Keeneland November: Paola Queen sells for $1.7 million

Citing a healthy respect for the competitive nature of Saratoga's graded stakes program, Tom Ryan, representing SF Bloodstock, signed the $1.7-million sale ticket on Grade 1 winner Paola Queen during Wednesday's second session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Paola Queen scored her signature victory as a longshot in the Grade 1 Test Stakes in August at Saratoga, rallying to win by three-quarters of a length and triggering a $112 payout. Ryan said the 3-year-old Flatter filly, who was consigned as a racing or broodmare prospect by Brookdale Sales, as agent, was his "absolute pick" of the session.

"To win the Test, at Saratoga, it's a premiere race," Ryan said. "She's such a good dirt filly, at seven furlongs, in America."

SF Bloodstock has been active all week at both the Keeneland November sale, which began Tuesday, and Monday night's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale. With Paola Queen, the operation has purchased 23 horses so far this week - some in partnership with Australia's Newgate Farm - for a total of $11,210,000.

Ryan said that the door is open for Paola Queen to remain in training, and that the SF Bloodstock team will convene within the next week to make that decision. But whenever she does retire, he has a stallion in mind.

"How good would she be for Pioneerof the Nile?" he said.