Sky Mesa colt tops Keeneland April breeze show

A Sky Mesa colt turned heads on Thursday after covering an eighth of a mile in 9 2/5 seconds to lead the Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale breeze show.

The time, recorded over Keeneland’s all-weather Polytrack surface, was the fastest one-furlong breeze of the year, through the four select under-tack shows at Keeneland, Barretts, Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. and Fasig-Tipton Florida.

This year marks the final Keeneland April breeze show over Polytrack, following an announcement earlier in the week that the main track will be converted to a natural dirt surface following the end of Keeneland’s spring meet, which begins Friday.

The bay Sky Mesa colt is out of the multiple Grade 3-placed Grand Slam mare Alfonsina. He is from the family of Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Spain, Grade 2 winner Puerto Banus, and Grade/Group 3 winners Plan, Fantastic Spain, and Excited.

Bred in New York by Michael Mandara, the colt was consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent. He was offered twice as a yearling, failing to meet his reserve both times. First, he hammered for $57,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale, then finished at $35,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale.

“We had this colt at our farm in New York,” said Becky Thomas of Sequel Bloodstock. “I trained the mother, a very nice mare.

“The owner did not get him sold at the New York-bred sale and I bought him privately after that,” Thomas continued. “I tried to resell him in October and didn’t get that done, so I took him here. He’s very nice. I had his mother, so it was easy, because she was very fast.”

A Medaglia d’Oro colt breezed the fastest quarter-mile of the under-tack show, covering the distance in 20 seconds flat.

The bay colt is out of the Grade 1-winning Seeking the Gold mare Victory Ride, who has produced five winners from six foals to start, including Grade 2-placed Magical Ride. Magical Ride is the dam of current Kentucky Derby hopeful Ride On Curlin.

The Medaglia d’Oro colt was bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and the Louise Ireland Humphrey Revocable Trust. Last year, he was bought by Peter Bradley’s Bradley Thoroughbreds for $140,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale. He is consigned by Bradley associate Eddie Woods, agent.

The one-session Keeneland April sale commences Monday, April 7 beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern.

For complete results, click here.