Cover image courtesy of Inglis
The Thoroughbred Report had the opportunity to speak with Caroline Wilson, a vital member of the SF Bloodstock team, who has played a diverse role within the expanding empire for the past five years. Wilson has landed in Sydney in preparation for the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, during which SF Bloodstock plans to present 14 yearlings while engaging in the buying team alongside its long-time business partners Newgate and associates.
Among SF Bloodstock's strong offering is a collection of yearlings from well-performed North American mares. Discussing the strategy behind SF Bloodstock’s approach of bringing down US mares, Wilson quickly commended the team’s ability to identify the right fit for Australia.
“In terms of Gavin and Henry's thought process on US mares, those very speedy short-distance US mares, that's what tends to work. I think bringing them to the Southern Hemisphere and mating them here, you're really just injecting extra speed. That’s a tactic that we've done on a few occasions and seeing the resulting progeny here backs up that philosophy.”
Caroline Wilson | Image courtesy of Jon Siegel
“Speed is such an important factor to consider in your breeding program,” stressed Wilson. “I think it's something that's very hereditary and it's important to consider where it is within the pedigree. And so I think those fast American mares, they just work very well.”
“Speed is such an important factor to consider in your breeding program... I think it's something that's very hereditary and it's important to consider where it is within the pedigree. And so I think those fast American mares, they just work very well.” - Caroline Wilson
Arriving in Sydney early on Thursday morning, Wilson immediately embarked on a full day of inspections, which included evaluating SF Bloodstock’s stock presented by partners Newgate Farm. Impressed by the overall quality of the draft, Wilson noted its strength across the board.
Here are a selection of the highlighted lots:
Lot 85 - Extreme Choice x Istanford (USA) (Istan {USA}) filly
A filly from the Group 2-winning mare Istanford (USA) (Istan {USA}) who has already produced the stakes-performed Tonneofgrit (Winning Rupert). By Australia’s leading sire by stakes winning strike rate, Extreme Choice, Wilson was full of praise for the sire stating, “I've been really impressed with these Extreme Choices. They're just really natural, they look like they'd be super easy on themselves, which is something that we certainly look for a lot in America and is a credit to the stallion. The mare Istanford was a really nice race mare in America who actually beat Tepin (Bernstein), so she raced to a very high level”.
Lot 85 - Extreme Choice x Istanford (USA) (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Lot 297 - I Am Invincible x Sky Treasure (USA) (Sky Mesa {USA}) colt
By Australia’s reigning Champion sire I Am Invincible, this colt is from yet another talented SF Bloodstock sourced American mare in Sky Treasure (USA) (Sky Mesa {USA}). Represented by dual stakes winner Azul Coast (USA) (Super Saver {USA}) in North America, the mare has produced talented stakes-placed Kiko (Capitalist) down under and Wilson was particularly impressed with this colt’s quality albeit a November foal.
“She's the dam of Azul Coast, who's a really nice colt in America trained by Bob Baffert. This colt is a late foal but seems really forward and strong for his age”.
Lot 297 - I Am Invincible x Sky Treasure (USA) (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Lot 456 - Exceed And Excel x Chanteline (USA) (Majesticperfection {USA}) filly
Wilson is particularly excited about offering a filly by the pensioned Exceed And Excel from yet another stakes-winning American mare in Chanteline (USA) (Majesticperfection {USA}).
“She’s a really nice moving filly out of Chanteline who's another stakes winner by Majesticperfection. Given Exceed And Excel is pensioned, they're not making any more of them, so she’s a really nice prospect”.
Lot 456 - Exceed And Excel x Chanteline (USA) (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Lot 462 - Extreme Choice x Coco As In Chanel (USA) (Awesome Again {Can}) colt
One of 11 Extreme Choice yearlings represented in the sale, this colt from Coco As In Chanel (USA) is sure to attract plenty of interest. A stakes-winning sprinter, Wilson is fond of Coco As In Chanel and was impressed by the colt in the flesh stating, “she (Coco As In Chanel) was a lovely race mare. She went over five furlongs, so again, is a speedy American mare that makes sense for down here. He is a standout individual, a very good-looking colt”.
Lot 462 - Extreme Choice x Coco As In Chanel (USA) (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Lot 226 - Snitzel x Prompt (Exceed And Excel) filly
While not a descendent of a US-sourced mare, the sister to Group 1-winning filly Prompt Response (Beneteau) is a standout from the draft according to Wilson.
“That mare is just a beautiful mare. She's amazing, a blue hen mare and that filly looks a super sharp, 2-year-old type”.
Lot 226 - Snitzel x Prompt (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Her first visit to Sydney since completing the Godolphin Flying Start program in 2015, Wilson is especially excited to experience the energy of sales day come Sunday.
“It's an amazing sales complex. It's been really interesting from an American perspective to come and see the design of it and how well it works, how it feels and how easy it is to show horses here.
“I'm excited to see it on sales day. Other than Saratoga in the US, we don't really have hospitality to this level at the sales. So I'm excited to experience that atmosphere”.
