Keeneland April sale hips to watch

Following are horses to watch during the Keeneland April sale’s 2-year-olds in training portion. Horses were selected based primarily on their pedigrees and the racing or commercial results of notable family members. The selections reflect catalog updates and sale outs through Thursday.

Hip 110, filly by Pioneerof the Nile–Flowing, by Tapit. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, agent.

Classic sire Pioneerof the Nile, who has also been represented by a pair of Eclipse Award champion juveniles, died in March, which is likely to drive up the value of his remaining offspring. This filly is from the family of Grade 1/Group 1 winners, including Etoile Montante, Expert Eye, Sightseek, and Tates Creek.

Hip 119, Make Us Smile, colt by Empire Maker–Her Smile, by Include. Consigned by KatieRich Farms.

This is the first crop of U.S.-sired 2-year-olds for Empire Maker – the sire of Pioneerof the Nile – since he was repatriated from Japan. Grade 1 winner Her Smile is the dam of two winners from three starters.

Hip 120, colt by Uncle Mo–Holdontoyourdream, by Proud Citizen. Consigned by Kirkwood Stables, agent.

Grade 2-placed Holdontoyourdream, a half-sister to graded stakes winner and producer Liam’s Dream, is the dam of three winners from as many starters. This is the family of Distorted Humor.

Hip 130, filly by Tapit–My Conquestadory, by Artie Schiller. Consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent.

This filly, a $775,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase by Baccari Bloodstock, is the only juvenile in the catalog by perennial leading sire and commercial powerhouse Tapit. Out of Grade 1-winning juvenile My Conquestadory, this is a full sibling to Bourbon War, second in this year’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Hip 137, colt by Ghostzapper–Ruthian, by Rahy. Consigned by Kirkwood Stables, agent.

This colt’s first dam fills the entire catalog page, as stakes winner Ruthian produced 10 winners from 13 starters. Those are led by Grade 1-winning millionaire Rutherienne. Ruthian also is the dam of stakes winner and producer Ruthenia and stakes winner Ruthville.

Hip 155, filly by American Pharoah–Theycallmeladyluck, by Dixie Union. Consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent.

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah’s first crop has been a blockbuster success at auction, with nine seven-figure horses, including a $1.65 million colt at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale last month. Stakes-placed Theycallmeladyluck is the dam of Salty, who placed in three Grade 1 events as a 3-year-old before winning the Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes last year. She later sold for $3 million as a broodmare prospect at Fasig-Tipton.

Hip 169, filly by Bernardini–Bold Angel, by Cat Thief. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, agent.

Stakes winner Bold Angel is the dam of Grade 1-winning juvenile Streey Fancy. Bold Angel is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Texas Fever and stakes winner Saint Isabelle, and this is the family of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus and Preakness Stakes winner Pine Bluff.