Grade 1 producer For Royalty brings $2.1 million at November Sale

The amount of top offerings Craig Bandoroff has sent through the commercial marketplace over the years is numerous enough to fill their own catalog. But after selling Grade 1 producer For Royalty for $2.1 million during Wednesday's session of the Keeneland November Sale, the owner of Denali Stud was hard pressed to recall one that defied science the way the daughter of Not For Love has.

Already the dam of four winners from matings with four different stallions, For Royalty's class proved a most sought-after commodity with Jane Lyon of Summer Wind Farm taking home the Denali-consigned, ten-year-old mare during the second Book 1 session of the Keeneland auction.

The most notable of For Royalty's offspring has been her daughter by Bellamy Road, Constellation, who captured the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes in December of 2016. In addition to that standout, For Royalty also produced stakes-placed runners Back Flip (Super Saver), Upper Room (Harlan's Holiday), and Queen Mum (Paynter).

"She's an incredible mare. She's been bred to four different stallions with four winners and one of the genetics guys was back there today saying it's unheard of," Bandoroff said. "He took DNA because they want to try and figure it out. So she was special.

"It kind of looks like whomever they bring her to is a good mating. She really had it all. And they have to bring that kind of money."

For Royalty's proven record is backed up with a lovely physical and pedigree to match.

Bred in Maryland by Mr and Mrs Charles McGinnes, For Royalty is out of the late multiple stakes producing mare Taft Lil Queen - who herself was a sister to stakes winner Irish Cherry - and is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Kiss to Remember.

"We hoped she would be somewhere between $1.5 to $2 million," Bandoroff said. "It's like the expression we use with the yearlings when they tick all the boxes like she did. Another big thing with her was her age. She's only 10 and that is a big, big factor."

Lyon stated her goal in shopping the November sale was to purchase mares who were already proven products. With For Royalty carrying a foal by Bernardini, Lyon tabbed her as her top pick of the Keeneland auction and was willing to stretch to make sure she didn't slip through her hands.

"She fits our program. Actually she was probably our top pick here," said Lyon, who also purchased Belle Watling, dam of Graded stakes winners Land Over Sea and War Story, for $1.05 million earlier on Wednesday, and Weekend Whim for $1.4 million during the Nov. 7 session. "We're so excited to have For Royalty and to have three now who are producers and pregnant.

"Her pedigree and the fact that as a relatively young mare she has multiple stakes horses... you don't see that often. So we're pretty excited about it."

Lyon said no decision has been made on who For Royalty will be bred to in 2018.

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