Purchase of Bridlewood Cat boosts Annapolis's first book

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For stallions retired closer to breeding season, the final major-market mixed sales provide a valuable opportunity for their supporters to add solid mares to bolster their crucial first book. That was the case on opening day of the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale, as $750,000 Bridlewood Cat, the third-highest price of the day, is now slated to visit Grade 1 winner Annapolis, whose retirement to Claiborne Farm was announced less than a week ago.

Bloodstock agent Steven Young, shopping with Ramona Bass, who raced Annapolis as a homebred, signed for $750,000 Bridlewood Cat, a stakes-placed daughter of Street Sense.

“She was purchased with the intention to give Annapolis the best mare support he can get,” Young, who signed for three mares on the day, said.

Bridlewood Cat won her Belmont maiden with a Beyer Speed Figure of 92 and an Aqueduct allowance with a Beyer of 90 in 2019. She later finished third in the 2021 What a Summer Stakes at Laurel. Out of stakes-placed Ithinkisawapudycat, the young broodmare is a half-sister to Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes dead-heat winner Sweet Loretta and stakes-placed Bold Connection. Ithinkisawapudycat is a half-sister to Canadian champion Spring in the Air.

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“She's from a highly talented 2-year-old family,” Young said. “Her half-sister is a Grade 1 winner on the dirt at Saratoga as a 2-year-old. Under the second dam is the 2-year-old Canadian champion, and we will breed her to an undefeated 2-year-old stakes winner in Annapolis. It's not just the precocity, but it's everything; he will throw a lot of quality 2-year-olds. We never got a chance to try him on the dirt, but he always trained tremendously, and this is the type of mare he deserves.”

Annapolis, by Claiborne’s current flagship sire War Front, had his retirement announced on Jan. 4. He returns to his birthplace at Claiborne, where the breeding shed opens on Feb. 10, to stand for a $12,500 fee. He retired with a record of 13-6-4-0 and earnings of more than $1.5 million.

“Annapolis has been a star since the day he was born,” Claiborne president Walker Hancock said in a release. “The bar was high and he lived up to his lofty expectations.”

Annapolis won the Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes as a 2-year-old in 2021. At 3, he defeated older horses in the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile; won the Grade 3 Saranac and the Manila Stakes; and was second in two other graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby. In 2023, Annapolis won the Opening Verse Stakes and placed in two other graded events, including a second in the Grade 1 Fourstardave.

“His dam [My Miss Sophia] was a graded stakes winner on dirt and was runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks,” Hancock noted. “Also in the family are Florida Derby winner Materiality, Alabama winner Embellish the Lace, and Travers winner Afleet Express. With his imposing physique, we believe his offspring will be a success in the sales ring and on the racetrack.”

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