With the 3rd Anniversary of the opening of their Kentucky Division quickly approaching, Bonne Chance Farm is putting the finishing touches on their 2018 yearling class. 12 yearlings will be offered at Keeneland’s September Sale with 6 of those appearing in book 1.
“In September of 2015 we started with a handful of horses and now, three years later, we are offering our largest yearling crop to date. This is, without a doubt, the best group of yearlings we’re bringing to a sale so far. We’re all really proud of this crop”, comments Bloodstock Manager Leah Alessandroni.
The group consists of yearlings from 5 graded stakes performing mares and 5 graded stakes or stakes producing mares with family connections that include the likes of Red Ruby (G2 winner), Wavell Avenue (G1 Winner), Hillaby (G2 winner), Grand Aventure (G2 winner), Personal Ensign (G1 winner), Mufahaah (G3 winner), Shadow Cast (G1 winner), and War Decree (G2 Winner) among others.
Assistant Farm Manager Dalton Durr reflected that “the quality and class in this group of yearlings from start to finish has been right up there with any top crop of yearlings in the country”. This is high praise considering he has worked with yearlings such as stakes-placed Miss Centerfold, G3 winner Gale Force and G1 winner Lord Nelson.
If the past 3 years are any indication, Bonne Chance Farm has every reason to believe that the future is bright. From their first crop of KY bred foals, the first two-year-old runners were both winners on debut. Iva (’16 F by Scatt Daddy o/o Sushi Empire) led the way at Indian Grand on May 16th for her breeders and trainer Wesley Ward followed 3 days later by Evasive Power (’16 C by Elusive Quality o/o Casting Director) who won in a gutsy move for owner/trainer Michael O’Callaghan at Navan Racecourse in Ireland.
“To have the first two farm-bred runners be winners first time out was huge for us. It was great for the whole team and the entire program”, remarked Farm Manager John Durr. “There were only 7 foals in that crop. All the others seem to be working well and we’re hearing really encouraging reports from their new connections”.
Still to start from that crop is Cambier Parc (’16 filly by Medaglia d’Oro o/o Sealy Hill) who was purchased by OXO Equine for $1.25 million from last years September Sale and Exsqueeze Me (’16 filly by Exhi o/o Lucas Street) who is a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner, Wavell Avenue.
“Our program is centered around quality over quantity. We almost doubled the foal crop going from 7 yearlings last year to 12 this year. We have 15 foals on the ground this year and aim to have around 20 in 2019. That will be our max number. We have a lot of interesting mares coming off the track for us including a Medaglia d’Oro filly from the family of Gun Runner and a Galileo half-sister to Drosselmeyer. It’s all very exciting”.
See below for a full list of Bonne Chance bred yearlings offered at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale:
| Horse | Book | Hip # | Consignor |
| C by Empire Maker x Lucas Street by Silver Deputy | 1 | 142 | Gainesway |
| C by Uncle Mo x Rubindy by Bernardini | 1 | 357 | Gainesway |
| F by Medaliga d’Oro x Sealy Hill by Point Given | 1 | 378 | Gainesway |
| C by Speightstown x Baruta (BRZ) by Crimson Tide | 1 | 683 | Hidden Brook |
| F by Uncle Mo x Carolyn’s Cat by Forestry | 1 | 745 | Hidden Brook |
| F by Street Sense x Casting Director by Bernardini | 1 | 748 | Hidden Brook |
| C by Giant’s Causeway x Unbound by Distorted Humor | 2 | 1231 | Gainesway |
| F by Ghostzapper x Sushi Empire by Empire Maker | 3 | 2025 | Gainesway |
| F by Verrazano x Back Up Preacher by Pulpit | 3 | 2104 | Gainesway |
| C by Lemon Drop Kid x La Reine Lionne by Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) | 3 | 2266 | Hidden Brook |
| C by Stormy Atlantic x Elementar by More Than Ready | 3 | 2597 | Hidden Brook |
| F by Hard Spun x Empress Maker by Empire Maker | 3 | 2601 | Hidden Brook |