Swiss Skydiver Tops Yoshida's Purchases at $4.7M

Last year's Preakness Stakes (G1) heroine Swiss Skydiver was the star of Katsumi Yoshida's purchases at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale in Lexington Nov. 9. The 4-year-old daughter of Daredevil sold for $4.7 million, the third-highest price of the sale, and helped add to the six-mare haul by Japan's Yoshida that grossed $12,725,000. Astute horseman Kenny McPeek bought Swiss Skydiver for only $35,000 from the Select Sales consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Campaigned in the silks of Peter Callahan, Swiss Skydiver racked up over $2.2 million on the track with victories in the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), Fantasy Stakes (G3), Santa Anita Oaks (G2), and Alabama Stakes (G1) in addition to the Preakness in 2020, as well as the 2021 Beholder Mile (G1). Her Preakness time of 1:53.28 for 1 3/16 miles was second only to Secretariat, and she defeated eventual Horse of the Year Authentic in that effort. WATCH: Swiss Skydiver Shines for $4.7M "We're going to miss her," McPeek said. "She's been a real big part of the family." The conditioner, situated in the upper balcony, said it was powerful to watch Swiss Skydiver sell for seven figures Tuesday. "You work hard for this but it really isn't all about the money," McPeek said. "It's about the game and doing well for guys like Peter. He's just a wonderful client to have and she's been a wonderful filly. I'm just glad that he was able to own her and race her." Runnymede Farm, agent, consigned Swiss Skydiver as Hip 246. Shingo Hashimoto, manager of international affairs for the Yoshida family's Northern Farm, said Swiss Skydiver was the pick of the sale. "Both pedigree-wise and how she looks, and what she had been racing," Hashimoto said when asked about what made Swiss Skydiver an appealing purchase. "It's simply so amazing. She was unbelievable. She was so attractive. We are very, very happy. "(The Preakness) was a very, very tough race and it was very amazing that a filly beat the colts in a classic. It was a great challenge and she deserved that win." Hashimoto said Swiss Skydiver will head to Japan with breeding plans still to be decided. Swiss Skydiver was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm out of the Johannesburg mare Expo Gold, who also produced stakes-placed Miss Hot Legs. Yoshida went to $2.9 million for Princess Noor, a 3-year-old daughter of Not This Time sold in foal to Into Mischief. Princess Noor won her first three starts as a juvenile last year, taking the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and Chandelier (G1). From five total starts, she earned $363,500 for Zedan Racing Stables and was trained by Bob Baffert. International Equities Holdings bred Princess Noor in Kentucky out of the grade 3-winning Wilko mare Sheza Smoke Show. She brought $135,000 from agent Mark Marino her first time through the ring with Taylor Made Sales Agency at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Gary Young then went to $1.35 million to buy her from the Top Line Sales consignment to the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where she breezed the fastest quarter-mile in :20 1/5. She was consigned to The November Sale by Taylor Made, agent, as Hip 222. "The whole thing came full circle because we sold her as a yearling for Oussama Aboughazale for $135,000, and then she comes back, she wins a grade 1, and we get to sell her tonight," said Mark Taylor, vice president of sales and marketing at Taylor Made. "It's a great result for Mr. Zedan. Northern Farm got a great mare. There's really no mare in the last couple years that I have more respect for with her sheer brilliance on the track. It's a win-win for everybody." With Japanese connections active throughout the sale, Taylor said he has continued to see Japan build upon its racing and breeding programs. "I think it's a continuation of what they've been doing the last 20 years," he said."They obviously have a lot of respect and a big appetite for American speed and bloodlines and class. They come here and they're really building up their own product and now they're winning Breeders' Cups here. I'm very happy for them, and they're great customers and I think they're just continuing to build." Simply Ravishing, another filly who was undefeated in her first three starts at 2 last year and captured the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1), went to Yoshida for $1.7 million. The 3-year-old Laoban filly was bred in New York by Meg Levy out of the More Than Ready mare Four Wishes. McPeek purchased Simply Ravishing for $50,000 from Levy's Bluewater Sales at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale. The filly earned $426,200 on the track for Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables. She was consigned by Gainesway, agent, as Hip 233. Yoshida struck earlier in the sale at $1.6 million for Duopoly, a 4-year-old Animal Kingdom filly who won the 2020 American Oaks (G1T). Duopoly was bred in Kentucky by Jamm out of the grade 3-winning Danehill Dancer mare Justaroundmidnight and hails from the female family of European champion older mare Starlet and grade 1 winner Unknown Quantity. She was previously a $160,000 purchase by Chilmark Bloodstock from the Mill Ridge Sales consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Klaravich Stables had Duopoly in training with Chad Brown and the filly won four of six races to earn $308,034. Prior to the American Oaks she was victorious in the Winter Memories Stakes. The chestnut was offered by ELiTE, agent, as Hip 161. "Duopoly, she's a wow physical. Chad Brown, Seth Klarman, their program, they buy great physicals," said Brad Weisbord, founder and managing partner of ELiTE." Weisbord said the ELiTE horses making their way to Japan were going to great homes. "The results the Japanese got over the weekend in the Breeders' Cup, it's phenomenal, but it shouldn't be surprising to anybody. They're buying the best. They bring them home, they're breeding the best. And then now, they're bringing them back over to win our best races," Weisbord said. "So it's a phenomenal result for the country, and a phenomenal result for their training team to come over and win our best races. We're rooting for them not only with our stock that they're buying but for the stock they're breeding back home. We're very thankful that they're continuing to participate." Mongolian Changa, the dam of this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Awesome Again Stakes (G1) winner Medina Spirit, went the way of Yoshida for $1.05 million. The 7-year-old Brilliant Speed mare is in foal to Not This Time. From the family of multiple grade 1 winner High Yield, Mongolian Changa was bred in Kentucky by Mongolian Stables out of the Unbridled mare Bridled. She was previously bought for $9,000 by Wayne Rice from her breeder's consignment to the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale. Medina Spirit, who recently was second in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), was bred by Gail Rice in Florida. Mongolian Changa was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, as Hip 210. Yoshida went to $775,000 for graded stakes winner Heavenhasmynikki. Winner of the 2019 Vagrancy Handicap (G3), Heavenhasmynikki is a 6-year-old daughter of Majestic Warrior in foal to Into Mischief. She was consigned by James B. Keogh (Grovendale), agent, as Hip 188. Shadai Secures Grade 1 Winners Dayoutoftheoffice, winner of the 2020 Frizette Stakes (G1), was bought for $2.85 million in the name of the Yoshida family's Shadai Farm, operated by the brothers Katsumi, Haruya, and Teruya. The 3-year-old Into Mischief filly was bred in Kentucky by Siena Farm out of the Indian Charlie mare Gottahaveadream. Her third dam is grade 1 winner Race the Wild Wind, who produced group 1 winner King Charlemagne and is granddam of grade 1 winners Daredevil and Albertus Maximus. Dayoutoftheoffice was offered to The November Sale by ELiTE, agent, as Hip 156. "She was an exceptional filly last year, 95 Beyer, which is the fastest of any 2-year-old filly this year or last," said Jake Memolo, who handles client relations for ELiTE. "Into Mischief's best 2-year-old filly ever, it was an honor to do it for a farm like Siena and Tim Hamm." Siena Farm and trainer Tim Hamm campaigned Dayoutoftheoffice. The filly was undefeated in her first three starts at 2, which included the Schuylerville Stakes (G3) and the Frizette, before finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). In two starts at 3 this year, Dayoutoftheoffice was second in the Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Smithfield (G2) and fourth in the Acorn Stakes (G1). She has earned $642,300. Shadai late in the sale went to $2.6 million for Carina Mia, an 8-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon in foal to Uncle Mo. Carina Mia was a $1.4 million earner who won the 2016 Acorn Stakes (G1) for Three Chimneys Farm. She was sold as Hip 252 Tuesday by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent (to dissolve a partnership). Carina Mia was bred by Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky out of the Southern Halo mare Miss Simpatia and is a half sister to Argentinean group 1 winner Miss Match. Three Chimneys paid $410,000 for Carina Mia from the Warrendale Sales consignment to the 2014 Keeneland September sale.