Big names open wallets at not-so-big sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's three-day fall yearling sale in Lexington kicked off Monday with some early fireworks that proved regional markets are capable of attracting some big buyers.

As of 5 p.m., the opening session's top price was $160,000 for a Silver Deputy-Hedge Ratio filly consigned by James Keogh's Grovendale agency. Respite Farm, agent, purchased the filly, who is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Mary Alex and to stakes-placed Save the Profit.

The day's high prices also included the $145,000 that James McIngvale paid for an Awesome Again daughter of Grade 3-placed Beloved By All, a Rubiano mare. McIngvale bought the filly from Pam Littrell's Viking Stud, which sold her on behalf of Helen T. Andrews's Twin Hopes Farm.

McIngvale also had bought a $52,000 Buddha-Wellbustmybuttons colt from Denali Stud, agent, and a $43,000 Songandaprayer-Bewitching colt from Hidden Brook, agent, by that point in the afternoon. And he wasn't the only familiar face in the bidding arena. Prominent buying agent Buzz Chace had purchased five horses by 5 p.m., led by a $120,000 Devil His Due-Chris's Commitment filly offered by the December Farm International agency. Heiligbrodt Racing Stable also paid $90,000 for Avalon Farm's Buddha-Aroz filly, consigned by Denali Stud.

The sale was to continue through Wednesday at Fasig-Tipton's headquarters at Newtown Paddocks. Sessions were to begin daily at 10 a.m.

Buck Pond sale tops out at $50K

Buck Pond Farm's private sale of broodmares and weanlings realized $178,600 for 34 lots on Sunday at the Versailles, Ky., nursery. The top price was $50,000 for the young broodmare Filigree, who sold in foal to Bernstein. Ed Hudon bought the 10-year-old Candi's Gold mare, who has been stakes placed multiple times. Fit to Scout, a Grade 1 winner offered not in foal, did not reach her reserve on a final bid of $27,000.

The auction's top weanlings were a pair of fillies by Lost Soldier and Whywhywhy that sold for $15,000 apiece. The first to sell was a Lost Soldier filly out of stakes-placed Pembroke Palace (by Pembroke) that went to Glasscock Financial Services. Later, a Whywhywhy filly out of stakes winner Quilesse (Fulmar) sold for the same price to Pam Robinson. The Whywhywhy daughter is a half-sister to stakes-placed Holy Conflict.

The event was held partly to showcase the historic farm's 2006 stallion roster, and a stallion show preceded the auction.

"We sold almost everything, and I think we got a lot of good cheer out of it," said farm owner Doug Arnold.

Millennium Wind relocates

Grade 1 winner Millennium Wind, a half-brother to 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner and Horse of the Year Charismatic, will relocate from Millennium Farms in Kentucky to Highcliff Farm in Delanson, N.Y., for the 2006 breeding season. He will stand for a $5,000 fee.

The 7-year-old Cryptoclearance horse has no runners at the races yet. He stood his first three seasons at stud at Millennium Farms in Lexington, most recently for a $7,500 fee in 2005.

Millennium Wind won the 2001 Blue Grass and Santa Catalina Stakes. He also finished second in the 2001 Louisiana Derby and in the 2000 Hollywood Futurity. A son of Bali Babe, he is a half-brother not only to Charismatic, but also to Grade 2 winner Tossofthecoin, and stakes-placed Bahatur and Constant Demand. He earned more than $769,000 from a career that spanned his juvenile and 3-year-old seasons.

* English champion and 1994 Epsom Derby winner Erhaab will stand in 2006 at England's Wood Farm Stud in Shropshire. The 14-year-old Chief's Crown-Histoire horse is owned by Shadwell and previously stood at Shadwell owner Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum's Beech House Stud in England. His fee in 2006 will be approximately $3,536.