Bernardini-Mushka filly tops Keeneland opener at $1.2 million

Acting on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, John Ferguson secured a

daughter of Darley sire Bernardini and Grade 1-winning millionaire Mushka

(Empire Maker) for $1.2 million at Monday's opening session of the Keeneland

September Yearling Sale. The Pennsylvania-bred was consigned by Eaton Sales,

agent, as Hip No. 105.

"It's always a great sales pitch to have a horse that

looks exactly like its mother who is a Grade 1 winner," said Eaton's Reiley

MacDonald. "And she had this air about her. She just had this great outlook

every time she came out (for inspection by potential buyers), and she came out

of her stall 250 times. She never got tired and she never changed her

mannerism."

The February 18-foaled dark bay was continuing her dam's popularity at

auction. Mushka, who was a $1.6 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase,

went to Brushwood Stable for $2.4 million at Keeneland November in 2008. Her

first foal, Heyaarat (Distorted Humor), topped the entire 2012 Keeneland

September Sale when commanding $1.65 million from Shadwell Estate Company.

Mushka presents a compelling catalog page as a union of pedigree and

racetrack performance. She won graded stakes on all three surfaces -- the 2007

Demoiselle (G2) on dirt as a juvenile, the 2009 Glens Falls (G3) on turf and the

Spinster (G1) over Keeneland's Polytrack next time out (via the disqualification

of Proviso). Her four graded placings include that season's Breeders' Cup

Ladies' Classic (G1), and she retired with a mark of 19-6-3-3, $1,096,125.

Mushka was produced by the stakes-winning Sluice (Seeking the Gold), herself

a daughter of four-time Grade 1 star Lakeway (Seattle Slew). Lakeway is in turn

out of Milliardaire (Alydar), a full sister to unbeaten Grade 1 hero and sire

Saratoga Six. Milliardaire's other descendants include Canadian champion turf

male Grand Adventure (Grand Slam). This is the power-packed family of 1976

Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont (G1)-winning champion Bold Forbes (Irish

Castle), tracing back to 1932 champion two-year-old filly Nellie Flag (American

Flag) and her dam, 1924 Preakness winner Nellie Morse (Luke McLuke).

After earning her first championship in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Fillies (G1), Beholder clinched the champion three-year-old filly title with

another tour de force in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). She sought her

sixth career Grade 1 victory last out in the June 7 Ogden Phipps (G1), only to

be struck into early and end up fourth, beaten all of a length. Beholder is

expected to return for a title defense in the September 27 Zenyatta (G1) at

Santa Anita.

Leslie's Lady also factors as the second dam of current stakes scorer Harry's

Holiday (Harlan's Holiday), the near-miss runner-up in the Spiral (G3). She

descends from the influential matriarch Patelin (Cornish Prince), ancestress of

champion Pleasant Stage (Pleasant Colony) and such Grade 1 winners as Roanoke

(Pleasant Colony), Class Play (Stage Door Johnny), Pillaster (Riverman), Seattle

Meteor (Seattle Slew), A Phenomenon (Tentam) and Marsh Side (Gone West).

"Obviously she's a very nice filly, by the leading third-crop stallion (Curlin),

half-sister to champion two- and three-year-old filly Beholder, half-sister to

Into Mischief," said Bridlewood General Manager George Isaacs, who signed the ticket for the

Ocala, Florida, farm. "She's got a huge pedigree and looks like she can run.

(She represents a) foundation-type family for Bridlewood Farm."

Those two were the only million-dollar sellers, down from four at last year's

opener.

But there would have been a third, and easily the overall session topper -- a

$1.95 million son of War Front -- if that price had met his lofty reserve.

As it transpired, however, Hip 68 was led out unsold. Out of Oaks d'Italia (Ity-G1) winner Meridiana (Lomitas), and thus a

half-brother to Grade 1-placed Center Divider (Giant's Causeway) and Grade

2-placed stakes scorer Chamois (Smart Strike), the bay was consigned by

Gainesway, agent.