It was another sale topping experience for Gainesway clients at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale when the consignment not only sold the sale topper, but also the most expensive yearling.
Offering horses on behalf of the Estate of John Henderickson, Gainesway saw its offered Pretty Birdie selling for $700,000 to Avenue Bloodstock during the first book. A 6-year-old mare carrying her first foal by Candy Ride on a March 24 cover, Pretty Birdie was graded stakes winner who finished in the top three eight times for $521,488 in earnings.
Hailing from the prestigious Marylou Whitney breeding program, the daughter of Bird Song is out of a half-sister to Grade 2 placed Bird Maker and two other stakes performers. The mare’s fourth dam is the great Dear Birdie, who produced champion Birdtown and Grade 1 winner Birdstone among others.
“She was a lovely mare, we loved her the first time we saw her,” said Adrian Wallace, who signed on behalf of Avenue Bloodstock. “She was a very precocious race mare herself. We’re privileged to buy into one of (John Hendrickson’s) great families and that of Marylou Whitney as well. She’s young and she’s been bought for David Nagle of Barronstown Stud.”
A son of TAPIT offered by Gainesway was the most expensive yearling of the sale when purchased by JPM Bloodstock for $400,000.
The colt is out of the stakes winning Maybe Wicked, who won five races overall as one of six winners from six to race out of the stakes placed Something Wicked. Something Wicked bred to Mizzen Mast proved to be a golden cross with the mare also producing Maybe Wicked’s Grade 3 winning and Grade 1-placed full sister Money’soncharlotte and multiple stakes winner Mizzcan’tbewrong when sent to him.
There are seven more stakes winners and four stakes performers under this April-born colt’s third dam as well with that dam a half-sister to Canadian champion Cozzene’s Prince.
Gainesway’s 27 sold brought $2,351,000 for the third highest gross of all consignors. Its $87,074 average was also the second highest of all consignors.