Keeneland November: Stonestreet buys Secret Circle’s dam for $675,000

Ragtime Hope, dam of two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Secret Circle, sold to Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings for $675,000 to pace the fourth session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in the early going.

The 11-year-old Dixieland Band mare, who sold in foal to Arch, was consigned by Indian Creek, as agent for Longfield.

“Nice addition to our broodmare band,” said John Moynihan, bloodstock adviser to Stonestreet. “I thought [the price] was fair. She’s going to be the dam of a champion, and she’s still got some useful years ahead of her.”

Stakes winner Ragtime Hope is the dam of two winners from three starters, highlighted by Secret Circle. The Eddington colt was unbeaten as a juvenile, including a victory in the now-defunct Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint at Churchill Downs. He won the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and Grade 3 Southwest Stakes early in his 3-year-old season, and also finished second in both the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Grade 3 Sham Stakes before injury sent him to the sidelines. He returned from an 18-month layoff in October to capture an allowance optional claiming event at Santa Anita, then roared to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint to stamp himself as a divisional championship contender.

Out of the winning Smarten mare Good ‘n Smart, Ragtime Hope is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Really Polish and stakes producer Pipe Creek.