Keeneland Sales and Racing Represented by Numerous 2017 Champions

By Amy Owens —-

Seven champions are alumni of Keeneland sales

LEXINGTON, KY (Jan. 26, 2018) – Keeneland congratulates the 2017 champions of Thoroughbred racing announced last night at the 47th Annual Eclipse Awards Ceremony at Gulfstream Park. Seven champions are graduates of Keeneland sales – Abel Tasman, Caledonia Road, Good Magic, Lady Eli, Roy H, Unique Bella and West Coast – while Keeneland is represented by additional Eclipse Awards recipients Chad Brown, Clearsky Farms, Juddmonte Farms and Jose Ortiz.

Keeneland is the only sales company to be represented by 2017 champions. Alumni are:
Abel Tasman (champion 3-year-old filly): The daughter of Quality Road won the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). Her breeder, Clearsky Farms, which received its first Eclipse Award as outstanding breeder, offered her at Keeneland’s 2015 September Yearling Sale. China Horse Club International races Abel Tasman with Clearsky. (Click here for a video of Abel Tasman at the September Sale.)

Caledonia Road (champion 2-year-old filly): Trainer Ralph Nicks, agent for Zoom and Fish Stable, purchased the Quality Road filly for $140,000 from the consignment of Eaton Sales, agent, at the 2016 September Sale. Zoom and Fish raced Caledonia Road to win the 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) in partnership with Charlie Spiring and Newtown Anner Stud. She was bred by Vegso Racing Stable. (Click here for a video of Caledonia Road at the September Sale.)

Good Magic (champion 2-year-old male): e5 Racing, with Mike Ryan, agent, paid $1 million for the Curlin colt at the 2016 September Sale and raced him to win the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) with breeder Stonestreet. He was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised. (Click here for a video of Good Magic at the 2016 September Sale.)

Lady Eli (champion female turf horse): Winner of the Gamely (G1), Diana (G1) and Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa (G2), Lady Eli is a graduate of two Keeneland sales. Co-breeder Runnymede Farm consigned the daughter of Divine Park to the 2013 September Sale, where Bradley Thoroughbreds, agent, bought her for $160,000. (Click here for a video of Lady Eli at the 2013 September Sale.) She sold for the same amount to Jay Hanley at the 2014 April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where she was consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.

Lady Eli, who raced for Sheep Pond Partners, is to be bred to War Front and cataloged to Keeneland’s 2018 November Sale.

Roy H (champion male sprinter): The More Than Ready gelding, winner of the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) and True North (G2), is a graduate of two Keeneland sales. Claiborne Farm, agent, consigned him to the 2013 September Sale, where Ciaran Dunne purchased him for $115,000. Dunne’s Wavertree Stables consigned Roy H to the 2014 April Sale, where he sold to Rockingham Ranch for $310,000. Rockingham races Roy H with David. A. Bernsen. The gelding was bred by Ramona Bass. (Click here for a video of Roy H at the 2013 September Sale.)

Unique Bella (champion female sprinter): The winner of the La Brea (G1), Las Virgenes (G2), Santa Ynez (G2), L.A. Woman (G3) and Santa Ysabel (G3) sold to owner Don Alberto Corporation at the 2015 September Sale. Bred by Brushwood Stable, she was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. (Click here for a video of Unique Bella in the Keeneland sales ring.)

West Coast (champion 3-year-old male): Ben Glass, agent, paid $425,000 for the Flatter colt from the consignment of Hermitage Farm, agent, at the 2015 September Sale. Gary and Mary West race the winner of the Travers Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), Pennsylvania Derby (G1), Los Alamitos Derby (G3) and Easy Goer (L). He was bred by CFP Thoroughbreds. The colt is to make his next start in Saturday’s $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream. (Click here for a video of West Coast at the September Sale.)

Eclipse Award winners also include horses and people with additional Keeneland connections.

West Coast was second in the Stonestreet Lexington (G3) in April.

Named outstanding trainer for the second consecutive year, Chad Brown sent out Lady Eli to finish second in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1) in April. He also won the Madison (G1) during the Spring Meet with Paulassilverlining, owned by Eclipse Award recipient Juddmonte Farms, and the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G3) during the Fall Meet with Rushing Fall.

Brown, whose stable also includes champion Good Magic, led all North American trainers in 2017 with earnings of $26,202,164. He had 213 wins.

Outstanding breeder Clearsky Farms is a major player at the September Sale.

Juddmonte Farms earned a fourth Eclipse Award as outstanding owner. Juddmonte, which purchased 2016 champion Arrogate at Keeneland’s September Sale, sponsors the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) during the Fall Meet. Juddmonte won the 2017 Madison with Paulassilverlining.

Jose Ortiz, who received his first Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey, rode Paulassilverlining to win the Madison. Ortiz, who recorded 12 wins at Keeneland in 2017, was North America’s leading rider by earnings with $27,318,875.

Eclipse Awards winners were selected by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters. Keeneland sales were represented by 15 finalists.

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In keeping with its mission to serve the Thoroughbred industry, Keeneland is proud to have partnered with National Thoroughbred Racing Association to provide sponsorship for last night’s Eclipse Awards Ceremony. Keeneland teamed with Maker’s Mark, a longtime supporter of Thoroughbred racing, to host the pre-event cocktail party. Prior to the ceremony, Eclipse Award connections and guests enjoyed live music and signature cocktails, including the Maker’s Mark Keeneland Breeze served in wax-dipped souvenir glasses. Maker’s Mark also presented all Eclipse Award winners with a bottle of Maker’s 46 bourbon.