LEXINGTON, Ky. - One of the elder statesmen of Kentucky breeding, the Sharpen Up stallion Diesis, fired up another good one in Europe over the weekend, as his daughter New Girlfriend, out of the Dynaformer mare New Story, won the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin against colts.

New Girlfriend comes by her precocity honestly. New Story was second in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac in France late in her 2-year-old season, and Diesis was the leading juvenile colt of his year in England, when he won the Group 1 Dewhurst and Middle Park stakes.

Keeneland has cataloged a record 5,110 yearlings to its September yearling sale, which will run this year from Sept. 12 to 26.

The sale will have a dark day on Friday, Sept. 16.

The catalog will include 2,668 colts, two geldings, and 2,440 fillies. The total surpasses the September auction's previous record of 4,891, which was set at last year's sale.

Keeneland's director of sales, Geoffrey Russell, attributed the rise in numbers partly to the September sale's popularity.

LAS VEGAS - Every decade since the 1950's, the Phipps family has bred champion fillies, and most of them became valuable broodmares. After Smuggler's authoritative victory in the Coaching Club American Oaks and prior win in the Mother Goose Stakes, she is the pro-tem leader of the 3-year-old filly division, and could be the first champion for the Phippses this century.

Madcap Escapade, one of the nation's top female sprinters, has torn a ligament in her left front leg and has been retired, trainer Frank Brothers said Tuesday.

Brothers said Madcap Escapade was "off" shortly after a victory in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes at Calder on July 10. She was then sent to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., where Dr. Larry Bramlage diagnosed her torn ligament following an MRI.

Henny Hughes, the dominant winner of the Tremont Stakes and one of the favorites for Thursday's Grade 2 Saratoga Special, has been sold to Sheikh Rajid bin Mohammed al Maktoum, the son of Sheikh Mohammed.

Henny Hughes, who is 2 for 2, will race under the Darley Stable banner in North America, according to Omar Trevino, the agent directly involved in the sale. Henny Hughes will remain in trainer Patrick Biancone's barn.

Sources familiar with the sale said the purchase price was about $4.3 million. Trevino denied the price was that high and would not disclose the figure.

Mambo Slew, a two-time Grade 3 winner, has been retired to the pastures at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., her owners announced Monday. Mating plans have not been decided for Mambo Slew, a 4-year-old Kingmambo filly.

Mambo Slew, a homebred campaigned mainly in turf races by Frank Manganaro and his sons, won the 2004 Sands Point and 2003 Miesque Stakes, both Grade 3. Trained by Patrick Biancone, she retires with a record of 4-2-0 from 15 starts and $282,180 in winnings.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Kentucky group is joining with the government of Mongolia to build the Asian nation's first Thoroughbred racing facility.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The leading lot at this week's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale of select yearlings was a $650,000 colt by Giant's Causeway, a chestnut son of Storm Cat who stands at Coolmore's Ashford Stud outside Versailles, Ky.

As the sire of two classic winners - Shamardal in the French Derby and Footstepsinthesand in the 2,000 Guineas - and a third classic-placed runner in Europe this year from his first crop, Giant's Causeway couldn't be any hotter right now.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The swashbuckling days when Bill Bianco would pay lavish sums for yearlings and 2-year-olds in training have ended.

Bianco, a commissioner on the California Horse Racing Board, is in the midst of shifting his emphasis away from expensive purchases to California-breds. In coming months, Bianco and his family will add to their Sunset Stable, which will be based primarily in California.

Bloodstock agents, young and old, dream of selling the big one. For Kelli Mitchell the dream became a reality at the Ocala Breeders' Sales August yearling sale of 2003. Her weanling pinhook was sold at a good profit, and the attractive bay colt by Lost Soldier became a marquee performer who races with the name Lost in the Fog.

This year, Mitchell will take 39 yearlings to the Ocala August sales, a few more to the Keeneland fall sales, and a consignment to the Eastern fall sales.