Mendelssohn Carrying Momentum Into Keeneland January
Only two months after seeing his first weanlings sell for up to $300,000, Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn sees nine of his first yearlings go through the ring at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale starting Monday.
Late in the first session sees Hunter Valley Farm send Hip 289 through the ring, a half-brother to two winners from two to race out of Infliction. Bred by Hunter Valley, Adrian Regan, Pat Barrett, Keith Lazarz, and Richie Galway, the colt comes from the family of champion Colonial U.S., and Grade III winner Silver Fox with his fourth dam Grade I winner and prolific broodmare Patelin.
His final offering on Monday is Hip 343, again from Taylor Made and bred by Don and Pam Mattox. A half-brother to three winners, the colt is out of a half-sister to Grade III winner Meadow Gem and the family of Grade I winner My Conquestadory. Hailing from a family full of blacktype, his granddam is also a half-sister to Grade II winner and sire Kelly Kip.
The second day bring Hip 626 out of stakes winner and Grade III-placed Fancy Point from the Lane’s End consignment. Bred by Kinsman Farm, the filly is a half-sister to stakes placed Majestic Bonnie among two winners. Her granddam is the dam of six stakes horses with and is a half-sister to Grade I winner Joyeux Dancer and Grade III winner Doubles Partner among another generation full of stakes horses.
Hip 769 is the second foal out of the Galileo mare Our Maria Celeste. Offered by Brookdale Sales and bred by Randal Family Trust, the colt’s dam is a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner General Quarters, Tale of The Cat’s multiple Grade II winner A Shin Top and that one’s stakes-placed full sister New Wave. Our Maria Celeste is a granddaughter of stakes winner Gdansk’s Honour with Grade II winner Unitarian, and Grade III winner Strict Compliance among the horses under that mare’s name on the page.
A late addition to the sale is Calm Sea, a colt offered by Warrendale Sales as Hip 800D on Tuesday. Out of Surrender, the Elaine MacPherson-bred is a half-brother to last year’s Grade III winner Red Flag and stakes winner Surrender Now. Others in Calm Sea’s extended family included Grade I Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero and Grade I winner Mawingo among 18 stakes horses named on his page.
Hip 800H, also offered by Warrendale Sales and bred by Frederick and May Construction, is out of a mare who has produced two winners from two to race in Fort Afleet. Fort Afleet isa half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Calibrachoa and stakes placed Linnea. The family also includes Bellamy Road under this offering’s third dam.
The third day of the sale sees Mendelssohn’s final offering through the ring out of the Australia mare Cordelhia. Offered by South Point Sales Agency and bred by the Don Alberto Corporation, Hip 967 is the first foal out of the daughter of multiple group winner and Group I-placed Chrysanthemum. That makes Cordelhia a three quarter sister to Grade III winner Cunco among Chrysanthemum’s two runners. The family also includes Group II winner and Group I-placed Cardsharp.
The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sales gets underway at 10:00 a.m. January 11 through 14.