Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale: Highlight Hips (part 1)

It's a big catalogue to go through but there are always gems to be found at Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale with plenty of interest for Australian breeders. We take a look at some of those of interest.

American mares have proven to be a strong influence on Australian pedigrees in recent times and subsequently, Southern Hemisphere buyers have been significant players at the big US sales. The 2023 edition of the sale kicks off on Wednesday, November 8.

Mares with form at stakes level are, of course, always in great demand. Danehill (USA)-line mares have proven their worth and there are a number of well-related members of his line on offer - but Danehill-free mares are also popular with Australian buyers seeking well-bred mates for the many highly credentialled Danehill-line horses standing at stud locally.

Hip 9 - Gam's Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB} x Auntie Martha {USA})

A mare who really knew how to find the line, Gam's Mission (USA) has won five of her 15 starts and just a few weeks ago was fifth in Group 1 company at Keeneland. Twice successful at Group 3 level, she is by Frankel's (GB) G1 Champion S. winning brother Noble Mission (GB) whose two winners (from only three runners) in Australia are both stakes performers including recent (and last year's) G3 Moonga S. winner Buffalo River (USA).

Gam's Mission's winning dam is a daughter of the G1 Flower Bowl H. winner Auntie Mame (USA) (Theatrical {Ire}), half-sister to another Group 1 winner in the shape of Star de Lady Ann (USA) (Star De Naskra {USA}).

This is the immediate family of another two Group 1 winners, the US Champion Turf Male Channel Maker (Can) (English Channel {USA}) and the Canadian Champion Male Turf Horse Johnny Bear (Can) (English Channel); brothers who between them won at the elite level on six occasions.

Gam's Mission, who is being sold as a racing or breeding prospect - is one of just three runners bred on a Galileo (Ire)/War Pass (USA) combination - all of whom are stakes horses, including the Australian Group 3 winner Galaxy Pegasus (War Pass {USA}).

Hip 25 - Irish Constitution (USA) (Constitution {USA} x D'Wild Ride {USA})

A consistent race mare who saluted over 1100 metres at debut before finishing fourth in the G1 Spinaway S. at just her second outing, Irish Constitution (USA) won two of her 10 starts and was in the placings on a further three occasions.

By a high-class sire of 56 stakes winners, including 11 Group 1-winners, she is out of a terrific race mare D'Wild Ride (D'Wildcat {USA}), who raced 41 times, winning 12 races and finishing on the placings 14 times.

A four times stakes winner, D'Wild Ride has continued the good work at stud, with six of her seven runners being winners - three of those earning black type.

And there is plenty more black type on Irish Constitution's page, the chestnut able to boast amongst her relations the Group winners Guns Loaded (USA) (D'Wildcat {USA}), Unbridled Hope (USA) (Unbridled {USA}), Andriette (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Sugar Shock (USA) (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Bearpath (USA) (Dynaformer {USA}).

Irish Constitution is believed to be in foal to the high-class stallion Quality Road (USA), a horse with local connections (he is out of a Strawberry Road mare) who commands a fee of US$200,000 (AU$316,000) at Lane's End.

Hip 34 - Key Biscayne (USA) (Brethren {USA} x Boa Twelve {USA})

By a Distorted Humor (USA) stallion doing good things with small representation (12 stakes winners amongst his first 152 winners), Key Biscayne (USA) is a classy six times (from 25 starts) winning miler who was successful at Group 3 and Listed level.

Boasting an interesting pedigree with crosses of the relations Mr Prospector (USA) and Seattle Slew (USA), Key Biscayne is out of a two times-winning half-sister to the triple Listed winner Pink Poppy (USA) (Tiznow {USA}) and to the grandam of the dual Group 3 winner Warrior's Charge (USA) (Munnings {USA}).

Hailing from a family that has a strong influence in the pedigree of a horse who is a strong influence Down Under Marscay - Key Biscayne can count amongst her close relations the stakes winners French Buster (USA) (Housebuster {USA}) and El Coliseo (Per) (Southdale {Can}).

Key Biscayne is believed to be in foal to the young G1 Saratoga Gold Cup winner Olympiad (USA), with the foal bred along exciting lines with crosses of the wonderful mares Lassie Dear (USA) (Buckpasser {USA}), Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) and Pocahontas (USA) (Roman {USA}).

Hip 124 - Sister Otoole (USA) (Amira's Prince {Ire} x O'Toole {USA})

Teofilo (Ire) has enjoyed terrific influence in this part of the world, just recently providing the G1 Caulfield Cup quinella, and this lass is by his Group 2-winning son Amira's Prince (Ire), who from small numbers is doing a fine job, two of his first 18 runners being stakes winners.

Including Sister Otoole (USA), a dual Listed winner and four-time Group-placed mare who just did not know how to run a bad race; 22 starts - four wins, 10 placings; not once out of the first five.

Being sold as a racing or breeding prospect, she is out of the successful broodmare O'Toole (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}), whose seven winners from eight to race include the Listed winner Lady O'Toole (USA) (Colonel John {USA}) and the dam of the triple Group 3-winning millionaire Mr. Money (USA) (Goldencents {USA}).

Sister O'tooles' Listed winning grandam Well Dressed (USA) (Notebook {USA}) also did a great job at stud with her eight winners from nine to race including the UAE Champion Older Male Well Armed (USA) (Tiznow {USA}) and the Group 3 mare Witty (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}).

Another seven of Well Dressed's descendants are stakes winners, including the Group 1 winners American Patriot (USA) (War Front {USA}), Cyberknife (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) and Played Hard (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).

Hip 125 - Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB} x Royal Decree {USA})

Who would not want a Frankel mare in their broodmare band?! Here is a nice chance to have an extremely well credentialled one in your paddock.

Being sold as a racing or breeding prospect, Skims (GB) has won four of her 14 starts - quickly into form winning two of her first three starts before going onto Group 2 success at Belmont. Just a few weeks ago she was fourth in Group 1 company.

Her superstar sire hardly needs introduction but it is worth looking at his impressive statistics, 132 stakes winners (a staggering 17%) with 33 Group 1 winners. 17 of his 85 Australian runners are stakes winners and he is already making his mark as a broodmare sire with five stakes winners the first 66 winners produced by his daughters.

Skims is a half-sister to the dual Group-winning stallion War Decree (USA) out of a Street Cry (Ire) daughter of the dual Group 1-winner Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), half-sister to the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and to the dam of the European Champion 3Y0 Sprinter Reckless Abandon (GB).

And further back this is the family of two high-class stallions, Storm Cat (USA) and Royal Academy (USA), noting that Skims' seventh dam Crimson Saint (USA) (Crimson Satan {USA} is a proven high-class line-breeding subject, and there is plenty of her in Australia!

Hip 143 - Hidden Connection (USA) (Connect {USA} x CJ's Gal {USA})

Being sold as a racing or breeding prospect, Hidden Connection (USA) comes off a last-start second in the G3 Locust Grove S. at Churchill Downs, having already won three races from just 15 starts.

Quickly into form, she won her first two starts, including the G3 Pocahontas S. and she has been consistently good at black-type level.

The daughter of a Group 1-winning son of the great Curlin (USA) and a stakes-placed Awesome Again (USA) mare, Hidden Connection hails from the immediate family of the G1 King's Bishop S. winner Capo Bastone (USA).

Hip 145 - Technical Analysis (Ire) (Kingman {GB} x Sealife {Ire})

A lovely opportunity to buy a last-start stakes winner, Technical Analysis, another racing and breeding prospect - took out the Listed Athenia S. at Belmont just last week and her overall record is an outstanding one... eight wins (four at Group level, two in Listed company) from 16 starts.

Also placed on five occasions (only once out of the first five), she is one of the 74 stakes winners for her star Juddmonte-based sire - son of Invincible Spirit (Ire), whose line we know fares so well down under.

The sire of nine Group 1 winners including King Colorado who took his place in last weekend's G1 WS Cox Plate, Kingman has it all in front of him as a broodmare sire, his first two runners both winners.

Not only does this mare hail from a sire line proven in Australia, but she is from a family with local success, her grandam being a half-sister to the G1 Melbourne Cup hero Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}).

Hip 161 - Viareggio (Ire) (Caravaggio {USA} x Just Joan {Ire})

Another last-start stakes winner who can race on, she was successful in Listed company on fast going in America on October 25 and she is also a Group 3 winner at the Curragh and competitive at the elite level, finishing fourth in the G1 Gamely S. at Santa Anita in May.

By Scat Daddy's (USA) Group 1 son Caravaggio - whose son The Fortune Teller won this year's G3 Carbine Club at Randwick, Viareggio has won five of her 16 starts. Her dam is a half-sister to the Listed winner Tannaaf (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), whilst her grandam is a three quarter sister to the G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Wannabe Grand (Ire) (Danehill {USA}).

Her third dam Wannabe (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), did a great job with four of her seven winners being stakes winners - and she is the ancestress of another four stakes winners.

And this is the prolific Aurora (Fr) (Teddy {Fr}} which has enjoyed such great influence in this part of the world.

Hip 330 - Kneesnhips (USA) (Connect {USA} x Miss Holiday Inn {USA})

Another daughter of Connect, she won at debut over 1100 metres before going onto Listed success over a mile, Kneesnhips (USA) is believed to be in foal to Spendthrift's very fast multiple Group 1-winning first-season stallion Jackie's Warrior (USA).

A half-sister to the Listed winner Zip Cash Back (USA) (City Zip {USA}), she is out of a two time-winning half-sister to the triple Listed winner Yonegwa (USA) (Kafwain {USA}).

With more black type on her page via her dam's stakes placed daughter Hannah's Holiday (USA) (Kafwain) and her stakes-placed granddaughter Eddie's Girl (Can) (Bakken {USA}), Kneesnhips is also stakes-placed on two occasions and she has been fourth in Group company three times, last racing in mid-October.