Sam-Son Farms Begins Dispersal at Night of the Stars

The announcement recently that famed Thoroughbred farm Sam-Son will disperse all of its racing and breeding stock came as a shock to the industry and the first offerings sold Nov. 8 at Fasig-Tipton’s November sale, the ‘Night of the Stars’.

Four fancy fillies sold for $3,450,000 in Lexington at the strong sale that featured the sale of a litany of impressive fillies and mares including MONOMOY GIRL, winners of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff a day earlier, who sold for $9.5 million.

Sam-Son, which has farms in Milton, ON, and Ocala, FLA sold DESERT ISLE, a stakes winning daughter of Bernardini, for $1.1 million to Hill ‘n; Dale at Xalapa. A half sister to champion and Queen’s Plate winner Eye of the Leopard and stakes winners Hotep and Deceptive Vision, Desert Isle sold in foal to American Pharaoh.

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RIDEFORTHECAUSE won her first stakes race for Sam-Son in September of this year when she took the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes by four lengths for trainer Gail Cox, brought $1 million selling as a racing or broodmare prospect to Alpha Delta Stables. The Candy Ride (Arg) 4-year-old is from Danceforthecause by Giant’s Causeway and is a half-sister to this year’s graded stakes winner Say the Word. The second dam is Dancethruthedawn, a daughter of the great Dance Smartly.

The mare’s name has an interesting back story. “I had the idea to take half of her career earnings and to give them to charity,” said Sam-Son CEO Mark Samuel. “Kim and Rick enthusiastically supported the idea and that is exactly what has happened. At the end of her racing career/ownership with us we will take half of her lifetime earnings and split them 3 ways between three deserving charities! Paying it forward!”

Alpha Delta Stables of Jon Clay is the breeder of graded stakes winner Vekoma who recently retired to stud.

Champion 3-year-old filly of 2019 and Woodbine Oaks winner DESERT RIDE sold as a racing or broodmare prospect for $725,000 to Shimokobe Farm, Polo Green Stable, agent. The Candy Ride (Arg) 4-year-old, unplaced in one race this year, is out of a half sister to Desert Isle.

SHARED ACCOUNT, a 14-year-old who won the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, sold for $625,000 to Gainesway Farm in foal to top sire Speightstown. The daughter of Pleasantly Perfect, dam of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf winner Sharing, was bought by San-Son just 2 years ago at Keeneland November for $550,000 in foal to Mastery and she had a filly in 2019.

Sam-Son recently sold a share of its graded stakes winners from 2020 SAY THE WORD and COUNT AGAIN to Agave Racing in California and those horses will race there this fall.

Sam-Son Farm will present its remaining in-foal mares at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of all Ages Sale. This consignment currently stands at 21 and will feature a unique audio video presentation of each individual mare on the morning of Saturday January 9th. This quality group includes Grade 1 producers Danceforthecause and Song of the Lark as well as young stakes winning mares Checkered Past, Dance Again, Deceptive Vision, Mythical Mission, Smartyfly and Southern Ring. Covering sires include American Pharoah, Candy Ride (ARG), Into Mischief, Kitten’s Joy, Speightstown and Street Sense.

*FRANK STRONACH has some 90 mares and weanlings catalogued for the KEENELAND NOVEMBER BREEDING STOCK SALE (Nov. 9 -18) as part of a major reduction of breeding stock. The horses are consigned by Hidden Brook Farm, agent XXXI

Champion and Queen’s Plate winner HOLY HELENA is hip no. 28. The daughter of Ghostzapper won $1.3 million and is carrying her first foal, by Quality Road.

Woodbine Oaks winner, 2016, NESHAMA is carrying her 3rd foal by Munnings and stakes placed HOT CASH sells in foal to Curlin.

There are a litany of Ontario-bred weanlings in the Stronach/Hidden Brook consignment including youngsters from the second crop of Queen’s Plate winner Shaman Ghost.