Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale: Distorted Humor filly goes to Live Oak for $1 million

A Distorted Humor filly descending from multiple classic producer Better Than Honour sold for $1 million to Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation to pace the action during Monday night’s opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The filly was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, as agent. She was bred in partnership by Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Edward McGhee in Kentucky.

“She was very, very balanced,” said Live Oak general manager Bruce Hill, who signed the ticket. “She’s athletic at the walk. She’s got real substance to her – refined, elegant. She’s just a nice filly.”

The filly is the first foal out of the stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Cascading. Out of the winning Storm Cat mare Teeming, Cascading is a half-sister to stakes-placed Distracting, by Distorted Humor.

Third dam Better Than Honour, a Grade 2-winning daughter of Deputy Minister, is the dam of back-to-back Belmont Stakes winners in 2006 victor Jazil and the filly Rags To Riches the following year. The Broodmare of the Year honoree is also the dam of Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner Man Of Iron and Grade 2 winner Casino Drive.

Better Than Honour, who created fireworks when selling for $14 million to Southern Equine Stables at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky mixed sale, is a full sister to Group 2 winner Turnberry Isle and a half sister to Group 2 winner Smolensk. She is also a half-sister to Group 1-placed Maryinsky, the dam of Group 1 winners Peeping Fawn and Thewayyouare.

The tremendous production history of the sale filly’s female family, and her future value as a broodmare, clearly played a factor in her purchase price; however, Hill said Live Oak likely would have gone as high if the same individual had been a colt.

“The safety net is always there with fillies, but we probably would have [paid as much] with a colt, as well,” Hill said. “We’re not afraid to take that chance.”

Shortly after making its seven-figure purchase, Live Oak went to $435,000 to acquire an Arch colt. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the colt is the first foal out of the Grade 3-winning General Meeting mare Century Park.