Sheamus Mills Strikes on Day 1 at Keeneland

Mark Smith - Tuesday September 14

Sheamus Mills Bloodstock was on the board on day one of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale when purchasing a filly from a family with few equals in topping seven figures in Australia.

Consigned by Glen Hill Farm, the filly by the Medaglia d'Oro stallion Violence out of the Encosta De Lago mare Taste Of Heaven was knocked down for $US200,000.

Violence x Taste Of Heaven filly

A sister to Manhattan Rain and Echoes Of Heaven, and a half-sister to Redoute's Choice, Platinum Scissors, Superior Satin and Monsoon Wedding, Taste of Heaven was one of four daughters of Shantha's Choice to bring $1million or more at the 2014 Teeley Asset Dispersal.

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James Harron Bloodstock paid $1,500,000 for Taste Of Heaven on behalf of Hill' N' Dale Farm.

Her half-sister, Monsoon Wedding, topped proceedings at $2,300,000, and three of Monsoon Wedding's daughters were also on the millionaire's list bringing $1,500,000 (twice) and $1,200,000.

So, it is not surprising that it is a family popular in Australia. Taste Of Heaven's first foal, Olympic Medal (Medaglia d'Oro), was a $US525,000 purchase by Blue Sky Bloodstock/Aquis Farm at the 2016 Keeneland November Bloodstock Sale. Olympic Medal was unraced. She produced a Brave Smash colt last spring and was bred back to Pierata.

The second foal of Taste Of Heaven, Heavenly Curlin (Curlin), was a $625,000 Keeneland September purchase. She is a Group III winner in Canada.

At the same sale the following year, Kanayama Holdings went to $400,000 for Taste Of Heaven's Medaglia d'Oro colt named Paradisum, who won an 1800m maiden on the dirt at Kyoto last season at two at his second start and has placed at Chukyo this season.

Taste Of Heaven was repatriated in 2020. Now in the ownership of Gerry Harvey, the daughter of Encosta De Lago foaled an I Am Invincible colt on August 16.   

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