NEWS
Heeremandi commands $2.15-million at Keeneland November sale
Posted: Monday, November 05, 2001
Heeremandi (Ire), a six-year-old stakes winning mare by Royal Academy and a granddaughter of the great broodmare Cosmah, brought the highest price of the first half of Monday's first session of the Keeneland November sale on a $2.15-million bid by John Sikura. Consigned by Lane's End on behalf of Stanley Gumberg's Skara Glen Stable, the half-sister to four stakes winners and to the dam of two-time champion Flawlessly is in foal to leading sire Storm Cat.
"That was for myself and a couple of partners," said Sikura, consignor earlier in the day of the top priced weanling of the sale thus far. "She's from a great family, the family of Cosmah, in foal to the right horse. I hope we get lucky."
Cosmah is dam of champion Tosmah and leading sire Halo, as well as half sister to Natalma, dam of Northern Dancer.
"I'm always happy," Gumberg said when asked about the price. "That was about the range we expected."
The only other seven-figure horses of the first half of the session were the Grade 1-winning maiden broodmare prospects Jostle and Dreams Gallore. Winner of the 1999 Mother Goose Stakes (G1), Dreams Gallore was purchased for $1.6-million by Live Oak Stud, with general manager Bert Mickle doing the bidding, from the Three Chimneys Sales consignment. A five-year-old by Silver Ghost out of Fitnah, by Fit to Fight, Dreams Gallore is a half sister to Grade 3 winner Fateful Dream and has won five of 15 starts for earnings of $588,615.
Agent Kim Nardelli purchased Jostle, winner of the 2000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1), on behalf of Pete Whitman for $1.7-million from the Lane's End consignment. A four-year-old by Brocco out of Moon Drone, by Drone, Jostle has won eight of 19 starts and has earned $1,381,682.—John P. Sparkman
