The first mares in-foal to CATHOLIC BOY hinted at the excitement to come for the stallion’s supporters when selling for up to $950,000 during the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. CATHOLIC BOY ended his first foray into the commercial market with thehighest average and gross of all freshmen with first mares in foal.
His group was led by the 11th most expensive mare of the sale when Expo Gold (Johannesburg) sold to Hunter Valley Farm as agent for $950,000. Offered by Taylor Made Sales, the winning mare is the dam of dual Grade 1 winner and likely champion Swiss Skydiver. That filly won the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes after the catalog was released and is closely related to the foal her dam is carrying as a daughter of another More Than Ready son.
Expo Gold is also the dam of stakes-placed Miss Hot Legs with all four of her named foals winning at least one race.
Among the 18 mares sold in-foal to Catholic Boy was also the Tapit daughter Evening Call. Bought by Katsumi Yoshida for $385,000, the 3-year-old is a daughter of stakes winner For Royalty, whose five winners from five to race include Grade 1 winner Constellation and the stakes-placed Upper Room, Queen Mum, and Back Flip. Consigned by Gainesway, the filly’s dam is also a half-sister to Puerto Rico champion El Viento and two other stakes horses with her full brother The Prince stakes placed.
The third most expensive of the mares offered in foal to CATHOLIC BOY is a half-sister to six-time Grade 1 winner Rushing Fall and stakes winner Milam. Sold for $275,000 to Dell Ridge, the ELiTE-consigned Queen Eli is carrying a foal closely related to Rushing Fall.
One of only three North American 3-year-old colts to have captured Grade 1s on both the dirt and turf, CATHOLIC BOY is set to stand for a stud fee of $25,000 in 2021.