By Richard Edmunds
Breeder Austin Miller shared another milestone with long-time associates and friends Harry and Arthur Mitchell when Strasbourg (I Am Invincible) starred in Saturday’s G2 Kirin BRC Sires’ Produce S. at Eagle Farm.
Operating under their respective brands Miller Thoroughbreds and Yarraman Park Stud, the team bred Strasbourg and sold him for $750,000 at last year’s Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale.
The colt was bought by the China Horse Club, Newgate Farm and WinStar Farm, and Saturday’s stylish performance added a valuable black-type win to a CV that already featured placings in the G2 Champagne Classic, the G3 Schweppervescence H. and the Inglis Nursery. Trainers Peter and Paul Snowden are now eyeing a shot at Group 1 gold in next month’s J. J. Atkins S.
Strasbourg was a $750,000 yearling from the draft of Yarraman Park
Strasbourg is the first named foal out of Danish Spy (Dane Shadow), who Craig Rounsefell of Boomer Bloodstock purchased for Miller and the Mitchells at the conclusion of a racing career that netted five wins and a second placing in the G2 Queen of the South S. in Adelaide.
“Danish Spy is owned in partnership with Harry and Arthur Mitchell, who are just great people to deal with in many ways,” Miller said.
“Our relationship goes back to buying Oceanfast (Monde Bleu {GB}) together in 2011 when she was sold by the other owners.”
“Danish Spy is owned in partnership with Harry and Arthur Mitchell, who are just great people to deal with in many ways." - Breeder Austin Miller
Herself a multiple placegetter at Listed level, Oceanfast became a huge influence at stud. She was the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Alinghi and stakes-placed Slice of Paradise and Perfect Persuasion, all by Encosta de Lago. She is also the granddam of the Group 1 performer and sire Beneteau (Redoute’s Choice), along with five other black-type performers. Two of her yearlings have sold for more than $2 million.
Oceanfast is the dam of multiple G1 winner, Alinghi. Pictured winning the G1 Blue Diamond S.
Miller had a considerably lower price range in mind when he went to the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, and Danish Spy was knocked down to Boomer Bloodstock for $250,000.
“We were after a nice-looking and solidly bred, stakes-performed young mare – not something at the top-tier price level,” Miller said.
“Boomer has a great record in picking up successful broodmares at reasonable prices, so between him and the Mitchells' input, we were always going to settle on a nice type of mare!”
“Boomer has a great record in picking up successful broodmares at reasonable prices." - Austin Miller
Rounsefell remembers Danish Spy as a standout during his inspections at the 2015 sale.
“She really took my eye,” he said. “I thought she was a really well-balanced, quality type with an impressive walk. She had ability on the track and a solid family behind her and was in foal to Zoustar, so was an exciting proposition.”
Boomer Bloodstock's Craig Rounsefell (right)
A sad turn
The story takes a sad turn with Danish Spy’s first foal, a filly by Zoustar.
“The fact that she was bought in foal to Zoustar was another bonus,” Miller said. “The resulting foal was very nice, but sadly died as a yearling.”
Danish Spy has gone to the Mitchells’ star stallion I Am Invincible every year since then, with Strasbourg the first resulting foal.
A younger full-brother was bought by James Harron Bloodstock for $300,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year. After missing to I Am Invincible in 2017, Danish Spy returned to the outstanding stallion last spring and is in foal again.
“He was an obvious choice, especially for some of ‘Vinnie’s’ biggest fans,” Miller said.
“From visiting the farm and speaking with Harry Mitchell, it was clear from early on I Am Invincible was producing lovely foals and seriously upgrading his first books of mostly modest-level mares. His progeny were regularly the best offspring of the mare – and often by a fair margin. Another aspect was the great temperament he was passing on.
I Am Invincible
“We now know his progeny can make it as two-year-olds, but also race well beyond that. Danish Spy didn't race until she was an April three-year-old, so hopefully that's a positive for Strasbourg's future racing career.”
“We now know his progeny can make it as two-year-olds, but also race well beyond that." - Austin Miller
Strasbourg has been a terrific result from the I Am Invincible-Danish Spy mating, and Miller believes accolades should go to both sides.
“The stallion clearly has a lot to do with it, although Danish Spy has to take some credit,” he said. “She's produced three really nice foals out of three so far.”
Miller, who has also tasted big-race success as part-owner of G1 Newmarket H. winner The Quarterback (Street Boss {USA}), has a select band of broodmares spread across four states.
“This year I have 13 mares going to stallions,” he said. “They're a mix of mares owned outright or in partnership; bought as broodmares or as yearlings we've raced, including a few now that we have bred and raced.
“Boomer has bought a number of nicely bred fillies for various groups of us which are currently racing. The plan is for at least some of them to be eventually retained to breed.
“I'm fortunate to own three really nice broodmares in partnership with the Mitchells – Danish Spy, Flippant (Hinchinbrook), who is owned with a number of Yarraman clients, and Lusitania (Sepoy), who is a half-sister to Alinghi.
“I also have some other mares at Yarraman Park, with the rest spread through New South Wales, Victoria and one – Hussy By Choice (Hussonet) – at Mill Park in South Australia.”
