Gamine blows them away

Cover image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton

Global representation leads to Fasig success

Strong representation from around the world led to another successful Fasig-Tipton November Sale on Sunday evening (local), and two of the 31 seven-figure purchases are confirmed as heading to Australian soil to continue their racing careers.

The Coolmore team followed up on its big weekend of three Breeders' Cup winners by purchasing four million-dollar mares for US$17.9 million (AU$27.8 million), leading other prominent buyers such as Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm, Katsumi Yoshida and Emmanuel de Seroux on behalf of Japan’s Grand Farm.

“Another remarkable November sale just concluded here at Fasig-Tipton,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Last year, we surpassed US$100,000,000 in gross for the first time – that was kind of one of those goals that we dreamt about, but didn't think it was realistic – and we were fortunate enough to do it last year and we did it again this year. It's kind of a magical night.”

Gamine offers explosive finale to Fasig-Tipton November

Having done very little wrong throughout a near-perfect racing career, Gamine (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) continued to exert her dominance over her contemporaries in the sales ring on Sunday, headlining Fasig-Tipton's November Sale with a session-topping US$7 million (AU$10.88 million) final bid from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. Offered in foal to Quality Road (USA), the 2020 Champion Female Sprinter was consigned by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale on behalf of Michael Lund Peterson.

“She is just so unique,” said Sikura. “She has the right pedigree, she had freaky ability. If you look at her physically, she is a stud horse. A beautiful face and a big, long beautiful body. She is just a queen.”

He added, “High-end Buyers, like the Coolmore team, they want the very best. They have to feel moved, and that it is a unique opportunity and if they don't buy her, that they missed something.”

The winner of five of six starts at three, including the G1 Acorn, G1 Test S. and G1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, Gamine added four more wins in 2021 – all at the Graded level – highlighted by the G1 Ballerina and G1 Derby City Distaff S.

“That was a very good price for her, but at the end of the day, she was an absolute champion,” said Magnier, who had a busy night. Magnier was listed as the buyer on four mares on Sunday (local) for a gross expenditure of US$17.9 million (AU$27.83 million).

According to Magnier, she will remain in the US to be bred.

“The way Justify is going right now, there is a good chance she will go to him.”

Asked whether having such a strong showing during this weekend's Breeders' Cup, registering three victories over the course of the two-day championships, played a role in the strength of the operation's buying efforts at Fasig on Sunday, Magnier said with a laugh, “Well, it definitely helped.”

Yulong Going Global

Unsurprisingly given the organisation’s global reach, Yulong were also amongst the buyers at Fasig-Tipton. With BBA Ireland signing on their behalf, they secured Hip 292 for US$2.5 million (AU$3.88 million), the aptly named Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), a winner of the G1 Del Mar Oaks whose racing career began in Ireland.

Breaking her maiden there as a juvenile (in a minor event on the synthetic surface at Dundalk), she was transferred to Philip D’Amato’s stable for her Classic season and proved remarkably successful, winning eight of her twelve US starts.

Speaking to TDN AusNZ, Yulong Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray said the plan was to race on in Australia.

“She’ll head down here to Australia, and we’ll see when she gets here but the likelihood is she’ll race in the autumn with a view to going to stud next breeding season,” he said, adding: “She’ll probably go to Chris Waller.

“Mr Zhang really liked her, she’s a nice-looking mare and a Group 1 winner who was well-performed in Europe too.

“He thought she’d make a nice mare and he’s keen to see if we can give her a few starts here in Australia to see how she goes.”

Going Global is out of Wrood (USA) (Invasor {Arg}), a dual-winner in Europe, and is a half-sister to the Group 3-winning UK sprinter Mitbaahy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) - meaning she presents an enticing outcross for Yulong.

“She’ll probably go to Written Tycoon next season, all being well,” Fairgray said. “One of the nice things about her is she’s a pretty easy mare to mate to.

“If she throws some foals like herself then they’ll be making some nice money as yearlings.”

Princess Grace heading to Australia

China Horse Club were in action at Fasig-Tipton on Sunday evening (local), securing Group 2 winner and multiple-stakes placed mare Princess Grace (USA) (Karakontie {Jpn}) (Hip 221) for US$1.7 million (AU$2.65 million), who is set to continue her racing career in Australia.

Placed twice in top-flight events in the US, China Horse Club's Michael Smith said the aim is to win a Group 1 in Australia, capitalise on exceptional prizemoney levels and bolster an already excellent outcross pedigree.

“She’s definitely Group 1 quality, although she hasn’t won a Group 1 yet,” Smith told TDN AusNZ. “She’s very consistent, very tough, an apex physical and we felt that there’s a lot of options and opportunities for her over the next 18 months in Australia to get that job done, and to win a lot of prizemoney.

“I love her racing style. She’s really straightforward, really flexible - she can be on-speed, off-speed - and she’s incredibly consistent in the form she runs to, which is very hard to find.

“Mr Teo has always had a bold global vision for China Horse Club and we feel that Princess Grace can add to delivering on that given her international pedigree and profile.”

Although a trainer is yet to be decided for the mare, Smith added that she is likely to have a plethora of options after her move Down Under.

“Those Group 1 fillies and mares' races at a mile, the Empire Rose, the Coolmore Classic, the Queen of the Turf, they’d all have to be under consideration. Then, if she’s able to be a bit sharper in Australia, or even stretch out, it just opens up more options. We won’t know how that’ll play until she gets into training and adapts to the Aussie racing style.

“But, I think we can be pretty confident that at a minimum she’ll be a really smart prospect at a mile.”

Princess Grace is out the multiple-stakes-placed mare Masquerade (USA) (Silent Name {Jpn}), who is a half-sister to stakes winner Svea Dahl (USA) (Honor Grades {USA}). When the time comes for her to retire from the track, Smith pointed to her pedigree as a valuable asset when considering a choice of sire.

“The brilliant thing is that she is basically an outcross to anything we have in Australia. It’s options galore. She could go to a Zoustar, Russian Revolution, Extreme Choice, Stay Inside… we’ve got 18 months to think about it and we could breed her to anything.

“We know how good the Japanese blood is, and how well the American mares have performed as broodmares in Australia. So, I think she should fit in really nicely.”

Other Aussies in action

James Harron went to US$425,000 (AU$663,000) to purchase Hip 285, the 4-year-old mare Emro (USA) (Point Of Entry {USA}). Unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile, she missed her 3-year-old season before returning to win this year, and is in foal to WinStar resident Constitution (USA), a sire of sires.

Earlier on in the day Harron also signed for Hip 204, the 3-year-old Munnings (USA) filly Miss Alacrity (USA). She won two races as a 2-year-old and is out of the Group 2 winner Just Jenda (USA) (Menifee {USA}), the dam of Jenda’s Agenda (USA) (Proud Citizen {USA}), a four-time winner who is in turn the dam of Justify’s (USA) second first-crop stakes winner, Just Cindy (USA).

Gallery: Other Aussie purchases made at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale, images courtesy of Fasig-Tipton

Kia Ora Stud signed for a broodmare prospect in Hip 207, the 4-year-old Miss Leslie (USA) (Paynter {USA}), a Group 2 and multiple Listed winner. A sister to two winners, they went to US$400,000 (AU$622,900) to secure the mare, who is out of the juvenile winner Zeenut (USA) (Minigun {USA}).

Securing Hip 133, Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) were another team to represent Australia in Kentucky, going to US$85,000 (AU$132,600) to secure a weanling filly by G1 Florida Derby winner Audible (USA), a son of Into Mischief (USA). She is out of Bonnie Blue Flag (USA) (Mineshaft {USA}), the granddam of four-time Group 1 winner Life Is Good (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).

Pope makes a deal for the devil

A year ago, Mandy Pope teamed with Staton Flurry and Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing to purchase G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (USA) (Daredevil {USA}) for US$5 million (AU$7.78 million), and the breeder paid the same price again to buy out her partners on Sunday (local) at Fasig-Tipton.

“I was buying the partners out and she is going to the breeding shed,” Pope said after signing the ticket on the 5-year-old. “That's why I bought her last year, but we decided to go racing for one more year.”

Shedaresthedevil is out of Starship Warpspeed (USA) (Congrats {USA}) and is half-sister to Graded-placed Mojovation (USA) (Quality Road {USA}). Before going through the Fasig-Tipton sales ring a year ago, she won the Oaks, as well as the G1 Clement L. Hirsch S. and G1 La Troienne S. for Staton Flurry's Flurry Racing Stables.

Shedaresthedevil was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, whose Adrian Regan Said: “We thought she wouldn't make as much as last year. But it's just fantastic and we're delighted she's staying in the country. I have to thank Mandy for buying her. Both myself and Fergus (Galvin) say she is the classiest mare we've ever been around.”

As for mating plans for Shedaresthedevil, Pope said, “We have a couple of stallions in mind, but we will have to see who else is going to retire. She'll probably be going to Gun Runner or Flightline or one of the top stallions.”

By the end of Sunday's auction, Pope had signed for two mares, going to US$2.9 million (AU$4.51 million) for Wicked Whisper (USA) (Liam's Map {USA}) (Hip 253), and a US$575,000 (AU$894,700) weanling half-brother to dual-Group 1 winner Cyberknife (USA), by Authentic (USA) (Hip 125).

Campanelle a hot commodity at Fasig

Group 1 winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (Hip 272) was in high demand, as expected summoning a whopping US$5 million (AU$7.78 million) from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier.

“She was a very nice yearling,” said Magnier. “Her breeder has always liked her, even when she was a foal and a yearling. She is a nice filly. She is very fast. She has done great for Barbara Banke and we look forward to breeding her.”

As for what's next, Magnier said, “We might breed her here and then bring her home (to Ireland). We have a couple of ideas in mind. We could breed her to Justify or bring her back to No Nay Never. There are plenty of options.”

Grand Farm secures Distaff runner-up

Just one day after almost pulling off a major upset across town in the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff, Blue Stripe (Arg) (Equal Stripes {USA}) (Hip 316) was in the spotlight once again, bringing US$4 million (AU$6.22 million) from Japan's Grand Farm with Emmanuel de Seroux acting as agent.

“She almost won the race,” de Seroux said. “She is a super filly and she is beautiful. On top of that, we love Argentine mares. They do very well in Japan.”

When asked if she will race or retire to the breeding shed, he said, “We will see. There is a good chance she will be bred.”

Also bought by Emmanuel de Seroux on behalf of Grand Farm, Grace Adler (USA) (Curlin {USA}) reeled in a cool US$2 million (AU$3.12 million). Winner of the G1 Del Mar Debutante, Grace Adler was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale on behalf of Michael Lund Peterson.

Of the purchase, de Seroux said, “We bought her for Grand Farm of Japan. She was a fantastic 2-year-old and she's a beautiful filly by Curlin. She is everything that we were looking for.”

Kalypso to Japan

Japanese buyers made up a major part of the market at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and, despite a less favourable exchange rate in 2022, bidders from the nation were quick to get on the board on Sunday in Lexington when Katsumi Yoshida purchased Grade 1 winner Kalypso (USA) (Brody's Cause {USA}) (Hip 192) for US$2.1 million (AU$3.27 million).

“We know that she was racing well and she had an outstanding racing career,” said Shingo Hashimoto, who signed the ticket on behalf of Yoshida. “We thought she was a very good candidate to bring to Japan. We're very excited to have bought her. We will breed her, but we haven't decided to keep her in the US or send her to Japan yet.”

Hashimoto agreed the exchange rate would make buying more difficult in Kentucky this year.

“We have a big list, but it's going to be tough to buy,” he said. “It's like 30 per cent that the exchange rate has been depreciated for the Japanese Yen. So it's tough, but we've got to deal with it.”

Despite the unfavourable exchange rate, Yoshida was certainly busy on Sunday. In addition to Kalypso, his team signed for Beautiful Gift (USA) (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) (Hip 262) for US$2 million (AU$3.11 million); Bella Sofia (USA) (Awesome Patriot {USA}) (Hip 266) for US$1.85 million (AU$2.88 million); Going to Vegas (USA) (Goldencents {USA}) (Hip 293) for US$1.5 million (AU$2.34 million); and Plum Ali (USA) (First Samurai {USA}) (Hip 220) for US$600,000 (AU$934,000).

Uncle Mo filly tops weanlings at Fasig-Tipton November

Well into Sunday's session of the Fasig-Tipton November sale, a weanling by Uncle Mo (USA) provided fireworks when bringing a US$1.35 million (AU$2.1 million) final bid. Paramount Sale's Gabriel Duignan signed for Hip 128, a filly out of multiple-Grade 1 winner Bellafina (USA) (Quality Road {USA}), who was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent.

“She is just a beautiful filly,” said Duignan, who said he was signing on behalf of a partnership. “She is by Uncle Mo and out of a hell of a mare. She is just drop dead gorgeous. It's as good as it gets. She also seems to be like the good Uncle Mos. You get them really pretty.”

Regarding the final price, he added, “I thought she'd bring about a million. It's just where it is now for the good ones.”

Coolmore comes back for Bellafina

After going to US$1.35 million (AU$2.1 million) to buy out partner Kaleem Shah for the first foal out of Bellafina earlier in the session, the Coolmore team was back in action to acquire the mare herself (Hip 264) for US$4 million (AU$6.22 million) from the Eaton Sales consignment.

“We raced in her partnership with Kaleem,” said Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. “She's a lovely filly. She's very well bred and she's in foal to Tiz The Law, who was an exceptional racehorse. It was just unfortunate that it was the COVID year because he probably would have won the G1 Kentucky Derby if it was run in May.”

Buying out the same partnership, the Coolmore team went to US$1.9 million (AU$2.95 million) to acquire multiple Grade 1-placed Donna Veloce (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}), also in foal to Tiz the Law.

Shah, who acquired Donna Veloce for US$800,000 (AU$1.24 million) at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale, purchased the mare's first foal, a weanling filly by Justify (Hip 159), for US$400,000 (AU$622,000) earlier in the session.