Ward Strikes For $600,000 Golden Pal Filly

Golden Pal’s trainer Wesley Ward led the way for the stallion during the first week of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale when teaming up with Breeze Easy to buy a $600,000 filly.

Bred by I-Hope Farms, the February-born filly is the first out of her winning Into Mischief dam Risk Model.

That mare is one of five winners out of Grade II-placed Boleyn alongside multiple Grade III winner Dr B, Practical Joke’s stakes winning Stand Up Comic, and stakes winner Hi Holiday. Stakes form is abundant in this family with Boleyn one of four stakes performers out of Magnificent Baby with the group led by stakes winner Magnificent Val. Magnificent Baby is out of the Grade I winning Magnificent Lindy.

Amo Racing went to $525,000 to purchase a Golden Pal colt out of Opening Act from Burleson Farms.

Bred by Nice Guys Pinhooking, this is the first foal out of a half-sister to Uncle Mo’s three-time Grade I winner Bast and stakes placed Royal Slipper. There is plenty of stakes form on this page from top to bottom with the colt’s stakes-placed third dam St Lucinda the dam of five stakes performers. The group is led by Grade II winner and Grade I-placed Mananan Mclir, stakes winner and Grade III-placed Big Sur, and stakes winner Charming N Lovable.

Charming N Lovable produced Grade I winner Fault and two other stakes performers as one of two St Lucinda daughters who produced Grade I winners and one of four daughters to produce stakes performers. One of Charming N Lovable’s daughters also saw her Uncle Mo daughter No Mo Candy finish third in the Grade II Ballston Spa after winning the Grade II Pebbles Stakes. Another one of Charming N Loveable’s daughters is the dam of Grade I winner Juju’s Map.

Rounding out the top three for Golden Pal was a colt offered by Paramount Sales selling to Louis Dubois as agent for Wesley Ward for $500,000.

Selling early in Book 1, the colt is a half-brother to Mendelssohn’s multiple stakes winner Opus Forty Two and two other winners from three to race out of Laquesta. Bred by Rose Hill Farm and John Trumbulovic, the colt’s granddam is a full sister to Grade III winner Heart Ashley and half-sister to Grade I winner Cupid and Grade III winner Ashley’s Kitty. Heart Ashley is the dam of two stakes performers and the granddam of Grade II winner Ain’t Easy.

Those under third dam Pretty ‘n Smart’s name also include Grade II winner Kathleen O and Grade III winner and Grade I-placed V V’s Dream along with Justify’s Grade III-placed Supa Speed.

Golden Pal also saw his yearlings bring $475,000, $375,000, $350,000, etc. with a $255,870 average for 23 sold in the first two books. He has 73 left to sell during the second week of Keeneland September.