September Run's breeders, Greg and Jenny White of Alpara Lodge, sold the Group 3-winning mare Pittsburgh Flyer through the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where, in foal to American Pharoah (USA), she was picked up for $500,000 by Go Bloodstock through agent Paul Moroney.
The following year at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, the Whites sold Pittsburgh Flyer's first foal, a filly by Exceed And Excel, through the draft of Blue Gum Farm. Purchased by Hermitage Thoroughbreds for $380,000, September Run has developed into an elite sprinting filly, winning last Saturday's G1 Coolmore Stud S. with some authority to take her record to five wins from eight starts.
September Run after winning the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
While Hermitage and trainer Chris Waller plot their autumn plans with September Run, likely to centre around the G1 Newmarket H., where she will look to emulate the deeds of another top-line sprinting filly in Sunlight (Zoustar) two years ago, Go Bloodstock's team are enjoying a huge boost to the ongoing broodmare prospects of Pittsburgh Flyer.
"Sir Owen and the Go Bloodstock team are thrilled with the win of September Run. Over the past few years, we have invested heavily in building up a quality broodmare band with the aim of breeding Group 1 winners – whether they be raced by us or purchased from us at a sale," Go Bloodstock's Steve O'Connor said.
"The win of September Run epitomises what we are trying to achieve – owning Group 1 producers. It is a team effort with special thanks to Paul Moroney who purchased Pittsburgh Flyer and Coolmore who look after her so well."
"The win of September Run epitomises what we are trying to achieve – owning Group 1 producers. It is a team effort with special thanks to Paul Moroney who purchased Pittsburgh Flyer and Coolmore who look after her so well." - Steve O'Connor
The now 2-year-old filly by American Pharoah was sold through this year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale via Coolmore's draft to Hirsch Racing for $100,000. Named My Yankee Girl, she is in training with John Salanitri.
Pittsburgh Flyer missed in her first visit to Merchant Navy in 2018 but got in foal to him last year and in August produced a filly half-sister to September Run.
"The filly foal by Merchant Navy can only be described as a weapon. I saw her last week and she is a muscular, strong sprinting type. I expect her to be running early and she is exactly what we have come to expect of Merchant Navy," O'Connor said.
"He is a stallion we have equity in and we have supported him with quality mares each season. He has rewarded us with consistent, strong sprinting types and we are excited about his future."
Obvious match
With September Run having parlayed a stakes win in the Listed Bill Carter S. as a 2-year-old into a trio of stakes wins as a 3-year-old in the Listed Cap D'Antibes S., the Listed Poseidon S. and now the Coolmore Stud S., the obvious match for her dam this spring would be to go back to Darley's Exceed And Excel.
"I am happy to report that Pittsburgh Flyer is back in foal to Exceed And Excel carrying a full sibling to September Run. She is a wonderful mare to have in our portfolio," O'Connor said.
Merchant Navy x Pittsburgh Flyer (filly)
Pittsburgh Flyer's own dam, the champion South African 2-year-old Warning Zone (SAF) (Elliodor {Fr}), only produced four foals in Australia, meaning it is a pedigree which doesn’t have a strong footprint in Australia as yet.
Her first foal, Springbok Girl (Flying Spur), is currently located at KBL Thoroughbreds and has produced one winner from two to the track, the Sandown winner Ellis Park (Dissident) for Mark Kavanagh. She is set to foal to Invader this spring.
The full sister Alsariaa (Street Cry {Ire}) was purchased for $30,000 by Yulong at the same 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where Pittsburgh Flyer was sold.
Alsariaa, a winner of one of her five starts for Lee and Shannon Hope, who also trained her stakes-winning sister, has only had one foal to the track, Morialta (Jimmy Creed {USA}), who was placed at his second start at Murray Bridge last month. She has a yearling colt by Impending and a 2-year-old colt by Air Force Blue (USA), who brought $90,000 to Kavanagh at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale earlier this year.
The boost for Pittsburgh Flyer could also be a start of a big week at Flemington for Go Bloodstock and Sir Owen Glenn, who part-owns G1 Melbourne Cup hope Dashing Willoughby (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).
