Home » Half-brother to Tapit brings $1 million to top Keeneland April Sale

Half-brother to Tapit brings $1 million to top Keeneland April Sale

Keeneland sold 38 horses for $8,769,000 during sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 8, 2014) – The Malibu Moon colt who is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner and leading sire Tapit brought $1 million Monday during the 22nd annual Keeneland April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He was purchased by the partnership of Gainesway, Greg Goodman’s Mt. Brilliant Farm and Robert LaPenta.

The price marked the first time since 2009 that the sale’s highest-priced horse reached $1 million.

Malibu Moon was purchased for $1 million during the 22nd annual Keeneland April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
Malibu Moon was purchased for $1 million during the 22nd annual Keeneland April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

The colt, who was consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent, is out of the stakes-winning Unbridled mare Tap Your Heels, a half-sister to champion sprinter Rubiano. During the April 3 Preview Show, the colt worked an eighth-mile in :9.4.

“He moved over the ground really well,” said Antony Beck of Gainesway, which stands Tapit. “He just skipped along effortlessly. He had great action and he’s a large horse so hopefully he’ll win some stakes for us.”

Beck said the colt would be trained by Chad Brown, who also will train the sale’s second-highest-priced offering, a son of Medaglia d’Oro who brought $770,000 from LaPenta’s Whitehorse Stables.

Out of Grade 1 winner Victory Ride, the colt is a half-brother to the dam of Grade 1-placed 3-year-old Ride On Curlin. During the Preview Show, he breezed a quarter-mile in :20, the fastest time at the distance. He was consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.

“He’s got some speed on the bottom,” said John Panagot, LaPenta’s racing manager, who signed the ticket. “He’s obviously by Medaglia d’Oro, one of the boss’s favorites, and out of a stakes-winning mare that can fly.”

Keeneland sold 38 horses for $8,769,000 compared to $11,640,000 for 59 horses last year. The average of $230,763 was 17 percent higher than last year’s $197,288, while the median of $200,000 increased 33 percent from $150,000 in 2013.

“We sold the first horse for $1 million in many years and the second-highest price ($770,000) was higher than last year,” Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said. “A disappointing number of outs but, unfortunately, Keeneland doesn’t have any control over that. The horses that went through the ring sold very well. There was a large number of trainers and a healthy pool of buyers here, underlining the fact that Keeneland is a great place to sell 2-year-olds.”

Niall Brennan Stables was the leading consignor, selling six horses for $2.36 million.

The next sale at Keeneland is the 70th annual September Yearling Sale, which is scheduled for Sept. 8-19.