A.P. Indy

FEATURE

STALLION

A.P. Indy dominates Keeneland November

sale

by Hunter T. Houlihan

A.P. INDY, champion three-year-old colt and Horse of the Year

in 1992, is one of many champion offspring of the great Seattle

Slew. In the breeding shed, however, he stands alone. His progeny

have earned over $60 million and include 2003 Horse of the Year

and champion older horse Mineshaft.

A.P. Indy established himself as North America's leading sire

in 2003, and that fact was not overlooked at this year's first

two sessions of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale when

seven mares in foal to A.P. Indy sold for an average $2,357,143,

including the top five on Day 2.

Book 1 of the November sale included mares in foal to such

established stallions as Danzig, Gone West, Seeking the Gold and

Storm Cat, but A.P. Indy towered over them all when his mares

entered the ring.

His first was the multiple Grade 3 winning Stylish (Thunder

Gulch), who sold for $1.5 million. The bay, who's second dam is

the multiple Group 1 winning L'Attrayante (Fr) (Tyrant), took the

Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup H. (G3) at Saratoga last year. The

reserve price was not attained for his other two in-foal mares on

Day 1, but Stylish was a strong indicator of what was to come.

Santa Catarina (Unbridled), second in the 2003 Kentucky Oaks (G1),

brought the highest price of Day 2, going for $4.8 million. She

would not be A.P. Indy's only millionaire of the session.

Storm Beauty (Storm Cat), a half-sister to champion sprinter

Gold Beauty (Mr. Prospector), and carrying a full sibling to 2003

Debutante S. (G3) winner Renaissance Lady, sold for $2.2 million.

The millionaire You (You and I) did not attain her reserve

price of $2 million, but the demand for mares in foal to A.P.

Indy was quite evident.

The prices held steady from there, when multiple Grade 2

winner Be Gentle (Tale of the Cat), went for $2.1 million. The

2003 Alcibiades S. (G2) heroine, from the same female family as

champion sprinter Housebuster (Mt. Livermore), also was first

under the wire in the 2003 Golden Rod S. (G2).

Just five hips later, Blithe (Unbridled), a half-sister to

Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr. Prospector),

sold for $2 million.

Golden Sonata (Mr. Prospector), winner of this year's Oaklawn

Park Breeders' Cup S. (G3), continued the A.P. Indy trend when

going for $1.9 million, and the 7 1/2-furlong track record-holder

at Churchill Downs, Miss Lodi (Mr. Greeley), finished off the

day, selling for $2 million.

In 2004, A.P. Indy has sired such outstanding runners as

Friends Lake, winner of the Florida Derby (G1), and Las Virgenes

S. (G1) heroine A.P. Adventure. He is the leading sire of stakes

winners in 2004 with more than 20 through October.

On the track, A.P. Indy won three of four starts at two,

including the Hollywood Futurity (G1). Trained by Neil Drysdale,

he began his three-year-old campaign with a victory in the San

Rafael S. (G2) at Santa Anita. The colt then stamped his ticket

to the Kentucky Derby with a daylight score in the Santa Anita

Derby (G1). But a hoof problem on the morning of the Derby forced

his connections to scratch the probable favorite, who went on to

take the Peter Pan S. (G2) as well as the third leg of the Triple

Crown, the Belmont S. (G1).

Regular rider Eddie Delahoussaye was in the irons in what

turned out to be the three-year-old's last race, a two-length

victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). A.P. Indy ended his

racing career with a record of 11-8-0-1 and almost $3 million in

earnings. The colt was honored with a pair of Eclipse Awards and

retired to Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Kentucky.

A.P. Indy currently is the second highest priced stallion in

the world with an advertised fee of $300,000, live foal.