Keeneland November: Sale off to flying start

Colonial Flag and Comedy, both in foal to leading sire Tapit, quickly became the first two offerings of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale to reach seven figures, both bringing the hammer down for high-ticket prices during the sale's opening hour.

Colonial Flag sold for $1.6 million to Reynolds Bell, signing for Alpha Delta Stables, from the consignment of Lane's End, as agent. Comedy, immediately following her through the ring, sold for $1.5 million to Stonestreet Farm after being offered by the Select Sales agency.

Colonial Flag scored her major victory in the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes as a 3-year-old, and won or placed in six stakes overall in three seasons of racing. The Pleasant Tap mare is a half-sister to Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Shared Account.

"She fit what he was looking for," Bell said. "She obviously had ability on the racetrack and she’s from a good family, half-sister to a Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, and in foal to Tapit."

Comedy, a winning Theatrical mare, is the dam of Taris, winner of the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes in track-record time last year at Keeneland and recently the third-place finisher in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. All three of the mare's starters are winners, as she is also the dam of stakes winner Theatre Star, and course record-setter Certain Swagger.

“She’s a beautiful mare, and I like that she’s already produced some stakes winners,” Stonestreet owner Barbara Banke said. “She’ll be a good addition to our broodmare band.”

Shortly following those two mares, Grade 1 winner Don't Tell Sophia, in foal to Medaglia d'Oro, sold for $1.2 million to Katsumi Yoshida. The mare, consigned by trainer Phil Sims' Spring Trace Farm, completed a remarkable story, as Sims purchased her for just $1,000 as a yearling in 2009. Don't Tell Sophia went on to win or place in 14 stakes, taking the Grade 1 Spinster and finishing second in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Distaff.