Secret Union goes to Ramseys for $150,000

Secret Union goes to Ramseys for $150,000

Ken and Sarah Ramsey purchased the stakes-placed filly SECRET UNION (Dixie

Union) for $150,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Fall Mixed and Horses of Racing

Age Sale on Monday. Consigned by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin as agent for Darley

Stable, the racing or broodmare prospect was cataloged as Hip No. 223.

Secret Union was making her second visit to the Humphrey S. Finney Sales

Pavilion, having fetched $375,000 as a yearling here in 2011. The dark bay

originally sold for $130,000 as a Keeneland November weanling.

A 5 1/4-length maiden winner at Aqueduct on February 18, the McLaughlin

trainee next finished third in the April 21 Road Princess at the same venue,

beaten by Kauai Katie and Kelli Got Frosty. Secret Union has since been unplaced

in three entry-level allowances, and her scorecard stands at 6-1-0-1, $52,668.

Secret Union is a half-sister to multiple stakes scorer and $595,889-earner

Deputiformer (Silver Deputy). They are out of the multiple stakes-placed

Barney's Mistress (Dynaformer), who is herself a half-sister to Grade 3-placed

Cecilia's Crown (Chief's Crown), the dam of multiple stakes heroine Princess

Cecilia (Sharp Humor) and multiple Group 3-placed Capital Attraction (Speightstown).

This is also the family of Grade 3 winner Shkspeare Shaliyah (Shakespeare).

Also from the McLaughlin consignment for Darley, the three-year-old gelding

VALID (Medaglia d'Oro) went to Carolyn R. Vogel for $115,000. The half-brother

to Grade 1 queen Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon) toured the ring as Hip 254.

Bred by the late Edward P. Evans and sold as part of his dispersal, Valid was

a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling. He has earned $48,842 from a record of

7-1-0-2. After breaking his maiden at Laurel last December, he was a troubled

seventh in the February 2 Withers (G3). Valid has subsequently plied his trade

in entry-level allowances, most recently finishing third on the Belmont Park

turf last Wednesday.

Valid's dam, the stakes-winning Grand Prayer (Grand Slam), is a half-sister

to current Carter H. (G1) victor Swagger Jack (Smart Strike) and to Grade 2

scorer Tap Dance (Pleasant Tap).

The only other six-figure seller was also a Darley colorbearer, REGULUS

(Distorted Humor), but he was offered by trainer Eoin Harty, agent, as Hip 247.

Gary Contessa snapped up the four-year-old gelding for $100,000.

Regulus is a homebred son of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Stellar

Jayne (Wild Rush), herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 heroine and fellow

millionaire Starrer (Dynaformer). Campaigned exclusively in California, Regulus

was seventh in the January 12 San Fernando (G2) in his only foray into stakes

company. He was last seen landing two consecutive allowances on the Tapeta at

Golden Gate Fields in February and March, advancing his line to 9-4-1-0,

$122,300.

The sale's top weanling was a New York-bred daughter of freshman sire

Pioneerof the Nile, who was sold to Brendan Gallagher for $82,000. Hip 220 was

consigned by Rhapsody Farm/Hidden Lake Farm, agents.

The February 12-foaled dark bay is out of the stakes-placed Pulpit's Treasure

(Pulpit), from the further family of multiple stakes winner and Grade 2-placed

sire Jazzing Around (Stop the Music).

Upon the conclusion of trading, Fasig-Tipton reported that 179 horses grossed

$3,363,600, a surge of nearly 74 percent from the $1,933,600 realized by 119

sellers last year. The average rose 15.6 percent, from $16,249 to $18,791, but

the median slipped 8.3 percent, from $12,000 to $11,000.

For complete results, visit

fasigtipton.com.