Keeneland January: Day 2 Horses to Watch

Hip No. 447, Amusing, ch. m., 2008, by Distorted Humor—Cloud Break, by Dr. Carter, consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent.

This winning Distorted Humor mare is a half-sister to champion sprinter Lost in the Fog, and will sell carrying a foal from the last crop of the late Harlan’s Holiday. She delivered her first foal in 2013, a War Front filly. Amusing was sold twice for $500,000 or more prior to her racing career, in which she won one of three starts for earnings of $42,693. Her dam, the unraced Dr. Carter mare Cloud Break, has produced seven winners from eight foals to race, also including stakes-placed How About My Place. Amusing is from the family of Grade 2 winners Wistful and Luminaire, as well as Grade 3 winner Margaret’s Number.

Hip No. 658, Mount Nevis, b. f., 2011, by Empire Maker—French Satin, by French Deputy, consigned by Mill Ridge Sales, agent.

An unraced 3-year-old racing or broodmare prospect from the final U.S. crop of Empire Maker. Mount Nevis is out of the Grade 3-winning French Deputy mare French Satin, who is the dam of four winners from five foals to race, including Grade 2-placed stakes winner Midnight Transfer. Mount Nevis is from the family of multiple Grade 1 winner and sire Lion Heart and Grade 3 winner Connemara.

Hip No. 692, Ponche de Leona, gr. or ro. m., 1999, by Ponche—Perfect and Proud, by Nonparrell, consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, agent.

The dam of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man, Ponche de Leona has also produced stakes-placed winning filly Mucho Mans Gold, by Gottcha Gold. Ponche de Leona was a stakes winner herself on the racetrack, with eight victories in 30 career starts for earnings of $260,870. She sells in foal to Distorted Humor, making for a similar Forty Niner cross to Mucho Mans Gold. The mare was offered at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky selected fall mixed sale, but did not meet her reserve, with a final bid of $1.4 million.

Hip No. 726, ch. f., 2013, by Malibu Moon—Rutledge Ballado, by Saint Ballado, consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent.

A yearling filly out of the Grade 3-placed Saint Ballado mare Rutledge Ballado, who is the dam of two winners from as many foals to race: stakes winner A Brilliant Idea and Grade 2-placed Morgan’s Guerilla. Bred in Kentucky by Merriebelle Stables, the filly is from the family of Grade 3 winner Fifth Overture and Grade 1-placed stakes winner Gold From the West.

Hip No. 786, Sweeter Still, dk. b. or br. m., 2005, by Rock of Gibraltar—Beltisaal, by Belmez, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent.

The only mare in the sale being offered pregnant to global sire Galileo, and the foal will be her second after she produced a Giant’s Causeway filly in 2013. The Grade 3-winning Irish-bred Rock of Gibraltar mare won five of 19 starts for earnings of $311,603. Sweeter Still is out of the French-bred Belmez mare Beltisaal, whose eight winners from nine foals to race include Group 1 winner Kingsbarns and Group 3 winner Belle Artiste. Her family includes Group 1 winners Rip Van Winkle and Danish and several other graded/group stakes winners, including Group 3 winner and 2005 Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up Ace. Sweeter Still went through the ring at the 2013 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, but did not meet her reserve with a final bid of $725,000.