On a day where Lady Aurelia (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) sold for US$7.5 million (A$10.4m), Kia Ora Stud and Newgate Farm each picked up two broodmares at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in Kentucky.
Lady Aurelia, the winner of the G1 Prix Morny, G1 King’s Stand and G2 Queen Mary S. was secured by her breeder and part owner, Stonestreet Farm's Barbara Banke, who bought out her partners in the 4-year-old.
Bidding began at $2 million before rising in million-dollar increments to $6 million, there were then three more bids before Banke secured Lady Aurelia.
“It’s hard to come up with something that good, and in the horse business we’re all about hope,” Banke said.
“We’re all about the future and about breeding future champions, so if we can do that again, that would be really awesome."
“She’s fabulous. Going to Royal Ascot and winning the way she won was the most fun I’ve ever had in horse racing. Ever, ever, ever.” Barbara Banke,
“She’s fabulous. Going to Royal Ascot and winning the way she won was the most fun I’ve ever had in horse racing. Ever, ever, ever.”
Her sale was the highlight with seven lots selling for over US$3m.
Top mares destined for Australia
Newgate Farm's Henry Field and Kia Ora's Alex Kingston both made their presence felt, each purchasing two mares.
Daughters of Scat Daddy (USA) (Johannesburg {USA}) were the target for Newgate and SF Bloodstock. They secured Con Te Partiro (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}), a two-year-old winner and multiple Group-placed, for US$575,000 (A$800,000). She is out of Group 1-placed Street Cry mare Temple Street, also the dam of Group-winning Donworth (Tiznow).
The partnership then went to US$325,000 (A$450,000) to land Paulita (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}), also by the sire of Justify, a daughter of Virginia Oaks winner Blind Date (USA).
Kia Ora Stud manager Alex Kingston was present on the sales ground, striking on Lot 149, a Lonhro mare named War Heroine, and Lot 206, the mare Jennifer Lynette (Elusive Quality).
War Heroine, a winner of the G2 San Clemente S., went for US$450,000 (A$625,000).
"She was a typical Lonhro mare that had plenty of quality," Kingston described. "Good size and strength. She had a very nice topline to her and an excellent action."
"We thought she would probably be in the A$700-$800,000 bracket at Magic Millions as an Australian reference, so paying US$450,000 for her here was within our budget."
Jennifer Lynette, a winner of the G2 Royal North S. in Canada, took Kingston's eye. She was purchased for US$575,000 (A$800,000) and with an eye toward a mating with boom sire Zoustar.
"This mare was all quality." Kingston said. "She is the perfect outcross mare for Australia. Given the cross of Elusive Quality over Northern Meteor, with Shooting to Win and Deep Field, it is more than likely this mare will go to Zoustar in 2019."
"Given the cross of Elusive Quality over Northern Meteor, with Shooting to Win and Deep Field, it is more than likely this mare will go to Zoustar in 2019." Alex Kingston, Kia Ora Stud
Australian representative for Fasig Tipton, Andrew Williams, said the purchases destined for Australia were well bought and highly commercial.
"Kia Ora Stud and Newgate Farm are two of Australia's leading commercial breeders. The four mares are valuable outcross mares and great additions to the broodmare population."
"It's fantastic to have plenty of Australian breeders up here this year," Williams reported. "It's developed into a phenomenal sale - seeing the likes of Lady Aurelia go through the ring is an incredible spectacle."
