Markup (f, 3, Mark Valeski–Ardara, by Arch)
MARKUP (f, 3, Mark Valeski—Ardara, by Arch) caused 4-5 favorite La Muse (Tapit) to stand in her rail post while the starters negotiated the first-time starter into line. La Muse took a cautious start following the delay, while Markup, sent off at 3-1, raced through a swarm of horses vying for the early lead before settling into the chasing tier. She rolled into contention at the top of the lane with a five-wide move and surged to the lead with a furlong remaining before safely holding La Muse to the wire.
Miss Marissa (He’s Had Enough), GSW, $364,690 and winner of last year’s G2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, is a half-sister to Markup, a $30,000 KEENOV weanling.
Ardara, a daughter of Canadian champion Inish Glora (Regal Classic) and a half-sister to Woodbine Oaks winner Roan Inish (Elusive Quality), is the dam of an unraced two-year-old Cupid filly, named Spiritcatcher, who sold for $45,000 at Keeneland’s September sale last year. In 2020, the mare produced a filly by Collected and another by Mitole in 2021. Ardara will be bred to Vekoma this year.
Sales history: $30,000 weanling ’18 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $20,100. O-Highlander Training Center; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Robertino Diodoro.
Clark Shepherd (Shepherd Equine Advisers), bloodstock agent for Highlander Training Center (Larry Hirsch), purchased Markup at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale from the consignment of Woodford Thoroughbreds.
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