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| Staff Writer |
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Paris Lights proved worth the wait Nov. 10 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
The final mare through the ring Wednesday, part of the supplemental catalog and consigned as ELiTE, agent, as Hip 224D, the 2020 Coaching Club American Oaks winner commanded $3.1 million from Spendthrift Farm to top the sale's Book 1 session.
Paris Lights, by Curlin, was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm out of the Bernardini mare Paris Bikini and offered as a racing or broodmare prospect. According to Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey, she will now begin her second career as a broodmare with a visit to the farm's flagship sire, Into Mischief.
Paris Lights retires with earnings of $403,842. She ran to four wins and three thirds from nine starts in 2020-21 for WinStar Stablemates Racing and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, and put her versatility on display when she won the seven-furlong Distaff Handicap earlier this season at Aqueduct Racetrack to go with her determined CCA Oaks score by a head over Crystal Ball going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga Race Course last year. She was retained to race by the syndicate arm of her breeder after failing to meet her reserve when the hammer fell for $200,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Denali Stud.
Descending from the influential broodmare Blush With Pride, with a deep and active family that includes blue hen Better Than Honour, Paris Lights presented a rare opportunity to acquire a grade 1-winning Curlin filly at auction.