Distorted Humor in demand at sale

A New York-bred son of Distorted Humor was the top price of the third session of the Keeneland September yearling sale on Wednesday.

WinStar Farm, as agent, purchased the colt for $1 million from the consignment of Winter Quarter Farm, agent.

The colt is out of the Saint Ballado mare Santa Croce, who placed in the Correction Handicap at Aqueduct.

His second dam, Broad Dynamite, by Broad Brush, captured the Grade 2 Astarita Stakes at Belmont Park, beating subsequent Grade 1 winner Glitter Woman.

This immediate family includes the brilliant Very Subtle, winner of the Breeders' Cup Sprint, and Pool Land, winner of the Grade 1 Ruffian Handicap.

During the first three days of the Keeneland auction, nine of the 11 New York-breds offered were sold, for a total of $3,270,000 and an average of $363,333.

Distorted Humor is also the sire of the second-highest price from this group, a filly out of the Silver Deputy mare Lady Diplomat purchased for $450,000 by Ed A. Cox Jr., from the consignment of Longfield Farm, agent.

The stakes-placed Lady Diplomat is also the dam of stakes winners City Dweller and Glacken's Gal, the latter a New York-bred filly who captured the $100,000 Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park on July 1.

Lady Diplomat is a daughter of stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Mercedes Miss, by Carr de Naskra.

At $400,000 was a colt by Giant's Causeway purchased by Mike Ryan, agent, from the consignment of Denali Stud (Craig and Holly Bandoroff), agent for Gallagher's Stud. He is out of the New York-bred stakes winner Eventail, a Lear Fan mare who won the Mount Vernon Handicap and New York Oaks, and placed in the Grade 3 Honey Bee Handicap.

Eventail is a half-sister to Take Charge Lady, an earner of $2,480,377 who captured the Grade 1 Ashland and Grade 1 Spinster.

Denali Stud also sold a son of El Prado for $350,000 to James Delahooke, agent.

He is out of Cellars Shiraz, a daughter of Kissin Kris who captured the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park and earned $728,410.

A colt from the first crop of champion Smarty Jones was purchased for $350,000 by Big Red Farm from the consignment of Burleson Farms LLC, agent.

He is out of Confidently, an unraced daughter of Storm Cat.

Confidently's mother, Key Phrase, by Flying Paster, won the Grade 1 Santa Monica Handicap.

Catienus widens lead

Runners by New York stallion Catienus racked up earnings over the Labor Day weekend that widened the son of Storm Cat's lead among state sires.

Through Wednesday, Catienus had progeny earnings of $3,632,361 for 2007.

Second among New York sires for the period is Chief Seattle at $1,884,453.

Precious Kitten, a daughter of Catienus, won both the Grade 1 John C. Mabee Handicap and Grade 2 Palomar Handicap at Del Mar, sending her career earnings to $1,039,688.

Precious Kitten is putting herself into position for consideration as champion turf female.

She has been first or second in six starts this year, all graded events, and has also won the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap.

Catienus fillies Talking Treasure and My Kitty finished first and third, respectively, in the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes.

On the Labor Day weekend, Catienus' son Cat Shaker placed in the Tri-State Handicap at Ellis Park on turf, and his daughter Unspoken Word placed in the Weekend Madness Stakes at Saratoga on turf.

Catienus is the sire of 15 stakes winners, and has career progeny earnings of $9.2 million.

He stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, N.Y., where his fee for 2008 is $10,000, live foal.

Oprah Winney to Breeders' Cup?

In the wake of her easy victory in the Schenectady Handicap last Sunday, New York-bred Oprah Winney is under consideration for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Monmouth Park on Oct. 26.

Bred by Gatsas Thoroughbreds LLC, and owned by Michael Dubb, Sanford Goldfarb, and Bunch of Characters Stable, Oprah Winney, 4, had earlier won the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Breeders' Cup, and the Interborough and Regret handicaps.

The Regret was at Monmouth Park on Aug. 5.