Half Siblings to Grade 1 Winners on Offer at Keeneland

Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale kicks off the 2025 sales season in style, with two mares on offer who are half siblings to grade 1 winners and Eclipse Award finalists. Mystify, cataloged as Hip 325, by Four Star Sales, agent, is a half sister to Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Straight No Chaser, an Eclipse Award finalist for both Champion Male Sprinter and Older Dirt Male. The 6-year-old son of Speightster, campaigned by MyRacehorse, earned $1,170,500 in 2024. He is being pointed towards possible starts in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) and the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1). The 5-year-old daughter of Connect was bred in Kentucky by Dr. John Eaton and Dr. Steve Laymon. She is out of the Johannesburg mare Margarita Friday, who is the dam of seven foals to race, and six winners. Mystify received a timely update Jan. 11, when her full brother T Kraft broke his maiden at Aqueduct going six furlongs on the dirt for trainer Bill Mott. "He (T Kraft) was impressive," said John Greathouse of Glencrest Farm, where Mystify has prepped prior to the sale. "Hopefully that spikes more interest. She's a nice mare." Mystify is offered in foal to Vekoma, the leading freshman sire of 2024. The grade 1-winning son of Candy Ride (ARG), out of Humana Distaff (G1) winner Mona de Momma, has sired five black-type winners, 14 black-type horses, and 39 winners, tying the all-time record for 2-year-old winners in a single year by a North American sire. He is the sire of Iroquois Stakes (G3) winner Jonathan's Way, and recent stakes winner Five G, who won the Cash Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 1 by nine lengths. "I've been a big Vekoma fan since the start," said Greathouse. "I think he was a hell of a racehorse, and extremely fast, he's got the looks to go with it, the pedigree with Candy Ride, who is a sire of sires. I think it was a great mating, it really suits her (Mystify), and hopefully that draws some appeal to buyers because he has had such a great start (at stud)." Mischief My Way, a 4-year-old filly by leading sire Into Mischief, is a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner Adare Manor, who is an Eclipse Award finalist for Champion Older Dirt Female. She is cataloged as Hip 301, and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent. Mischief My Way is out of the graded stakes-winning mare Brooklynsway, and was bred in Kentucky by Town and Country Horse Farms. Brooklynsway, who is by Giant Gizmo, RNA'd at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton November Sale for $1.2 million. Adare Manor, a 6-year-old daughter of the late Uncle Mo, started 2024 with a game second in the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) and won her next three starts at three different racetracks. She followed up her Beholder Mile effort with a win in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) last April and captured the Clement Hirsch Stakes (G1) Aug. 31 going away in what would be her final career start. She retired with a record of 10 wins from 18 starts and $2,096,600 in earnings. Adare Manor headed to the sales ring last Fall where she sold for $2.8 million to Katsumi Yoshida at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale. "It's a very good, active female family," said Travis White, vice president at Taylor Made Sales Agency. "There's several fillies under that first dam that have sold well. She stands out here— who she's by, who she's out of, definitely jumps off the page in this sale." White mentioned a 2-year-old colt named Epic Desire, who is a full brother to Adare Manor, and currently in training with JJ Pletcher, and will head to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The colt sold privately for $1 million, and hopes to follow in the footsteps of his older sister. "That's another really important part of this whole component," he added. "It's another potential update, I think it just shows that the family produces good-looking foals that sell well. It could be another good thing to happen on this page in the future." The filly's half sister Nosleeptilbrooklyn, a 3-year-old filly by Ghostzapper, sold for $500,000 during the 2023 Keeneland September Sale. She is currently in training with Brian Lynch, for owners Flying Dutchman Breeding and Racing. "She (Mischief My Way) has been very popular," said White. "A lot of interest. The big people that are here, they've all come to look at her. I'm very excited, and thankful to Town and Country to give us the opportunity to sell her."