to have their Book 1-caliber horses go LORD through the ring in the second book to better stand out to a group of buyers still looking to spend top dollar, while others might have the physical to belong in Book 2, even if their NELSON pedigree would normally place them later in the sale. $325,000 Following are the top 20 Book 2 graduates sold at the Colt at F-T Selected Keeneland September sale since 2010, as ranked by blood- stock editor Joe Nevills, with assistance from the Paulick Lord Nelson was brilliant on the Report staff. Horses were judged strictly based on their on- track and you're seeing that brilliance track performance, leaving aside factors like their breeding now in the sales ring. careers or value on their sale price. -John Fort, 1. BEHOLDER buyer of Hip 624 Henny Hughes x Leslie’s Lady, by Tricky Creek Sold to Spendthrift Farm for $180,000 in 2011; Con- signed by Clarkland Farm A sure-fire Hall of Famer, Beholder was one of the sport’s towering figures of the mid-2010s, earning Eclipse Awards in four of her five campaigns, and 11 Grade 1 victories. She was a two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and she secured the champion 2-year-old female Eclipse with a vic- tory in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Her exploits Don't Miss His First against males were just as storied, winning the G1 Pacific Yearlings At Keeneland. Classic Stakes in 2015, and finishing second in the same race a year later. 2. NYQUIST Uncle Mo x Seeking Gabrielle, by Forestry Page 2 Stallion Spotlight Airdrie Stud’s Cormac Breathnach On Summer Front By Joe Nevills Breathnach: He provides a good SUMMER FRONT blend of both sides of his own B. h., 2009, War Front – Rose of pedigree. He produces balanced Summer, by El Prado and powerful progeny which is Race Record: 23-8-6-3; $1,077,140 something that can certainly Advertised Fee: $10,000 be expected from a son of War Front. It is likely that some of the What is Summer Front’s stron- size he provides could come from gest selling point as a stallion? his broodmare sire, El Prado. His granddam is by a son of Pleas- Cormac Breathnach: Thankfully, ant Colony, and he has added they are plentiful. But to zero in size to a lot of pedigrees over the on one, I would say his versatility. years, too. She was also the dam Despite being a turf miler of the of some very good dirt runners, highest class himself, he has thrown EQUISPORT PHOTO like Siphonic who won the G1 a high-level dirt 3-year-old in his first Summer Front Hollywood Futurity as a juvenile, crop. Ete Indien, his signature horse so high-class dirt performance is to date, won the G2 Holy Bull Stakes by 8 ½ lengths. Fight- close up in Summer Front’s own pedigree. ing Seabee, winner of the G3 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga on the turf last summer was also runner-up in the So much of Summer Front’s own on-track success came Street Sense Stakes on first try on dirt. over the turf. How much does it mean to his resume to get a serious graded stakes winner on the dirt this early So far, Summer Front is showing that he can do it all, and on in his career? that’s very encouraging for a young stallion. Breathnach: It means a great deal. Opportunities for turf If I’ve got a mare that needs help from the stallion on a horses are increasing, but it is gratifying to us, as well as physical characteristic, what can Summer Front best important to the commercial market that Summer Front contribute to the equation? has immediately shown the ability to throw dirt runners. That was one of the many things that attracted us to him Breathnach: Typically, he throws good-topped individuals with so much. He’s such a well-made horse, and his pedigree size, big hips and attractive heads. He tends to be a very good blend suggests that siring dirt runners would be well source of size. He stands a shade over 16 hands himself and within his scope. Of course, his sire, War Front, was a is a very balanced and attractive horse in his own right. dirt runner and had two of the best dirt 3-year-olds in the country last year, so that added to our hope and confi- What parts of War Front come through in Summer dence in Summer Front. So while it is not surprising to Front’s physical? How does his female family influence us, it is exciting and does build his resume.PRS how he’s put together? YEARLINGS BY: ARROGATE FIRST SAMURAI TIZNOW CUPID GUN RUNNER UNCLE MO DIALED IN MUNNINGS KEENELAND BOOK 3 • BARN 21 ZACH MADDEN • 859.396.1907 CLICK HERE FOR FULL CONSIGNMENT DEBUT YEARLINGS OF 2020 CONNECT UNIFIED Curlin - Bullville Belle, by Holy Bull Candy Ride (ARG) - Union City, by Dixie Union GRADE-1 WINNING 3x GRADED STAKES MILLIONAIRE WINNER 106 BEYER - 1 RAGOZIN 99 BEYER ON DEBUT lanesend.com t: 859.873.7300 Page 4 Continued from Page 1 3. ACCELERATE Lookin At Lucky x Issues, by Awesome Again Sold to L.E.B. for $380,000 in 2014; Consigned by Bluewater Sales A horse that just got better with age, earning the 2018 Eclipse Award for champion older male at age five with wins including the G1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes, Pacific Classic, Awesome Again Stakes, and Breeders’ Cup Classic. Though he didn’t get started racing until April of his 3-year-old season, he won at least one graded stakes race in each of his first three campaigns, and the lone start in his fourth was an in-the-money effort in the Pega- sus World Cup Invitational Stakes. 4. ABEL TASMAN Quality Road x Vargas Girl, by Deputy Minister RNA for $65,000 in 2015; Consigned by Clearsky Farm Six of her eight career victories were in Grade 1 races, in- cluding the 2017 Kentucky Oaks. That victory helped her se- cure the Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old filly, further bolstered by wins in the G1 Acorn Stakes, and Coaching Club American Oaks, along with a narrow runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. 5. LADY ELI Divine Park x Sacre Coeur, by Saint Ballado Sold to Bradley Thoroughbreds, agent, for $160,000 in 2013; Consigned by Runnymede Farm One of the decade’s biggest comeback stories, recover- ing from laminitis to become the champion turf female of 2017, and the winner of five lifetime Grade 1 races. She was undefeated prior to her year away to recover from in- fection after stepping on a safety pin, highlighted by a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. 6. WEST COAST Flatter x Caressing, by Honour and Glory Sold to Ben Glass, agent, for $425,000 in 2015; Con- signed by Hermitage Farm Though he was late to reach the upper-tier competition during his sophomore campaign, West Coast earned the champion 3-year-old male Eclipse on the strength of a campaign that included wins in the G1 Travers Stakes and Pennsylvania Derby. He went on to secure a series of big checks with in-the-money efforts in the Breeders’ Cup About Classic, Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes, and Dubai World Cup. For advertising inquiries please 7. GAME WINNER call Emily at 859.913.9633 Candy Ride x Indyan Giving, by A.P. Indy Ray Paulick - Publisher [email protected] Sold to Ben Glass, agent, for $110,000 in 2017; Lane’s End, agent Emily Alberti - Director of Advertising [email protected] The champion 2-year-old male of 2018 went undefeated Natalie Voss - Editor-in-Chief [email protected] that season, using victories in the G1 Del Mar Futurity and Joe Nevills - Bloodstock Editor [email protected] American Pharoah Stakes to lead into his crowning score in Chelsea Hackbarth - Racing News Editor [email protected] the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.