Story by B. Jason Brooks
The 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale kicks off Monday and nearly 4,500 hips are catalogued to go through the sales ring over the two-week marathon sale. Like the female families cultivated over the last century by some of the Thoroughbred industry’s greatest breeders, those representing the matriarchs bred at Claiborne Farm are winning at the highest levels, making them some of the most highly sought-after at the sales.
Through the first two-thirds of 2024, horses from Claiborne families or bred by the Hancocks have won an impressive 29 graded stakes. Four of them have won top-tier grade 1s this year, including: Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, by Goldencents, from the Claiborne family of Royal Message; Apple Blossom Handicap and Clement L. Hirsch winner Adare Manor, by Uncle Mo, from the family of imported British-bred Rough Shod; Bing Crosby Stakes winner The Chosen Vron, by Vronsky, from the family of British-bred Fairy Ray; and, undefeated Del Mar Oaks winner Iscreamuscream, by Twirling Candy, co-bred by Claiborne president Walker Hancock and Hunter Rankin.
Additionally, Claiborne-bred Curlin colt Crupi, who sold at the 2021 Keeneland September sale to Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables, won the grade 2 Suburban Stakes and placed in the grade 1 Whitney Stakes and Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes this year. Crupi is out of acquired Claiborne mare Don’tforgetaboutme, by Malibu Moon.
Internationally, multiple horses from Claiborne families are among the global elite with eye-popping multi-million-dollar career earnings totals. The current International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings includes four from Claiborne families. The first is Irish-bred Romantic Warrior, by British-bred Acclamation, from the Claiborne family of Alyne Que. Ranked #5 (tied) in the world, he has won eight career group 1 races, including five straight, which have occurred in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan. His career earnings total more than US $19.2 million. Second is Japanese-bred Ushba Tesoro, by his native sire Orfevre, from the family of Bourtai. Tied for rank #18, he has three career group 1 wins, which occurred in Japan and the United Arab Emirates, with earnings of more than US $16.3 million. The third is French-bred Look de Vega, by his native sire Lope de Vega, from the family of Lighted Lamp. Also tied for rank #18 in the world, he won the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) in June and is undefeated from three starts with career earnings of just over US $1 million. The fourth is the above-mentioned Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, who also ranks #18. After winning the Derby, he finished runner-up in the Preakness and his career earnings total more than $4.1 million.
The ongoing racing success of horses from Claiborne families continues to make these bloodlines attractive to buyers and the families have good momentum going into the Keeneland September sale. At the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in August, the median price for 18 yearlings from Claiborne families was $495,000, a significant $70,000 or 16.5 percent more than the $425,000 median for yearlings from non-Claiborne families. Also, two yearlings from Claiborne families fetched seven figures. Hip 57 was a $1.5 million Charlatan colt from the family of Claiborne foundation mare Delft, which was purchased by Resolute Bloodstock. Hip 123 was a $1.5 million Gun Runner filly from the Claiborne family of La France, purchased by Whisper Hill Farm.
Claiborne Farm takes great pride in the success of the horses foaled and raised at its legendary Paris, Kentucky farm, recently noting on its website that a stunning 137 graded stakes winners were raised there since the foal crop of 2000, some of which were Keeneland September yearling sale graduates.
For this year’s Keeneland sale, Claiborne has a consignment of 64 cataloged yearlings, all of which were born and raised on the farm’s hollowed grounds. (See the full list here.) These include 19 bred or co-bred by Claiborne, and the remaining bred by the farm’s clients, many of which have broodmares who are full-time Claiborne residents.
Below is a sampling of a half-dozen blue-blooded Claiborne-breds from the farm’s Keeneland September consignment that buyers are sure to find attractive.
Hip 204: filly, Curlin – Secede, by War Front
The yearling is a fourth-generation Claiborne-bred hailing from the family of blue-hen mare Fun Flight, by Full Pocket, her fourth dam. The yearling’s dam Secede is a full sister to Departing, a grade 1-placed and multiple graded stakes winner with earnings of nearly $2 million. The second dam Leave is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Trip, by Argentine-bred Lord at War. Trip is the granddam of two-time grade 1 winner and 2022 champion freshman sire Bolt d’Oro, by Medaglia d’Oro, and his grade 1-winning half-brother Global Campaign, by Curlin, also a sire. Leave is also a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Joke, by Phone Trick, producer of three-time grade 1 winner Zensational, by Unbridled’s Song. A recent update for this family is Claiborne homebred Pigalle, by Blame, winning the Groupie Doll Stakes in August at Ellis Park. Graded a TrueNicks A, the Book 1 filly is showing at Barn 6 and selling on Tuesday, Sept. 10th.
Hip 534: filly, Medaglia d’Oro – Naples Lady, by Ghostzapper
The yearling’s dam Naples Lady is a half-sister to grade 2 winner Live Lively, by Medaglia d’Oro (the same sire as the yearling), and 2021 Broodmare of the Year Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie, producer of Eclipse champion sprinter and 2023 champion freshman sire Mitole, by Eskendereya, and grade 1 winner Hot Rod Charlie, by Oxbow, also a sire. Graded a rare TrueNicks A++, the yearling has the same Medaglia d’Oro-Ghostzapper cross as Godolphin’s homebred Prevalence, winner of the grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes in 2022. The yearling’s dam Naples Lady was bred by Edward A. Cox Jr. and acquired by Claiborne Farm. Showing at Barn 28, the filly is selling on Wednesday, Sept. 11th.
Hip 535: filly, Curlin – Naples Princess, by Distorted Humor
From the same family as the above-mentioned Hip 534, the filly’s dam Naples Princess is a full sibling to one stakes winner and half-sibling to two stakes winners, including Glacken’s Gal, by Smoke Glacken, the granddam of sires Mitole and Hot Rod Charlie. Graded a TrueNicks A, she has the same Curlin-Distorted Humor cross as grade 1-placed Bold Conquest. The yearling’s dam Naples Princess was also bred by Edward A. Cox Jr. and acquired by Claiborne Farm. The filly is showing at Barn 28 and selling on Wednesday, Sept. 11th.
Hip 646: colt, Flatter – Taps, by War Front
The yearling’s Claiborne-bred dam Taps is a full sister to grade 3 winner War At Sea and the yearling’s great-granddam is Hall of Famer Serena’s Song, by Rahy, winner of an amazing 11 grade 1 races. Serena’s Song produced four graded stakes winners, including Sophisticat, by Storm Cat, winner of Ascot’s grade 1 Coronation Stakes, and her graded stakes-winning full siblings Grand Reward and Schramsberg. Serena’s Song’s fourth graded stakes winner was Harlington, by Unbridled. Seren’s Song is also the great-granddam of multiple grade 1-winning millionaire and Eclipse champion Honor Code, by A.P. Indy. The yearling is showing at Barn 28 and selling on Wednesday, Sept. 11th.
Hip 1249: filly, War or Will – Lope, by Arch
The yearling is a third-generation Claiborne-bred from the family of imported British-bred Claiborne foundation mare Maid for Walking, by her native sire Prince Sabo, who was runner-up in the grade 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot. Maid for Walking is the dam of grade 1-winning Claiborne homebred Stroll, by Pulpit, and grade 1-placed Patrol, by Lear Fan. The yearling’s granddam Sidle, by Seeking the Gold, is a half-sister to Claiborne-bred Pace, by Irish-bred stallion Indian Ridge, the granddam of Calumet Farm’s homebred Gear Jockey, by Twirling Candy, a multiple-graded-stakes-winning millionaire who placed in the grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in 2019. Sidle is also a half-sister to Maid for Winning, by Gone West, the dam of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s British-bred Yourtimeisnow, by Irish-bred stallion Charm Spirit, a group 3 stakes winner in England. The yearling is a TrueNicks-graded A+ and the cross of War of Will’s sire War Front with Arch mares includes group 1 winner Lines of Battle and grade 1 winner War Flag, both bred by Joseph Allen. Showing at Barn 6, the yearling is selling on Saturday, Sept. 14.
Hip 1508: colt, Munnings – Bankable, by Candy Ride (ARG)
The yearling’s dam Bankable, by Argentine-bred Candy Ride, is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Reride who placed in Meydan’s group 2 U.A.E. Derby in 2018. She is also a half-sister to grade 1-placed and multiple graded stakes winner Finite, by Munnings. The yearling’s multiple-stakes-winning granddam Remit, by Tapit, is a full sister to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire sire Tapiture, runner-up in the grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and grade 3 winner Rotation. The yearling’s dam Bankable was bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds and purchased by Claiborne. Receiving a rare TrueNicks A++ grade, the yearling is showing at Barn 6 and selling on Saturday, Sept. 14th.