LEXINGTON, Ky. _ A filly by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah hasn't even set foot on a racetrack but she's already setting records.
On Wednesday, the yearling filly, who is known only as Hip No. 498 for now, sold for a record $8.2 million at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington.
It's the highest price yet for offspring by American Pharoah and it's the highest price ever paid for a filly at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, a huge annual auction of thousands of Thoroughbred yearlings. The price tied for fourth highest ever paid at the sale. (The official September record is $11.7 million for a son of Kingmambo named Meydan City, purchased on behalf of Godolphin in 2006.)
What made this one so special? She's the quintessential blue blood. Besides being the daughter of a Triple Crown winner, she's also the half-sister of four-time champion Beholder, as well as top stallion Into Mischief and 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelsohn.
According to Keeneland, the filly was purchased by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm; she was consigned by breeder Clarkland Farm, which purchased her mother, Leslie's Lady, for $100,000 at the 2006 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
