Stonestreet Farm sticking to the plan

Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Farm came to the Keeneland September yearling sale prepared to sell colts and buy fillies – and found the former much easier than the latter.

Through Books 1 and 2, Stonestreet sold 31 yearlings, mostly well-connected colts, through a variety of consignors, for an average price of $534,355. That group was led by a $2.1 million half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria. By Medaglia d’Oro, he was sold to Phoenix Thoroughbreds. Stonestreet also sold a $1.8 million Curlin colt out of Grade 1 winner Molly Morgan to OXO Equine, and a $1.6 million Medaglia d’Oro colt out of champion Dayatthespa to Godolphin.

As part of her business strategy, Banke regularly sells colts out of her high-profile mares while retaining most fillies to race and eventually join the broodmare band.

“It’s so hard to get these great families,” Banke said. “When I get these great mares, and I get a good filly out of them, I try to replace the mare with them. I think we brought a very good group this year, and the market is hot.”

Banke was finding the pursuit of young stock competitive at Keeneland. Through Books 1 and 2, she had landed four fillies, but only one during Book 1 – a $1.025 million daughter of rising broodmare sire Ghostzapper. Her three purchases during Book 2 were led by a $700,000 Pioneerof the Nile filly from the immediate family of Horse of the Year Point Given.

“Barbara was looking for a really nice filly all week, and we kept getting outbid,” bloodstock adviser John Moynihan said after signing the ticket. “We decided to take a swing. ... It’s really difficult to buy.”