TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 11 OF 13

Verrazano Filly Turns Heads at Fasig A filly by GI Haskell Invitational S. winner Verrazano (More Than Ready) helped get her first-season sire off to a strong start in the yearling market when selling for $230,000 to the bid of pinhooker John Brocklebank. AI just really liked her, Brocklebank said. She made my heart thump and the kind like that has always worked for me in the past. I knew she was going to cost a little bit of money. And if you look at the page, you might not earmark it that high, but I think a lot of people, including this guy, thought she was one of the best fillies on the grounds.This guy was Gainesway's Brian Graves who was passing by and paused to confirm, "That filly he bought would make the hair stand up on your arms, she's so beautiful." Hip 103, bred by Epic Thoroughbreds and consigned by Runnymede Farm, is a daughter of She's a Wow (Speightstown) and from the family of graded stakes winners Esteemed Friend and Yarrow Brae. The dark bay filly RNA=d for $65,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. The plan is definitely to resell her, Brocklebank said. I'm a big fan of Barretts and Fasig has been very good to me, so we'll just see how she develops. Hip 103 was the fifth purchase of the July sale for Brocklebank, who admitted he had to fight for the offerings he wanted. I think it's been a good sale so far, but you kind of had to have your gloves on to get it done, he said. Verrazano, who won the 2013 Haskell, was represented by three yearlings, all fillies, during Tuesday's July sale. Hip 90 sold for $125,000 to Crupi's New Castle 17; and hip 67 brought $57,000 from Cromwell Bloodstock. Verrazano stands at Coolmore's Ashford Stud for $17,500. He ranked fourth by weanling average a year ago, with 26 sold for an average of $70,807. We've seen all the Verrazanos here at the sale and we're very happy with them, said Coolmore's Charlie O'Connor. They all look beautiful, racy and correct. They look like quality. We're looking forward to seeing more of them in September.@JessMartiniTDN