Keeneland September: Tapit filly takes over fifth session lead at $475,000

A Tapit filly sold to Robert LaPenta for $475,000 on Saturday afternoon, setting the new high price for the fifth session of the Keeneland September yearling sale.

Bloodstock agent John Panagot, who signed the ticket in the name of LaPenta’s Whitehorse Stables, said that the filly would be broken by Niall Brennan before joining trainer Chad Brown’s string next spring.

“She’s by Tapit, who is obviously one of the top sires out there. The boss was a big Tapit fan,” Panagot said. “Chad and I did our rounds, and thought she was the nicest filly we’ve seen. She’s out of a Carson City mare, there’s a chance to run early and win early. And she had a great physical.”

The filly is out of the winning Carson City mare Seeinsbelieven, whose lone runner is the stakes-winning Stormy Atlantic filly Aquapazza. Seeinsbelievin is a half-sister to graded stakes winners Softly and Coragil Cat; it is the family of graded stakes winners Til Forbid, Sara Louise, Just Louise, and Mister Marti Gras.

She was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway, which also consigned the filly as agent. The farm stands Tapit, among the leading sires through the first five days of the Keeneland September sale.

The filly is the most expensive of three foals out of her dam to sell, edging the $425,000 paid for her full brother Whatdidyousee at the 2011 Keeneland September sale. Panagot said that the price was in the “ballpark” of what he expected to pay.

“Book 2, so far, I think is very honest,” he said. “The good horses are going for what they should go for. It’s a very healthy market.”