'A bidding war ensued, and Coolmore won' - $1.6 million half-sister to Mo Donegal set for Justify date

The Coolmore team showed up on Monday at Keeneland ready to buy. Early during day one of the January Horses of All Ages Sale, the group went into a bidding duel to acquire the precocious Into Mischief filly Prank, seeing the hammer drop at $1.6 million for the four-year-old. Gainesway consigned the broodmare prospect as Hip 77 to dissolve a partnership.

Tom Wachman, the grandson of John Magnier who signed the sales slip, said: "She's a lovely filly with a good race under her, she was purchased for the Coolmore partners, and I would say she will go to Justify. He's a phenomenal stallion who is doing it on the grass and dirt.

“I have been here a few times for the sales and am learning the ropes. This filly was the highest price I have signed for so far."

Debuting at two, the filly stormed home in a Saratoga maiden special weight, putting nine and three-quarter lengths between her and the field in her sole start. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the bay was campaigned in partnership with StarLadies Racing, LNJ Foxwoods, and Gainesway Stable.

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables out of Callingmissbrown, she was consigned as a yearling to the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, selling to Frank Brothers, as agent for Solis/Litt, for $500,000. 

The filly is a half-sibling to 2022 Belmont Stakes victor Mo Donegal. The Uncle Mo colt captured the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at two, returning the following year to take the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes en route to his Belmont victory for Donegal Racing and Repole Stable.

Mo Donegal will stand his second season at Spendthrift Farm for $15,000 in 2024.

Callingmissbrown is a winner by Pulpit out of Grade 1 Acorn Stakes winner Island Sand, who also ran second in the Kentucky Oaks and third in the Mother Goose Stakes. Island Sand, by Tabasco Cat, earned $1,182,777, hitting the board in 12 of her 19 starts.

"She was very well received at the barns, but she was a real talent," said Brian Graves, general manager for Gainesway. "She broke her maiden at Saratoga, basically winning by the length of the stretch. She got injured and wasn't able to make it back, but had that brilliance people want, and if she passes that on to her foals, they could be Grade 1 winners.

"We certainly thought she could be a Grade 1 winner on the day she broke her maiden. Her figures were among the fastest in six years at Saratoga, and those horses were Grade 1 winners; the ability was there. A bidding war ensued, and Coolmore won. She is going to a smart operation that knows what they are doing."

Graves wasn't concerned with the filly selling early in the year during the January sale, saying: "The young and beautiful have been selling well, it's been holding up, and we thought she would be in the top end, but it was a bit more than we were expecting."

At the close of the evening on Monday, during the supplemental catalogue, Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa led Curlin’s Voyage into the ring to see the hammer fall the way of Japan's K I Farm at $1m. The seven-year-old Curlin mare sold in foal to Horse of the Year Flightline and was the second seven-figure offering during the first session.

Curlin's Voyage takes her turn in the ringCredit: Keeneland Photo

The 2019 and 2020 Canadian champion scored in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes and three other Canadian stakes for her connections, Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings (J.G. Sikura) and Windsor Boys Racing, who campaigned the filly with Josie Carroll to earnings of $536,056 and a record of 5-2-2 in 12 starts.

"I liked the pedigree, the physical, and who she was in foal to," said Tomoyuki Nakamura of K I Farm through an interpreter. "Everything matched up. I liked everything about her. The price was just about what I was expecting. The plans for her and if she will stay in America are still to be decided."

Curlin's Voyage is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Atlantic Voyage, who is a full-sister to Grade 1 winner Stormello and Grade 2 winner My Best Brother. Atlantic Voyage has produced Brass Compass, a stakes-placed runner by Malibu Moon. 

Keeneland vice-president of sales Tony Lacy reflected: "We have to be very happy with how today turned out. We had two million dollar-plus horses, which is the first time since 2019. The numbers were on par for most of the day compared to last year, which was a strong sale. There was great diversity among the buyers; 13 of the top 15-priced horses sold to distinct buyers."

Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consigned the top two short yearlings, headed by a $375,000 Curlin colt purchased by Milan Bloodstock. 

Keeneland reported 233 of the 322 horses on offer on Monday sold for a gross of $17,787,500, up 2.1 per cent over the previous year. An average price of $76,341 increased by 6.5 per cent over 2023, and a $30,000 median, down 25 per cent, was attained. The 89 horses who failed to meet their reserve represent an RNA rate of 27.6 per cent.

Tuesday's sale begins at 10am local time (3pm GMT).

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