Barberini Lands Goffs Topper
As expected, business at Goffs on Saturday proved a good bit more lively as pin-hookers and end users alike did battle for some quality foals. Although last year’s corresponding top price of €135,000 (AU$217,018) was exceeded by a €155,000 (AU$249,168) Sea The Stars (Ire) filly foal, other sale indicators suggest the market continues to struggle in the face of uncontrollable circumstances. The clearance rate of 79%, while considerably improved from Friday was still a little shy of last year’s 86%. Similarly, the aggregate of €4,855,900 (AU$7,806,055), average of €27,907 (AU$44,861) and median of €20,000 (AU$32,150) all failed to keep tabs on 2019’s figures, though these numbers are still perfectly respectable in the current grand scheme of things.
Lot 451 - Sea The Stars (Ire) x Mooney Ridge (Ire) (filly) | Image courtesy of Goffs
Lot 451, the only foal by Sea The Stars (Ire) catalogued on the day, was bound to attract a lot of interest and, when the filly in question hails from the immediate family of the Gilltown stallion’s brilliant but ill-fated daughter Sea Of Class (Ire), then it was no surprise that agent Federico Barberini was pushed to €155,000 (AU$249,168).
Barberini, acting for an undisclosed client, said, “She has been bought to race and her page speaks for itself. She has lots of residual value and her 2-year-old half-brother by Australia (GB) is highly regarded.”
Spielberg keeps Baffert streak alive in Los Alamito Futurity
Spielberg (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) became the seventh consecutive G2 Los Alamitos Futurity winner for trainer Bob Baffert on Saturday when getting his nose in front at the line.
Searching for his first stakes victory after placing in two Grade 1s earlier this year, Spielberg was always in touch with the leader throughout the 1700 metre run. The run for the win came down to the final 200 metres when he squared up with 33-1 shot The Great One (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) for a run to the line. In the end, a nose was all that separated the pair as they flashed past the wire.
Co-owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm, and Robert E. Masterson, the US$1 million (AU$1.31 million) yearling purchase sees some of the original owners of G1 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) in his own ownership group. Saturday’s victory saw Spielberg earn 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, giving him 12 overall to sit fourth on the leaderboard.
Out of a half-sister to three stakes winners, Spielberg comes from the family of Grade 1 winner and producer Clear Mandate (USA) (Deputy Minister {Can}). The family also includes G1 BMW S. Second To The World (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}).
Russian Rock gets maiden Group 1 victory in Cape Guineas
Three-year-old Russian Rock (SAF) (Pomodoro {SAF}) was a longshot winner of the G1 Cape Guineas over 1600 metres on Saturday at Kenilworth.
Racing midpack for almost all the race, Russian Rock was angled to the outside with 200 metres left. Having clear running room, he used nearly every inch of the remaining distance to get his head in front of Linebacker (SAF) (Captain Of All {SAF}) at the line.
One of four winners for his dam, the colt comes from the family of 2016 European Horse of the Year Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) with those under Russian Rock’s second dam also including former Australian runner and 2014 Moe Cup winner Count of Limonade (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}).
Juvenile double for American Pharoah
American Pharoah (USA) kicked off an international juvenile double on Saturday when his daughter Lady Mercy (USA) won a Japanese maiden by 5l. Later that day, Kentucky Pharoah (USA) added another impressive victory to his sire’s Saturday with a maiden breaking win at Gulfstream Park.
Leading all the way over the 1600 metres on turf, Kentucky Pharoah coasted to an easy 3.75l victory for owner-breeder Calumet Farm.
Kentucky Pharoah is out of the Canadian champion Strut The Course (Can) (Strut The Stage {USA}) while Lady Mercy comes from a family that includes Japanese Horse of the Year winners Biwa Hayahide (Jpn) and Narita Brian (Jpn).
