She may have missed out on running in the Breeders’ Cup in California but Ramatuelle still has a date in the Kentucky sale ring on Monday.

Fasig-Tipton’s November Sale, known as the “Night of the Stars,” fires the gun on some exciting breeding stock auctions in the state, with Keeneland following on Tuesday.

The Christopher Head-trained three-year-old Ramatuelle, one of seven Group/Grade 1 winners by rising star sire Justify, had been set to contest the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar, for which she was second favourite, but was scratched. after a positron emission tomography (PET) scan found evidence of bone formation in her bones.

Ramatuelle has won four of his nine races, led by his last-time-out triumph in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp, and has never finished worse than third.

Co-owner Arthur Hoyeau said in a statement: “We are deeply disappointed that Ramatuelle has been withdrawn from the Breeders’ Cup, especially with the anticipation surrounding her as a leading contender in this prestigious event.

“She has been moving beautifully all week at Del Mar and is in top form, which makes the result understandably frustrating for our team.

“We have tremendous respect for the Breeders’ Cup’s rigorous protocol and dedicated veterinary team, whose responsibility to protect equine athletes is critical to our sport. Although Ramatuelle’s Pet Scan report stated that ‘no definitive major concerns for degradation were identified,’ it showed signs of Although this is common in three-year-olds, it prompted the decision to proceed with an abundance of caution and withdraw her from the race.”

Hoyeau added: “As a Group 1-winning daughter of Justify, Ramatuelle remains a candidate for the Fasig-Tipton November sale, and we will take a day to carefully consider her next step.

“We have a deeply talented and healthy mare in Ramatuelle, and although the disappointment of today’s result is fresh, we look forward with optimism to an exciting future for her. We are grateful for the care and diligence shown by everyone involved in her career.”

Fasig-Tipton initially cataloged 300 entries for the sale, which will be held in Lexington from 2pm local time (7pm GMT).

“Fasig-Tipton has put together some outstanding November catalogs over the years, but this may be our deepest yet,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning Jr. “We have cataloged 70 graded winners or producers, 24 of which are Grade 1.

“We have international champions, a Breeders’ Cup winner, the dam of the Kentucky Derby winner, multiple mares in foal to the world’s leading stallions, and an exceptional group of weanlings – all offered in a single afternoon and evening session.

Boyd Browning Jr: “This sale offers the highest concentration of quality of any breeding stock sale in the world”Credit: Fasig-Tipton photos

“This sale offers the highest concentration of quality of any stud sale in the world, with a unique format and atmosphere for buyers from around the world to enjoy.”

While Ramatuelle (hip 310), which is sent through Bedouin Bloodstock, did not get a chance to showcase her talent to an American audience before the sale, many of the big names set to enter the ring have already done so, including a mare who would have been one of her rivals in Breeders’ Cup Mile, Chili Flag (235).

She is an Elite dispatcher, as is Frankel’s Tattersalls Book 1 Sale graduate McKulick (289), winner of the 2022 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks.

Hill ‘n’ Dale’s draft includes a pair of three-time Grade 1 winners in War Like Goddess (210), who finished a fair fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Saturday, and Adare Manor (214), who has won his last three starts, most recently the Clement L Hirsch Stakes.

The ex-Richard Fahey-trained Fev Rover (253), a dual Grade 1 winner in North America since her move to Mark Casse, was to sell at this auction last year but was a recall.

Kathmandu (276), who finished unplaced on the Breeders’ Cup undercard at Del Mar on Saturday, was just one step away from winning this year’s Poule d’Essai des Pouliches for the Brian Meehan stable.

Taking time off (318), a half-sister to undefeated Breeders’ Cup champion Immersive, was a late addition. A winning daughter of Curlin, Takingtimeoff is in foal to Yaupon and will be offered by Hunter Valley Farm.

The royally bred fairest (174) – by Dubawi from Alice Springs – will leave Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore fold, while Velocidad (208), a Curragh Group 2 winner for O’Brien’s son Joseph, is also among the offers. Both sell in foal to Justify.

the wife (285), meanwhile, the Kentucky Derby-winning dam of this year’s hero Mystik Dan, who Browning refers to, is being offered as a foal to Into Mischief.

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