Miss Isella brings seven figures as second session rallies

Adena Springs owner Frank Stronach said Miss Isella would likely be

bred to his 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper.

Consigned by Gainesway, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect, the

four-year-old BON JOVI GIRL (Malibu Moon) brought a final bid of $950,000 from

Denali Stud, agent. She toured the ring as Hip 499.

"Everybody wants quality and she was quality," Denali's Craig Bandoroff said.

"There were some other horses here but she had pedigree and that's really what

attracted us to her."

Last seen running third in the Gazelle S. (G1) at Aqueduct on November 28,

Bon Jovi Girl's signature win last season was an eight-length romp in the

Susan's Girl S. at Delaware Park. She also ran second in the Black-Eyed Susan S.

(G2) and Cotillion S. (G2) and placed third in the Honeybee S. (G3). The dark

bay Kentucky-bred, who also took the Blue Hen S. and Fairway Fillies S. in 2008,

has earned $512,443 from a line of 15-5-3-3.

Produced from the stakes-placed Chipeta Springs (Alydar), Bon Jovi Girl is a

half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat), a finalist

for champion turf male and champion older male honors at next Monday's Eclipse

Awards ceremony. An earner of more than $3 million, Gio Ponti registered wins

last season in the Arlington Million (G1), Man o' War S. (G1), Manhattan H. (G1)

and Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1), and finished second in the Breeders' Cup

Classic (G1). Bon Jovi Girl also counts multiple Grade 3-placed stakes winner

Fisher Pond (A.P. Indy) as a three-quarter brother and is from the family of

Grade 1 winner Mongoose (A.P. Indy).

"We're going to see if she can put a Grade 1 or Grade 2 beside her name,"

said Banoroff, who said the filly will will be sent to trainer Bill Mott. "She

was bought for a long-term broodmare program, but we watched her (race) videos

and talked to Billy (Mott) about her races. We'd like to have her at Denali Stud

soon, but we'll let them go have some fun first."

The session's highest-priced yearling was Hip 455, a Medaglia d'Oro colt that

was knocked down to Twin Peaks Bloodstock for $280,000. From the consignment of

Warrendale Sales, agent, the California-bred was produced from Win for Juno (St.

Jovite) and is a half-brother to 2004 San Clemente H. (G2) winner Sweet Win

(King of Kings [Ire]). The yearling, foaled on March 13, counts as his second

dam the Grade 1-winning Special Team (Specialmante).

A notable RNA on Tuesday was Grade 2 winner LAST SONG (Unbridled's Song),

in-foal to Elusive Quality, who was led out unsold after a final bid of

$775,000. Last Song was listed as Hip 635 and was consigned by Four Star Sales,

agent.

Compared to the corresponding session last year, business was up Tuesday as

$11,401,200 was grossed from the sale of 228 horses, a rise of 24.7 percent from

a year ago when the second session saw 210 horses sell for $9,145,700. The

average was up 14.8 percent, from $43,551 to $50,005. The median declined,

however, from $26,500 to $20,000, a rate of 24.5 percent.

After two days of selling, 406 head have brought $17,993,800, a decline of

14.7 percent from last year when $21,091,600 was realized from the sale of 412

horses. The average is off 13.4 percent, from $51,193 to $44,320, while the

median has dipped 25.9 percent, from $27,000 to $20,000.

The five-day sale resumes Wednesday, beginning at 10 a.m. (EST). For more

information, as well as live video of the auction, log onto keeneland.com.