Little Bug brings $410,000 to top Keeneland November's third session

LITTLE BUG (Dixie Union) topped Thursday's third session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale

when Twin Creeks Farm made a winning bid of $410,000 to secure the

eight-year-old mare. Consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent for Edward and

Theresa DeNike, the dark bay entered the ring as Hip No. 750.

"I thought she was an exceptional mare," Randy Gullatt of Twin Creeks said.

"We just recently retired Graydar to stud, and I thought this was an absolute

star mare for this type of horse. I love the fact that Tiznow works terrific in

the family."

Little Bug compiled a 33-6-6-9, $152,140, career mark from four seasons of

racing. She is out of the winning Gin Running (Go for Gin), making her a full

sibling to stakes hero Dixie Commander and a half-sister to Grade 2 victor

Tizfiz (Tiznow) and Grade 1-placed stakes winner Fury Kapcori (Tiznow).

Little Bug's third dam is stakes vixen Evil Elaine (Medieval Man), who is

best known for foaling 1997 Horse of the Year and champion two-year-old colt

Favorite Trick (Phone Trick).

Little Bug, who has a yearling Mineshaft colt named Daring Vision and a

weanling Street Sense filly, sold in foal to Tiznow on an April 3 cover.

MY FRIEND C. Z. (Seeking the Gold) became the second highest-priced seller on

the day when Forging Oaks Farm saw their bid of $375,000 accepted for Hip 796.

Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the 11-year-old mare, believed

pregnant to Malibu Moon on a March 17 last cover and already the dam of Welcome

Guest (Unbridled's Song), who ran second in last year's Comely (G3) and this

season's Unbridled Belle.

My Friend C. Z., who is descended from 1956 Broodmare of the Year Swoon

(Sweep Like), sold for $700,000 as a Keeneland January racing age prospect in

2006 and brought $200,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale as a broodmare.

INGENUE (Mr. Greeley) saw the gavel fall at $330,000 when she took her place

in the auction ring. Arch Bloodstock LLC, agent for Hargus and Sandra Sexton,

made the winning bid on the four-year-old, who was consigned as Hip 714 from the

Hunter Valley Farm, agent, consignment.

Ingenue earned $54,413 from an 8-2-0-1 mark during her time on track, which

ended on April 18 following a sixth-placing at Keeneland in an allowance. She

was bred to Union Rags and is believed to be pregnant on an April 29 last cover.

Ingenue is the first registered foal out of Grade 1 queen Meadow Breeze (Meadowlake),

who is a half-sister to this year's Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Overanalyze

(Dixie Union). That sophomore colt was last seen finishing fifth in the King's

Bishop (G1) at Saratoga in late August.

"We liked her as an individual; she was a very, very pretty mare," Arch's Tom

Bozarth said. "We love Meadowlake. It's just a nice family, and she's in foal to

a nice young horse. We're glad to have her."

Ingenue previously sold in 2010 at Keeneland, bringing $155,000 as a

September yearling.

ABOVE HEAVEN (Mr. Greeley) and MIGHTY CAROLINE (Stormy Atlantic) each sold

for $320,000 as the property of Adena Springs.

Hip 713, a bay Harlan's Holiday colt consigned by VanMeter Sales, agent,

brought a final bid of $350,000 from Chris Baccari of Baccari Bloodstock to be

the highest-priced weanling during Thursday's session. Foaled April 5, the

Kentucky-bred is out of the winning Indivia (Tiznow), who is a half-sister to

Grade 2 heroine Payton d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro).

"He's just a very unique package with that sire," Baccari said. "I really

liked (his dam) being a Tiznow mare. I thought that'd give him the ability to go

two turns. I just thought he had a two-turn look. In my opinion, he's the best

one I've ever seen by that sire, so that's why (we wanted him)."

The session-topping weanling counts as his third dam Grade 3 victress Cosmic

Tiger (Tim the Tiger), who produced Grade 3-winning sire Chilito (Strawberry

Road), multiple stakes-scoring stallion Once a Sailor (Vice Regent), Grade

3-place stakes heroine Emery Board (Grindstone) and stakes runner-up Embraceable

(Dehere).

Farther back in his female family one can find French champion Hippodamia

(Hail to Reason).

During Thursday's session, 255 horses sold for $28,168,500, an increase of

26.4 percent over last year's third session that saw 234 go for $22,278,500. The

average rose 16 percent, from $95,207 to $110,465, and the median jumped 20

percent, from $75,000 to $90,000.