Our seventh and final (we think) purchase from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale is this gorgeous son of Liam’s Map out of Whispurring Kitten by Discreet Cat. This colt is our most expensive purchase in nearly 10 years. We knew we wanted him very quickly after we first saw him in the back ring. It took a bit to get there, but we couldn’t be more pleased! We weren’t the only ones impressed by him as Brendan Walsh committed to take 25% of him as soon as Marc sent him the sale picture and video.
Liam’s Map is a son of the great Unbridled’s Song. He compiled a record of 6-2-0 and earnings of $1,358,940 from eight starts. He won the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream at three as well as the GI Woodward Stakes at Saratoga and the GI Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland at age four. His notable progeny include G1 winners Determinisitc (Manhattan Stakes x 2, Four Star Dave x2); Burnham Square (Arlington Millions, Blue Grass Stakes); Napoleon Solo (Preakness Stakes, Champagne Stakes); Colonel Liam (Pegasus World Cup Turf x 2); Juju’s Map (Alcibiades Stakes); Basin (Hopeful Stakes); and Wicked Whisper (Frizette Stakes, Miss Preakness Stakes). He is currently #12 on the general sire list and #4 on the turf sire list.
Whispurring Kitten is a multiple stakes placed daughter of Discreet Cat. She compiled a career record of 6-4-5 and $242,949 in earning from 23 starts. She ran third in the Very One Stakes and second in the Sensible Lady Turf Dash Stakes, both at Pimlico. This colt is her first foal. Discreet Cat mares have produced 20 stakes winners including two this year.
The colt went through the ring immediately after we purchased the Bolt d’Oro filly by Whimsical Muse. Before they both went through the ring, we were discussing whether or not to wait for the colt or just get her and see where we were. Before she went through, Jared told Marc to go to $120,000 if we got her. The bidding started while Jared was filling out the purchase papers on the filly and he was not standing next to Marc as he usually does. The bidding stalled at $120,000 but the bid was not on us. Jared yelled for Marc to keep going to at least $150,000, but he didn’t hear. By the time Jared got to him, the hammer had fallen. As it turned out, Scott Kintz, a 2YO pinhooker we know well had purchased him. We told him what happened and that we’d buy him right then for $150,000. He spoke with his partners and he agreed. We don’t think it really cost us that much more money than if we’d have kept going in the live bidding as Scott told us he still had money to go further. Regardless of how it worked out, we brought him home at a price we were willing to pay and we couldn’t be happier.
The colt has good size: not too big and not too small, he’s a handy type, which we like. He should finish out right around 16.0 hand. He is a scopey sort, without being too long over his back and he has exceptional strength, in all the right places. By that we mean he isn’t overly burdened with mass over his front end. We’ll take as much strength as we can get behind (of which he has tons). That makes for an athletic horse. He has buckets of strength in his hip, tibia, gaskins, etc., but he’s light on his feet up front.
He is correct through his knees and ankles which should help him stay sound. His angles suggest he’ll most likely do his best running on turf, but it’s hard to say for sure until we get him going. What separates this horse from so many others is the way he moves. As stated already, he is very athletic for such a powerful horse. If he were a football player, he’d be the 6-1 linebacker that runs a 4.4 40-yard dash. When he walks, his hind limbs really get underneath him and extend a long way. Then he plants and drives, engages his hocks and pushes offer powerfully. Meanwhile, he’s moving like a big cat up front.
The colt is SOLD OUT!
