NEWS
Pinhooking success continues for Whitechurch Farm
Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:36 AM
by Pete Denk
David and Ann Hanley’s Whitechurch Farm continued an amazing pinhooking streak with the sale of an $875,000 Medaglia d’Oro colt and a Tiznow filly for $725,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of selected yearlings.
The Hanleys found both horses at the 2008 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, paying $165,000 for the Medaglia d’Oro colt and $240,000 for the Tiznow filly.
Whitechurch also sold the sale toppers at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale of selected yearlings in both 2008 and ’09 with shrewd pinhooks. All of the yearlings were picked out by the Irish-transplant couple and consigned by Kitty Taylor’s Warrendale Sales, agent.
The Hanleys prep their own horses at their Lexington farm.
“We’re just thrilled. We feel so lucky it’s worked out the way it has,” David Hanley said. “We bought the right sires, obviously, and we just loved the horses we were buying. Thankfully, they all went the right way and improved to be where they needed to be.
“It seems like the top end is where you need to be right now. You need horses that can make the cut for those people who play at the upper levels.”
The Hanleys sold an Exchange Rate filly—purchased for $100,000 at the 2007 Keeneland November sale—for $375,000 to top the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale. The couple returned this year and duplicated the feat with a Medaglia d’Oro filly out of Ting a Folie (Arg) who brought $425,000.
The Hanleys purchased the 2009 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale topper for $85,000 earlier in the year at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.
Before moving to America seven years ago, David Hanley already was an accomplished pinhooker and trainer. He co-bred and trained Golden Apples (Ire), who went on to be champion turf female in the United States in 2002.
Hanley is a former partner in Hurricane Hall and designed the Lexington farm and training center’s uphill gallop. Now, he and Ann are concentrating on the pinhooking game.
“We’ve got seven for [the] Keeneland September [yearling sale], and now we just want to get home and get on top of them and keep this going,” Hanley said.
Pete Denk is sales editor for Thoroughbred Times
