By Bloodhorse.com
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 14, 2020) – Ten-year-old California-bred Inflamed, who was thrust into the spotlight when her first foal Mo Forza ran away with the Hollywood Derby (G1T) on his way to earning an Eclipse Award nomination, will take the long trip to Japan in the coming months to join the ranks of Shadai Farm.
Consigned by Glen Hill Farm as Hip 795E to the Jan. 14 session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, the mare was purchased on a final bid of $525,000 by bloodstock agent Naohiro Hosoda, who signed the ticket on behalf of Terry Yoshida of Shadai Farm.
The price was the third-highest paid for a mare during Tuesday’s session.
Hosoda said that Shadai was impressed with the mare’s pedigree as much as they were with her progeny, which have showed considerable strength and speed on the track so far.
“She is the dam of Mo Forza, who is a tough horse,” said Hosoda. “Japanese racing is tough on the main track. She’s a proven mare and she’s still young, only 10-years-old.”
Inflamed, by the late stallion Unusual Heat, was bred in California by Madeline Auerbach, Barry Abrams, and Sonny Pais. Out of the Afternoon Deelites mare Little Hottie, she is a full sister to La Jolla Handicap (G2T) winner Burns and to grade 1-placed winner Brushburn.
“Unusual Heat was also California’s leading sire,” said Hosoda. “The progeny do good on fast ground and in Japan, we have the same racing on fast ground.”
Inflamed was previously purchased in the fall by Glen Hill Farm for $170,000 from the Paramount Sales consignment to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She was offered to the January sale in foal to Tapiture .
“Mo Forza was on the page but … I just expected her to make more money in November,” said Craig Bernick of Glen Hill. “Mo Forza won the Hollywood Derby then followed it up with another win and he looks like he’s on a good track. She’s only 10-years-old. It’s hard to find a 10-year-old mare in January that is a grade 1 producer. I guess she goes to Japan and they’ve got one of the best breeding programs in the world.”
As of now, Hosoda said no future mating has been planned for the mare and that Mr. Yoshida would prefer to ship her to Japan before taking any next steps.
Shadai Farm purchased one other mare at Tuesday’s sale, a $100,000 daughter of Wilburn named India Mantuana, who was consigned as Hip 698 by Eaton Sales, agent. Bred in Kentucky by Paul Knapper out of the stakes-winning Tomorrows Cat mare Speed Wagon, India Mantuana was offered in foal to Accelerate .
“It was a good day,” said Bernick, whose Glen Hill also sold the day’s second-highest priced mare in Confidently (Hip 595), a $560,000 War Front filly out of the Arch mare Playa Maya and a half sister to champion Uncle Mo . Bred in Kentucky by the Playa Maya Syndicate, the 4-year-old was purchased by James Schenck, agent.
The January sale marked the first return to the sales scene for Glen Hill in more than a decade, and Bernick was quick to give credit to the efforts of his crew for the impressive rates of return.
“It’s about the horses,” said Bernick. “And we have a great crew. Lindsay Schultz (who manages Glen Hill’s Florida farm) did the equine program at Louisville and was an assistant to Tom Proctor and was in Darley Flying Start … she has worked a sale or two but never in a management position. And this is her first sale where she’s ever run a barn and she sold two of the three most expensive horses in the sale. So she did a great job. It was nice. It was a good day.”
As of the close of Tuesday’s session, Glen Hill had sold five horse for receipts of $1,227,500.