$520,000 Leads Big Keeneland September Saturday for Practical Joke
There were multiple bidding wars for Practical Joke yearlings on Saturday when his 11 through the ring all sold for an average of $267,455 led by a $520,000 filly.
Purchased by Maverick and Siena from Hunter Valley Farm, the filly out of the Lookin At Lucky mare Lucky Rose was bred by her consigner along with Keith Lazarz and Pat Barrett.
Lucky Rose is a half-sister to Rhumb Line, who produced dual Grade I winner Zazu, Grade II winner and Grade I-placed Flashback, stakes winner Corinthian’s Jewel and Group II-placed Art Princess. Another of Lucky Rose’s half-sisters is the stakes placed Rosyjersey.
The filly was joined in the $500,000 club by a colt purchased by West Bloodstock for Repole Stable and St. Elias. The pair were the seventh and eighth most expensive offerings of the session.
Consigned by breeder Nursery Place, the colt out of Queen of the Realm is a half-brother to stakes-placed Seeking Toussaud. The Empire Maker mare Queen of the Realm is a half-sister to Grade III winner Seeking the Sky, who is the dam of Grade I winner Sahara Sky, and three other stakes performers out of Grade II winner Seeking Regina.
Seeking Regina is also the granddam of Uncle Mo’s champion and Grade I Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist as well.
Atlas Bloodstock purchased the $425,000 Practical Joke colt out of Royale Harbor on behalf of M.V. Magnier in the middle of the session.
The dam of four winners from four to race, Royale Harbor is a half-sister to Grade II winner Royale Michele and the dam of stakes placed Calypso Run and Decade. Bred by Teresa, Conrad, and Marilyn Little, overall the colt has 10 stakes performers listed under his first three dams.
Practical Joker’s own purchaser Mike Ryan signed for the fourth and fifth most expensive Practical Jokes of the day when paying $350,000 for a colt and $250,000 for a filly.
Consigned by Lane’s End for Kinsman Farm, the $350,000 colt is out of the winning Hard Spun mare Sand Shark. A half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Blue Wings, Sand Shark is out of a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Behrens. Those under the colt’s third dam also include Grade II winner Cowboy Cal and Grade III winners Called to Serve, Voy Por Vos, and Mississippi Delta among others.
Ryan’s $250,000 filly is out of the Tale of the Cat mare California Spirit and was consigned by Gainesway. California Spirit is a three-quarter sister to multiple Grade II winner and Grade I-placed Protonico and is a granddaughter of Chilean Horse of the Year Wild Spirit.
The filly is from a strong South American family with multiple South American stakes winners under her fourth dam while Wild Spirit is the dam of two U.S. stakes performers.
Other Practical Joke offerings on Saturday brought $210,000, $200,000, $190,000 etc.
In all, after five sessions, Practical Joke’s 22 yearlings sold at this year’s Keeneland September Sale have averaged $270,773 with a median of $215,000, led by a $750,000 colt.