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SIRES AND DAMS* NELS0N dunstan LEXINGTON, KY., June 24.— This year the 320 colts and fillies to be sold at Keeneland late in July are sired by 96 stallions and there is always a question in these pre-day sales as to which of them will prove the most popular with bidders at the ringside. In every year there is a certain number of sires whose youngsters bring high prices and by "high" we mean colts and fillies who draw a final bid of 0,000 or more. Last year there were at least 11 whose get drew high final bids and listing pCthem alphabetically, with ro thought of comparison, they were Alibhai, Blenheim n., Bull Lea, Count Fleet, Eight Thirty, Heliopolis, Mahmoud, Polynesian, Roman, Shut Out and War Admiral. Not all of the yearlings sold under the banner of these particular stallions brought a final offer of oyer 0,000, for practically every one of them had others who were sold for a lesser figure. Mahmoud has been very popular with buyers for quite a few years and just last season nine of his youngsters sold at public auction brought 0,000 or more, while the only one to be sold under that figure was a filly out of Bashful that sold for ,200. Blenheim XL, the sire of Mahmoud, and who is now 26 years old, is one of the most remarkable stallions ever to send youngsters into the salesring. A year ago, six of his yearlings sold for over 0,000 with four going under that figure. V A A A Both Blenheim n. and Mahmoud have made great contributions to racing and breeding in this country. They have sent winner after winner to the races and it is not surprising that buyers enter into keen bidding when their babes are sent into the ring. They will be scarcer this year than ever for there are only two colts by Blenheim n. and a colt and filly by Mahmoud to be offered in Kentucky this summer. Buck Browning of the Cave Spring Ninety-Six Sires Represented at Keeneland Only Four by Blenheim ll.f Mahmoud in Sale Polynesian, Royal Gem II. Will Be Popular Many Other Fine Sires Have Babes in Sales Farm has a bay colt by Blenheim n., out of Bird Hawk, urhilo +.Vi » Walnnf: firvrin ere TParm unll caII a. hatr nnlf. Tnir Blenheim n., out of the mare Happy Birthday. Leslie Combs n., who is the master of Spendthrift Farm and who topped last years sales in average, is the only consignor with Mahmouds to sell and one is a gray colt from Gallawood, while the other is a bay filly out of Durazna. The latter is the miss that Lord Derby raved about when in this country to the point where he would exchange any of his yearling in this years crop for the Mahmoud miss in the Combs consignment. She is a beauty and it would not surprise us if she brought one of the highest prices for those of her sex to be heard at Keeneland. Bull Lea is another stallion who is represented by very few at public auction. Undoubtedly one of the greatest sires of all times, his get bring high prices and of the five sold last year, four of them brought from 4,500 down to 4,000, with the remaining one selling at ,000. Only the fact that this last one was a twin stopped the son of Bull Dog from having every one of his youngsters sell at over 0,000. There-is only one Bull Lea to be sold at Keeneland this year and he is a colt out of the imported mare, As Relief, from the consignment of the Chaswil Farms. AAA In every years sales there is peculation as to whether the youngsters of a_sire will bring greater prices than they did the year before. Basing our statement on what has transpired this year we are of the opinion that both Polynesians and Royal Gem n.s will command higher prices than they did a year ago. And we say that regardless of the fact that Polynesians colts and fillies were highly popular at the salesrings in 1952. A year ago, 11 of his babes were sold with six of them bringing final bids of from 6,500 down to 1,000, and the other five selling at from ,000 to ,500. Royal Gem H. has had only two crops to go to the races and was practically an untried sire when his yearlings were sold at Keeneland last season. There were 23 offered and had Royal Bay Gem and uarK fapar accomplished prior to last years sales what they have this year, his prices, we dare say, would have been higher than they were. In all, 23 of his yearlings were sent into the ring and they brought from ,600 down to 00. Both Polynesian and Royal Gem n. will be well represented at Keeneland this season and when we take the successes of Native Dancer, Royal Bay Gem and Dark Star into consideration, it is safe to say that if the youngsters measure up In conformation the prices should be higher. Warner Jones, master of Hermitage Farm and the importer of Royal Gem n., will sell seven yearlings, two of which are by the Australian sire. One is a brown colt out of Miss Idabelle, and the other is a chestnut filly out of Tiger Lee. AAA .» During the weeks to come we will have considerable comment on the colts and fillies by the various sires, who will be offered at both the Keeneland and Saratoga sales. In this sketchy column we are only attempting to outline the breeders offerings that are sired by these stallions who have been popular as a result of recent successes and also those who have been well received year after year. Count Fleet, one of the most popular sires of the day, was represented by 12 colfe and fillies last year and eight of them sold for from 0,000 down to 1,500, while the other four fell under the 0,000 mark. The famous Hertz Continued on Page Thirty-Nine I SIRES AND DAMS By NELSON DUN STAN Continued from Page Forty-Eight stallion will be well represented this season and in their own consignment of nine there are no less than three by the crack son of Reigh Count. One is a roan colt out of Obedient, another a bay colt out of Bet You, and the third is a bay filly out of the good mare, Banish. The estate of Samuel D. Riddle has a brown filly by Count Fleet, out of Our Colors, and Dr. Eslie Asbury, master of Forest Retreat Farm, has a bay colt by Capot or -Count Fleet, from»that very fine mare, Jacola. Leslie Brownell Combs will sell a bay filly out of Golden Legend and in their consignment of five, "Charles A. Asbury and his son, Tommy, will sell a bay _f illy by the Hertz stallion, out of Jamesville. This miss is a solid individual, is well muscled and has good conformation. A A A In recent years Heliopolis, Alibhai, Eight Thirty, War Admiral and Shut Out have attracted buyers who seek top colts and also fillies who will augment their owners broodmare bands when retired from the races. Heliopolis was one of the most popu-. lar sires at the 1952 sales for the breeders sold 16 of his colts and fillies and 13 of them , were taken from the ring at from 0,000 down to 0,000. This year, the son of Hyperion, who has made good in this country, will be represented by colts in the consignments of Charles A. Kenney, Daniel OSullivan, Shawnee Farm, and one filly from the High Hope Farm. Alibhai had the honor of topping the stallion list last year, when his colt, now named Cum-ma Sum, from the consignment of Leslie Combs DT., brought 8,000, the highest price heard at any yearling auction during the season. This year Alibhai has only a few in the sale and Combs will offer three fillies by the sire who was brought to Kentucky from California at a price of 00,-000. They are a chestnut colt out of Boudoir II., a bay out of Jerrybuilt, and a .chestnut out of Victorious Ann, While the catalogues have yet to be released, we believe these are the only yearlings by Alibhai to be sold in Kentucky this summer.
