Half to Oxbow tops Keeneland session at $1.6 million

Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale produced a

new sale topper when an Unbridled's Song half-brother to 2013 Preakness S. (G1)

winner Oxbow (Awesome Again) was gaveled down to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm

for $1.6 million. The April 16 Kentucky-bred was consigned by Burleson Farms,

agent, as Hip No. 345.

"I thought I'd venture out a little bit and try something different," said

Pope, who in recent years has been known more for her acquisition of pricey

broodmare prospects. "He's absolutely gorgeous. He's tremendous. Unbridled's

Songs tend to go on and run and hopefully become stallions. Obviously, that's

what we're hoping.

"(The colt) is awesome. It's definitely very overwhelming for me to spend

this much money on a colt. Fillies, OK, but colts are a very risky business."

In addition to Oxbow, an earner of more than $1.2 million who also captured

the Lecomte S. (G3) and placed in the Belmont S. (G1), the yearling colt is a

half-brother to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Awesome Patriot (Awesome Again).

All were produced by Tizamazing (Cee's Tizzy), a full sister to Hall of Famer

Tiznow, who was named Horse of the Year in 2000, champion older male in 2001 and

is the only two-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). In addition to

Tizamazing and Tiznow, other offspring of Cee's Tizzy and the mare Cee's Song

(Seattle Song) are multiple Grade 2 winner Budroyale, Grade 2 heroine Tizdubai,

and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Tizbud.

M.V. Magnier, representing Coolmore, bought a son of War Front for $1.3

million. The Kentucky-bred, sporting Hip 228, was consigned by Denali Stud

(Craig & Holly Bandoroff), agent.

Produced by Score (A.P. Indy), the May 17 colt is half-brother to Grade

2-placed Timely Tally (Mr. Greeley). Score is herself a full sister to stakes

winner Strategy and a half-sister to Grade 2-placed stakes winner Consequence

(El Prado).

All were produced by Educated Risk (Mr. Prospector), a multiple Grade 1

winner campaigned by the Phipps family and a half-sister to the Hall of Fame

filly Inside Information (Private Account), who in turn produced 2005 champion

three-year-old filly Smuggler (Unbridled).

"He's the same cross as Due Diligence," Magnier said, referring to Coolmore's

Group 1-placed three-year-old by War Front. "He's a good mover. We'll take him

back to Ashford (Coolmore's farm near Versailles, Kentucky). I'd say he'll most

likely go back to Europe."

Robert Krembil of Chiefswood Farm in Ontario was the top bidder at $1 million

for Hip 307, a Tapit filly offered by Stone Farm, agent.