LAS VEGAS - This is the fourth part of a series on the 2004 freshman sires, with particular emphasis on how to play their offspring. Listed alphabetically, the sires are followed by their pedigree and the state or country where they stand.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The January horses of all ages sale at Keeneland began Monday. So, too, did the revitalization of Golden Eagle Farm.

As of 6:15 p.m., Betty Mabee, who founded Golden Eagle with her late husband, John, had purchased five of the 10 most expensive horses sold, including the session co-leader, Argentine champion La Galerie. Mabee, with Rick Trontz of Hopewell Farm acting as her agent, purchased the 7-year-old daughter of Southern Halo out of the Logical mare Aquarelle for $800,000.

When the five-day Keeneland January horses of all ages sale opens Monday, it will be without its headliner, Grade 1 stakes winner You. Entered as a broodmare prospect, she was pulled from the sale by owner Edmund Gann, who according to sales officials intends to breed her this year.

Even with some of its star power gone, the sale is fueled by optimism following the November breeding stock sale at Keeneland, which showed enormous gains and world-record prices of $7.1 million for a broodmare and $2.4 million for a weanling.

ARCADIA, Calif. - In 2003, In Excess defended his title as the leading stallion standing in California.

But unlike in 2002, his first year atop the standings, In Excess had a global presence last season, with the success of his daughter Musical Chimes, the winner of the Group 1 French 1000 Guineas in Paris in May.

The foreign success not only helped raise In Excess's worldwide profile, but his ranking on the national sire list, as well.

The Stonerside Stable of Robert and Janice McNair set up a small division of broodmares in Texas four years ago. This year, the mares accounted for four Texas-bred stakes winners, giving Stonerside a modern-day breeding record in Texas.

The McNairs' record will be recognized during the Texas Thoroughbred Association's annual awards banquet Saturday, Jan. 17 at Sam Houston Race Park. Robert McNair is a leading businessman in Houston, where he owns the NFL's Houston Texans.

Two yearlings from the first crop of New York sire City Zip are among 29 yearlings foaled in New York who are consigned to Keeneland's January sale of all ages, which begins on Monday.

City Zip, a 6-year-old son of Carson City, has a colt and a filly in the five-day sale.

Hip No. 457, a filly by City Zip, sells on Tuesday. The filly, who is consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent for Willow Oaks Stable, is out of the Sovereign Dancer mare Dances with Quack.

The first Florida sale of the new year begins next Monday when the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company conducts its annual winter mixed auction, Jan. 19-22.

"The financial markets and the economy are getting stronger," said Tom Ventura, OBS general manager and sales director, "and these factors should have a positive effect on the horse business. Our sales have been improving quality-wise and this is among the best catalogs OBS has offered."

Forget the winter blues. January is a busy month in Virginia, with three events on this month's calendar.

Kicking things off are stallion showings next Sunday, Jan. 18, at the state's two premier stud farms, Legacy Farm in Bluemont and Blue Ridge Farm in Upperville.

Located within a 15-minute drive of each other, Legacy and Blue Ridge will showcase new arrivals as well as leading sires.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The estate of John Franks, the prominent Louisiana-based owner and breeder who died Dec. 31 at age 78, announced this week that it would begin reducing Franks's numerous bloodstock holdings in February.

The reduction will begin at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's winter mixed sale on Feb. 8-9, where John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale agency will consign about 200 of the Franks broodmares. The estate also plans to sell off some of Franks's 2-year-olds, yearlings, and racing stock in the months to come, and Sikura will oversee that as well.

Grade 1 winner You, an earner of more than $2 million in her racing career, has been withdrawn from the upcoming Keeneland January sale.

You, a 5-year-old You and I mare, was in the catalog as Hip No. 742 as part of the Mill Ridge consignment. But Mill Ridge announced Tuesday that You's owner, Edmund Gann, has decided to retain the mare. Gann will breed You this spring.