Keeneland sale: Eyeofthehurricane sells to Wests for $475,000

The last horse through the ring during Thursday’s third session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale made sure the day closed on a high note, when Eyeofthehurricane sold to Ben Glass, bloodstock agent for owners Gary and Mary West, for $475,000.

Glass said he had an inside advantage on what the 8-year-old Storm Cat mare could produce, because the Wests own Eyeofthehurricane’s second foal, a yearling by Bernardini. The mare, who is in foal to Smart Strike, will join the Wests’s broodmare band at Dell Ridge Farm in Lexington, Ky.

“We just liked everything about her,” Glass said. She has “a beautiful pedigree, by Storm Cat, we had the yearling. It kind of all added up.”

Eyeofthehurricane is out of the Grade 3-winning Private Account mare Profit Column, who has produced three winners from five to start, including Eyeofthehurricane’s full sister, Grade 3 winner Final Round. She is from the family of Italian champion and sire St. Hilarion, multiple Group 1 winner and sire Muhtarram, Grade 2 winner Savinio, and Grade 3 winner Communique.

Bred in Kentucky by Dinwiddle Farm, Eyeofthehurricane won 2 of 8 career starts for earnings of $35,875. She was consigned at the November sale by Lane’s End, agent.

This is the second time that Eyeofthehurricane has sold at public auction. In 2008, she brought $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall select mixed sale.