She's the Hostess with the mostest

By the time Leslie Combs II came into possession of Gay Hostess, he was well established as one of the leading breeders of his time, a horseman whose foresight and ambition had propelled his Spendthrift Farm to the forefront of Kentucky bloodstock.

At its peak, the Spendthrift stallion barn was a sight to behold, housing the likes of Raise A Native, Nashua, Swaps, Seattle Slew, Tudor Minstrel, Caro and Royal Charger. And those rosters were complemented by a powerful broodmare band, one that allowed the Combs family and their associates to breed seven champions in all. These included Myrtlewood, that blue hen who became the fourth dam of Mr Prospector, one of Leslie Combs's crowning achievements as a breeder.

First and foremost, however, Combs was a master salesman. Renowned for his legendary pre-sale parties, he rewrote the record books as far as the auction scene was concerned. And he had an excellent ally, in that respect, in Gay Hostess – whose sons Majestic Prince and Crowned Prince realised record prices at their respective renewals of the Keeneland July Sale.