Images courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Blue Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize {USA}) was the sale topper at Fasig-Tipton’s November Sale, going for US$5 million (AU$7.25 million) just four days after her success at Santa Anita.
Larry Best of OXO Equine secured Blue Prize (Arg), who was consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, Inc. on behalf of John Moores and Charles Noell’s Merriebelle Stables and she is now set to be retired.
The three-time Grade 1-winning mare was one of 18 seven-figure sales from 13 individual buyers for the session.
Overall, 128 horses changed hands Tuesday for a gross of US$68,011,000 (AU$98.6 million), an average of US$531,336 (AU$770,400) and a median of US$300,000 (AU$435,000). Last year, 140 horses brought US$89,473,000 (AU$129.7 million) with an average of US$639,093 (AU$926,684) and a median of US$327,500 (AU$474,875).
“We continued the tradition of the November Sale of having a wonderful marketplace for top-quality fillies and mares and top weanlings,” Fasig-Tipton President and CEO Boyd Browning, Jr. said.
“There was tremendous competition from buyers around the world, who came to buy and bid aggressively. We had 18 horses sell for $1 million or more tonight, which is kind of mind boggling. We ended the night on a $1.4-million horse with bidding competition between two of the major players in the industry. I thought all in all, we had an exceptional sale tonight. "
“There was tremendous competition from buyers around the world, who came to buy and bid aggressively." - Boyd Browning, Jr.
“The market is the same as we have seen in recent years,” Browning said. “Quality sells, quality sells, quality sells. We had great competition on the horses who were standouts. It was neat to see international participation and strong domestic participation. It was a diverse group of buyers. It was not dominated by any individual or groups.”
Best's OXO Equine has purchased plenty of top weanlings, yearlings and 2-year-olds in recent years but his purchase of Blue Prize was his most significant foray into the broodmare market.
Blue Prize (Arg) sold for US$5 million | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
“I’m now a breeder, and I now have a Breeders’ Cup champion–maybe the only way I can get one,” quipped Best, who said he has three broodmares, which he keeps at Taylor Made Farm. He said he would seek opinions on who to breed her to.
“She’s just a special horse,” he said. “There are a lot of mares who I pass on that are presented to me as an important opportunity. I’m not a volume guy–I’m a quality guy.”
“She’s just a special horse... I’m not a volume guy–I’m a quality guy.” - Larry Best
A Group 1 winner in her native Argentina, she also took back-to-back G1 Juddmonte Spinster S. trophies in 2018 and 2019 and upped her earnings to US$2,692,253 (AU$3.9 million) with her 10th career victory on Saturday.
Blue Prize’s trainer Ignacio Correas was on hand and was clearly emotional after seeing his stable star head to a new home.
“I mean, I’m happy for the owners and happy for her, she’s going to go to a great place no doubt,” he said. “They’re going to take care of her so good luck to [Larry Best] and good luck to her.”
Second time lucky for Shunsuke
Northern Farm's Shunsuke Yoshida missed out on Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when the multiple G1 winner went through the sales ring in 2015, but he made up for it when acquiring the mare for US$2.7 million (AU$3.91 million) on Tuesday.
“When she sold in 2015, we also liked her very much, but we weren’t able to get her,” Yoshida said with Shingo Hashimoto interpreting. “So we were very interested in her. She looks very athletic and her race performance was very nice.”
Photo Call, who won the 2016 G1 First Lady S. and 2015 G1 Rodeo Drive in the St. Elias Stable colours, was consigned to Tuesday’s sale by Denali Stud.
Katsumi Yoshida (left)
“She was a special offering, we knew that going into it. We thought that this was the range that she could fall in if everything aligned and it did,” said Denali’s Conrad Bandoroff. “We knew that the Galileo cross works really well in Japan, so we knew there was going to be high Japanese interest going into it–or we hoped. She’s gone to a great operation.”
“She was a special offering... We thought that this was the range that she could fall in." - Conrad Bandoroff
Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm purchased five mares Tuesday, spending US$6.65 million (AU$9.65 million).
Shannon secures Shamrock
Agent Mike Shannon came out on top for last year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner and champion female sprinter Shamrock Rose (USA) (First Dude ({USA}) after stretching to US$2.5 million (AU$3.625 million).
The 4-year-old broodmare prospect was consigned to the sale by Bluewater Sales on behalf of Penny and Manfred Conrad’s Conrad Farms.
“It was beyond our expectations,” Manfred Conrad said. “We thought she’d do well, but in the back of our minds we also hoped, ‘Maybe we’ll take her home and breed her ourselves.’ But this went great tonight.
“We don’t have many horses, but we’ve had a lot of luck,” Penny Conrad added.
The top weanling of the night was a Gun Runner (USA) filly out of Love And Pride (USA) (A.P. Indy {USA}), who went to bloodstock agent Mike Ryan for US$750,000 (AU$1.087 million).
Aussie buyers active
The two Australian buyers active on the day were Freyer Bloodstock and Mitchell Bloodstock.
Freyer Bloodstock paid US$600,000 (AU$870,000) for Ms Bad Behaviour (Can) (Blame {USA}), a winner of the G3 Three Chimneys Ladies Turf S. for trainer Richard Baltas. She is a half sister to stakes winners One Bad Boy (Can) (Twirling Candy {USA}) and Blessed Truly (Can) (Souper Speedy {USA}) and is out of Lincoln Heritage H. winner Cumulonimble (USA) (Stormy Atlantic {USA}).
James Mitchell was present for Mitchell Bloodstock and paid US$100,000 (AU$145,000) for Mayas Queen Neetee (USA) (Speightstown {USA}), a winner of six races, including one at black-type level for trainer Jeffrey Radosevich. She is out of G2 winning mare The Niagara Queen (Can) (Langfuhr {Can})
Attention now turns to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale which starts on Wednesday local time and runs until November 17.
