There are very few things more exciting for a breeder than starting out with a new foundation mare. In the context of our industry, what could be more life affirming? The pleasure of selecting a stallion for your mare and then watching her foals run is probably most breeders’ idea of what they’d ultimately love to spend their future doing, if only resources allowed them to do so.
Outside of the big owner-breeders, not many get the opportunity. Moreover, much of the world’s best breeding stock is in private hands as it has long been recognised that mare power is what ultimately matters to a successful breeding program.
Jameka, the only Champion mare offered for sale in Australia since 2010, sold for $2.6 million
Stallions are indeed only half of the equation. Not even the very best of them can manage without a decent mare. Here are a few examples:
The great Galileo’s (Ire) record would take on a very different hue had he not won access to the very best mares. In Europe, the 943 runners from his elite mares produce Group and Listed winners at a rate of 21.6 per cent to runners, well in advance of the 11.2 per cent from his remaining 768 runners from poorer mares.
It’s the same for Dubawi (Ire) with 19.8 per cent stakes winners from elite mares as opposed to 11.8 per cent from the rest.
Redoute’s Choice’s numbers are 13.6 per cent from elite mares versus 9.3 per cent, while Deep Impact (Jpn) is also more dominant with his better mares, producing 14.1 per cent and 8 per cent from the others.
The golden girls
Not surprisingly, when a Champion filly comes up for sale, demand can send prices to heights that defy commercial logic. For some, purchase prices only make sense if the buyer is looking to play a long game or build a bloodstock dynasty.
| Jameka | $2,600,000 |
| Sun Classique | $2,000,000 |
| In Her Time | $2,000,000 |
| Bounding | $1,900,000 |
| Melito | $1,650,000 |
| Sweet Idea | $1,600,000 |
| Booker | $1,600,000 |
| Global Glamour | $1,550,000 |
| Nechita | $1,550,000 |
| Silent Sedition | $1,500,000 |
| Amanpour | $1,500,000 |
Table: Elite mare sale prices in Australia since 2010
Champion stayer Jameka (Myboycharlie {Ire}) at $2.6 million heads a list of 21 Group 1-winning fillies sold for six figures or more in Australia and she’s the only filly or mare with Australian Championship honours to sell at public auction since 2010.
This will make Champion 3-year-old filly Sunlight (Zoustar) the second Champion to be offered in the last decade, while Samantha Miss (Redoute's Choice) was sold to John Singleton for $3.85 million in 2009.
There have been 123 Group 1-winning fillies that have made in excess of a million dollars in North America since 2010, headed by the outstanding Havre De Grace (USA) (Saint Liam {USA}) at a cool US$10 million (AU$14,300,400).
Even more rare are North American Champion fillies and mares. Only 12 have changed hands at public auction since 2010 and what a group they are, including Champion 2-year-old fillies She’s A Tiger (USA) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) for US$2.5 million (AU$3,584,875), Awesome Feather (USA) (Awesome Of Course {USA}) for US$2.3 million (AU$3,298,085), Songbird (USA) (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) for US$9.5 million (AU$13,622,525) and Take Charge Brandi (USA) (Giant's Causeway {USA}) for US$3.2 million (AU$4,588,640).
| Havre De Grace (USA) | $10,000,000 | $14,300,400 |
| Songbird (USA) | $9,500,000 | $13,585,380 |
| Royal Delta (USA) | $8,500,000 | $12,155,340 |
| Tepin (USA) | $8,000,000 | $11,440,320 |
| Lady Aurelia (USA) | $7,500,000 | $10,725,300 |
| Take Charge Brandi (USA) | $6,000,000 | $8,580,240 |
| Stellar Wind (USA) | $6,000,000 | $8,580,240 |
| Abel Tasman (USA) | $5,000,000 | $7,150,200 |
| Blue Prize (Arg) | $5,000,000 | $7,150,200 |
| Love And Pride (USA) | $4,900,000 | $7,007,196 |
Table: North American sale prices with exchange rate as at July 15, 2020.
Champion 3-year-olds feature Abel Tasman (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) for US$5 million (AU$7,169,750), Stellar Wind (USA) (Curlin {USA}) for US$6 million (AU$8,603,700), aforementioned Songbird, Blind Luck (USA) (Pollard's Vision {USA}) for US$2.5 million (AU$3,584,875) and Royal Delta (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}) US$8.5 million (AU$12,188,575), while champion older fillies and mares are headed by Havre de Grace and Royal Delta.
The average price for this elite set of 12 was over US$5 million (AU$7,150,200) and if we tack on European Champion Lady Aurelia (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) who was sold in America for US$7.5 million (AU$10,754,625), that average climbs to US$5.25 million (AU$7,507,710).
Gallery: Top-priced mares at European sales
In Europe in the same period, the number of young Group 1 winners sold in excess of a million stands at 15, including Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) at 6,000,000 gns (AU$10,080,000). Marsha aside, only Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) were Championship fillies.
The average cost of a Group 1-winning filly at American auctions since 2010 was US$1.92 million (AU$2,745,676) for 168 fillies, compared to US$3.3 million (AU$4,719,132) in Europe for a much smaller selection of just 21 fillies. In Australia, the 42 Group 1 winners sold since 2010 averaged US$856,000 (AU$1,224,114).
| Marsha (Ire) | GBP 6,300,000 | $11,322,370 |
| Chicquita (Ire) | GBP 4,992,073 | $8,971,762 |
| Immortal Verse (Ire) | GBP 4,935,000 | $8,869,190 |
| Just The Judge (Ire) | GBP 4,725,000 | $8,491,778 |
| Dancing Rain (Ire) | GBP 4,200,000 | $7,548,247 |
| Zhukova (Ire) | GBP 3,885,000 | $6,982,128 |
| Quiet Reflection (GB) | GBP 2,205,000 | $3,962,829 |
| Rosdhu Queen (Ire) | GBP 2,205,000 | $3,962,829 |
| Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) | GBP 2,205,000 | $3,962,829 |
| Intricately (Ire) | GBP 1,785,000 | $3,208,005 |
Table: Elite mare sale prices in Europe since 2010 with exchange rate as at July 15, 2020.
Of course, the history of the breed has examples of top-flight mares that failed to produce a foal near as good as themselves. Australian galloper Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) springs to mind and we are waiting on Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) to produce the goods from her early foals. The aforementioned Havre The Grace has yet to produce a black-type horse from her first three runners.
Be that as it may, the overwhelming evidence comes down in favour of top-class fillies as future broodmares prospects.
Songbird (USA) | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
Producing stakes progeny
Of the 21 Australian-sold Group 1 winners in the first five years under review, no fewer than 11 (52 per cent) have already produced a black-type horse and seven (33.3 per cent) have a Group or Listed winner to their name.
They include Response (Charge Forward) who sold for $840,000 in 2013 and went on to produce G1 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab (Snitzel) as her third foal.
In the same period, the 86 American-sold Group 1-winning fillies include 19 (22 per cent) that are already dams of stakes winners and they feature Mona De Momma (USA) (Speightstown {USA}), a US$1.55 million (AU$2,220,423) filly in 2011 that has since produced recent G1 Metropolitan H. hero Vekoma (USA) (Candy Ride {USA}).
Meanwhile, four of the 13 in Europe have become dams of Group horses, headed by Dancing Rain, a 4,000,0000 gns (AU$6,720,000) purchase that has since produced Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Magic Lily (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) for Godolphin, and Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who cost 2,100,000 gns (AU$3,528,000) and has since been represented by Group 1-placed Year Of The Tiger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Moreover, the vast majority of the Group 1-winning fillies sold since 2010 may have much more to offer in the coming years. And that’s not even accounting for those that go on to produce great broodmare daughters and granddaughters as foundation mares.
It’s clear that Group 1-winning fillies have to be a serious consideration for anyone with aspirations to succeed at the highest level. And it’s an ideal time to invest in an asset that could underpin a breeding program for generations. Don’t hold back!
Gallery: Top-priced mares at American sales
