Sheikh Mohammed quick out the blocks at Keeneland for $2.5m Nyquist half-brother

It did not take long for Sheikh Mohammed to assert his towering presence at the world’s largest yearling supermarket, as, surrounded by his team, he staved off all challengers to secure a Tapit colt who is a half-brother to Godolphin’s young stallion, champion and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, for $2.5 million.

The stunning grey colt, offered as Hip 75 on Monday as the Keeneland September Yearling Sale got under way, is the second consecutive offspring of the Forestry mare Seeking Gabrielle that Godolphin has bought for seven figures from breeder Hinkle Farms after also purchasing her daughter by War Front for $1.75m at this venue in 2018.

“He selected the horse,” agent and advisor Anthony Stroud said as the ruler of Dubai strode out from the back ring, where he often bids at Keeneland.

“He’s a very nice horse and Sheikh Mohammed liked him very, very much. It was his pick of the day. The colt has got a fantastic pedigree and a good physical - he’s an exciting prospect.”

Stroud said that after Godolphin’s buying is complete from the opening Keeneland sessions Sheikh Mohammed will then decide where the colt, and any other purchases, will be trained and by whom.

“I think he wants to see how the week goes and how it pans out,” Stroud said, adding that the Tapit colt’s close relationship to Nyquist, whose first foals are yearlings, was a major factor in the purchase.

“It’s great that Sheikh Mohammed is here, and we’ve been very impressed with the Nyquist yearlings we’ve seen so far,” Stroud said.

The colt’s War Front half-sister, named Maria Rosa, “is going very well” in her training, Stroud added.

Major coup

For the family-owned Hinkle Farms, the sale was another major coup.

“We’re so happy to be supported by Godolphin two years in a row - it’s really amazing and I’m really happy for our team at the farm,” exclaimed a beaming Anne Archer Hinkle.

In other early action, leading sires Curlin and Into Mischief proved as popular as ever.

Just before the Tapit colt entered the ring, agent Mike Ryan secured an $800,000 Curlin colt who is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Tara’s Tango. Ryan said he rated the handsome chestnut the best he has seen among the highly sought after Curlin yearlings this year.

Offered as Hip 68 and bred by Stonestreet Farms, the colt was acquired for the e5 Racing Thoroughbreds stable that campaigned Curlin’s champion son Good Magic, Ryan said.

Meanwhile, Larry Best of OXO Equine went back to the well to buy more offspring of his favourite sire, Into Mischief, topped by the $950,000 he bid for Hip 71, a colt bred by Bonne Chance Farm who is a half-brother to Best’s Grade 1-winning Medaglia d’Oro filly Cambier Parc.

Best also bought Hip 28, an Into Mischief colt from the family of Grade 1 winner and sire Bluegrass Cat.

“You probably realise I like the Into Mischiefs,” Best said with a chuckle. “I probably have more than I need, but I like every one I have. The heart of Into Mischief is hard to replicate by any other sire and I see it throughout in every horse I buy. In this new crop I wanted to have some representation from Into Mischief. We now have two good buys I think.”

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