Silver Deputy colt leads the way at Keeneland's Saturday session

Silver Deputy colt leads the way at Keeneland's Saturday

session

A colt by Silver Deputy, cataloged as Hip No. 1506, brought a winning bid of

$625,000 from Geathers Racing Stable to top Saturday's fifth session of the

Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington, Kentucky. Consigned by

Gracefield, the February 17 dark bay is out of the winning Cox's Ridge mare Zuri

Ridge, who is herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner and $1.4

million-earner Voodoo Dancer (Kingmambo). This is the family of 2004 Breeders'

Cup Mile (G1) hero Singletary (Sultry Song), as well as multiple stakes winners

Jakes Corner (In Excess [Ire]) and Tulsa (In Excess [Ire]). First sold for

$60,000 as a Keeneland November weanling, the Canadian-bred session topper is a

half-brother to current stakes-placed winner Swift Wings (Anees), who was

third in the first division of the 2005 Remington Park Oaks.

The next priciest was Hip 1569, a More Than Ready colt who went to J. J.

Pletcher, agent, for $410,000. From the consignment of Dark Hollow, agent, the

March 6 yearling was produced by the winning Clever Phrase (Clever Trick),

making him a half-brother to multiple stakes-placed Yingyingying (Horse Chestnut

[SAf]). The Maryland-bred youngster's second dam, winner Turn a Phrase (Wavering

Monarch), is a full sister to multiple Grade 3 victress Overturned, who produced

Grade 3 hero Capsized (Summer Squall). The dark bay colt hails from the same

female line as Grade 3 queen Nice Assay (Clever Trick), herself the dam of

three-time Grade 1 winner and young sire Came Home (Gone West) as well as Grade

2 heroine A. P. Assay (A.P. Indy). Other notable family members include 2003

Matron S. (G1) winner Marylebone (Unbridled's Song) and Canadian Grade 3 victor

Stephanotis (Regal Classic).

Excel Bloodstock secured an Indian Charlie colt, Hip 1618, for $400,000.

Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent, the bay Kentucky-bred is out of

the Tale of the Cat mare Feminine and comes from the family of Horse of the Year

and sire Charismatic, winner of the 1999 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness S.

(G1), as well as Grade 1 hero Millennium Wind (Cryptoclearance) and Grade 2

victor Tossofthecoin (Magesterial). The March 15 youngster first went through

the ring at Keeneland in January, selling for $75,000.

The most expensive filly on the day was Hip 1389, a bay daughter of Maria's

Mon named MARIA'S CACHE, who attracted a bid of $400,000 from Jay Em Ess Stable.

The April 24 Kentucky-bred was offered by Bluewater Sales, agent, and is a

half-sister to three-time stakes victress Sentimental Charm (Silver Charm),

whose most recent success came in the July 8 Frances Genter S. at Canterbury

Park. Produced by the unraced Unbridled mare River Cache, the filly springs from

the female line of last year's Tempted S. (G3) queen Better Now (Thunder Gulch),

multiple Grade 3 victor River Squall (Summer Squall) and current Australian

stakes hero Churchill Downs (Danehill), who finished third in the prestigious

Golden Slipper S. (Aus-G1).

For the session, 294 yearlings were sold for a total of $31,397,000, an

increase of 5.2 percent from the corresponding day in 2005, when 274 brought

$29,839,000. The average of $106,793 represents a slight dip of 1.9 percent from

$108,901 a year ago, while the median price fell 5.9 percent, from $85,000 to

$80,000.

Through the first five days, the gross figure of $304,306,500 rose 0.9

percent from the 2005 total of $301,654,000. The average climbed 3.9

percent, from $253,278 to $263,241, and the median remained unchanged at

$150,000.

The sale resumes Sunday at 10 a.m. (EDT).