The $1 million pricetag achieved by the Oregon's Day (Domesday) at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale is the perfect way for Paul Girolami and his fellow shareholders to end an ownership syndicate which has been on an amazing 20-year journey.
Aquis Farm snapped up the 5-year-old Group 2 winner on Tuesday, strengthening the connection between Aquis owner Tony Fung and his favourite stallion Domesday.
What ended up as a seven-figure deal on the big stage of the Gold Coast through vendor Amarina Farm, started out 20 years ago when Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Bob Skelton imported a filly from New Zealand, who his wife initially mistook for a pony.
Girolami and a few friends were convinced by Skelton to go in shares for the filly, who would be called Oregon Seal (Oregon {USA}).
"We just went in to help Bob as a trainer. We were good friends of the Skeltons here at Mornington," Girolami said.
"She was such a little thing. It was declared that she was the smallest thoroughbred going around at the time. From there, it’s been a quite ridiculously, fantastic journey."
"She was such a little thing. It was declared that she was the smallest thoroughbred going around at the time." - Owner Paul Girolami
What she lacked in size, Oregon Seal made up for in courage and on the racetrack she would win nine races, including a G3 Tesio S. and $286,000 in prizemoney.
Skelton then decided to breed with her, taking his syndicate of owners on another stage of the journey.
Oregon Seal (rail)
All of her eight foals have been winners, including Talent Show (Jeune {GB}), who was sold for $100,000 as yearling and won a G2 Perth Cup and Oregon Spirit (Bel Esprit), who the syndicate raced themselves, and was a stakes winner with over $400,000 in prizemoney.
But her best progeny was last filly to make the track. Under Mick Price's guidance, Oregon's Day won a Listed race at her second start, the first of four stakes wins as she collected nearly $1m in prizemoney.
But with many of the members of the ownership syndicate in their 80s, it was decided that it was time to cash in and she was sent to the Broodmare Sale to test the market.
"We had a word to Mick Price and few others, and we thought, we'd ask for $750,000 and see how we go and there might be someone interested and we might get up to $800,000. Turns out there were people interested and it went up to million," Girolami said.
"She's won $960,000 and she sold for $1 million. Interestingly enough this time last year, after she had a very good campaign in Sydney and Brisbane, we thought we'll probably be selling her as a 5-year old."
"We thought she might have two more good campaigns and might fluke a Group 1 and we might get $1m out of her. She's had two campaigns that went pear-shaped and she has still made a million!"
Oregon's Day (white, blue spots) winning the Listed Redoute's Choice S. at Caulfield
Aquis a good fit
That it was Aquis that ended up with her wasn't a total surprise given Fung's love of Domesday, who stands at its foundation farm at Canungra. But there was also a connection through Aquis Farm CEO Shane McGrath.
Girolami pointed out that McGrath was the General Manager at Eliza Park when Oregon Seal visited Bel Esprit three times.
Aquis intends to continue to race Oregon's Day for the time being, and she has been transferred to the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable where she will be given a chance to win a Group 1 race in next month's Tatts Tiara at Eagle Farm.
"Their intention is to send her around in the Tiara and see how she goes. If she gets up, good on them. We won't be saying we shouldn’t have sold her. It’s great," Girolami said.
Aquis Chief Executive Officer Shane McGrath with Chief Operating Officer, Paddy Power at the Magic Millions Sale
End of the road
With Oregon's Day now sold, Girolami's time as a racehorse owner comes to an end.
"That's it is it for me. No more horses," he said. "I'm 81 and my wife is 80, and we feel that's enough."
"I'm 81 and my wife is 80, and we feel that's enough." - Paul Girolami
"It’s been a marvellous journey, and we are so blooming lucky, when you think of the thousands people put in and get nothing. We are one of the few that have made a profit."
He'll content himself with watching Oregon's Day's progeny run around in the years to come, while Skelton's son Craig is breeding with one of Oregon Seal's other fillies, Oregon's Girl (Soldier's Tale {USA}), who has a weanling colt by Fiorente (Ire) and is in foal to Ready For Victory.
Oregon's Day after her time in the ring on the Gold Coast
