About three-quarters of the way through the fourth session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, mare Sheikh’s Serenade was landed by Japan’s Shimokobe Farm for $550,000.
Consigned by Warrendale Sales, agent, the 8-year-old Unbridled’s Song mare, who was bred in Kentucky by Live Oak Stud, was the first horse to sell for more than a half-million dollars during the Nov. 7 session in Lexington. She is pregnant to Hat Trick .
“It far exceeded our expectations,” said Hunter Simms, partner with Kitty Taylor in Warrendale Sales. “She’s a lovely mare, and it helps with the update with Better Lucky running second in the Filly and Mare Sprint (gr. IT). Updates always help, and she was nice. Looks like she’s off to Japan.”
A winner of three of seven career race starts, Sheikh’s Serenade is out of Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Desert Stormer, by Storm Cat. Sheikh’s Serenade is a half sister to grade II winner Sahara Gold, dam of grade I winner Better Lucky and grade III winner Sahara Heat.
