Keeneland January sale: Blue Heaven purchases Oregon Lady for $475K

Graded stakes winner Oregon Lady sold for $475,000 to help pace Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Adam Corndorf signed the ticket on the 6-year-old Shamardal mare on behalf of his mother Bonnie Baskin's Blue Heaven Farm in Versailles, Ky. It was the second highest-price in the session’s early going, trailing only $1 million Keertana.

Oregon Lady, foaled in Ireland, won five of 12 starts and earned $266,178 on the racetrack, winning the River Memories Stakes and Grade 3 My Charmer Handicap in succession to conclude her career. She sold carrying her first foal, by Elusive Quality.

"We really loved everything about her," Corndorf said. "We loved the way she looks. She's a big, strong, correct, pretty mare. She was a good racehorse—she really got going toward the end of her career. She won a stakes and then won a Grade 3. We liked the covering sire. We're looking to add some well-bred, well-priced young mares to our broodmare band at our farm in Versailles, and we're very excited to be adding her."

Corndorf said no 2013 mate has yet been selected for Oregon Lady.

"She's got plenty of size, plenty of bone and muscle," he said. "We think that we've got a number of options."

Immediately following Oregon Lady in the ring was Miss Salsa, a 12-year-old Unbridled mare from the same female family, who went to Greenwood Lodge Farm for $275,000. Miss Salsa, who sold in foal to Mineshaft, is the dam of four winners, including dual Grade 3 winner Pacific Ocean and stakes-placed Salsa Star.

Both mares were consigned by Lane's End, with Miss Salsa coming from the Fares Farm dispersal.

Miss Salsa is out of the Seattle Slew mare Oscillate, who also produced Oregon Lady's dam, the Gone West mare Oregon Trail

Oscillate is the dam of stakes winner and sire Mutakddim, as well as stakes producers Smooth Charmer, Quaestio, and Takesmybreathaway—the latter of whom produced Grade 1 winner and sire Frost Giant.

Oscillate, out of Grade 1 winner Dance Number, is a half-sister to champion and sire Rhythm and top Maryland sire Not for Love, as well as to Get Lucky, who produced Grade 1 winner Girolamo and the dams of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Grade 1 winner and sire Bluegrass Cat.