Keeneland sale: Oui Say Oui, Onza bring more than $300,000

A pair of broodmares raised the bar for the day and quickly raised it again during Thursday’s third session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, selling for more than $300,000 each.

The first horse to surpass the mark was Onza, a 3-year-old by Empire Maker, who sold to Lexington-based Dell Ridge Farm for $325,000.

The unraced mare, sold in foal to Arch, is out of the stakes-placed winning Storm Cat mare Chili Cat, who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winners Pine Island and Point of Entry, the latter a contender for turf male divisional honors this year. Other notable family members include champion Sky Beauty, Grade 1 winner Pleasant Home, and Grade 2 winners Country Hideaway and Boca Grande.

“She’s just a nice mare from a really good family, in foal to Arch, who’s a very hot sire right now,” said Des Ryan of Dell Ridge Farm. “Plenty going on in the family, so we’re hoping it’ll keep going.”

Bred in Kentucky by Double K and Helen Alexander, Onza was consigned by Alexander’s Middlebrook Farm, agent. Onza has gone through the sale ring once before, failing to meet her reserve with a final bid of $390,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale.

Two horses later, Oui Say Oui set a new high-water mark, commanding $350,000 from Irish-based Epona Bloodstock Ltd.

A Group 2-placed winner, the Irish-bred Royal Applause mare is out of the Shirley Heights mare Mohican Princess, a producer of six winners from as many to start. She is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Satchem and is from the family of English champion Shoot Clear and Group 1 winners Untold and Sally Brown.

"We're very happy,” said Cathal Brosnan, who signed the ticket. “She'll come home to Ireland. She's a beautiful mare.”

Margaux Farm, agent, consigned Oui Say Oui, who in 2008 finished second in the Group 2 Ballygallon Stud Debutante Stakes in Ireland.
Oui Say Oui had sold once before, bringing $185,367 at the 2007 Goff’s Orby Million yearling sale. She sold Thursday in foal to Scat Daddy after producing her first foal, a Tale of the Cat filly, earlier this year.