Australasian mares set to light up Keeneland
High-quality lots go under the hammer as November Breeding Stock Sale begins in Kentucky today
Dual Group 1 winner Con Te Partiro (Scat Daddy) and Magic MIllions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) heroine Houtzen (I Am Invincible) will spearhead a strong Australasian presence at today’s opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, with prospective purchasers able to ‘buy diamonds’ as the Kentucky-based auction becomes the latest international sale to battle the impact of Covid-19.
S F Bloodstock’s US-bred Coolmore Classic (Gr 1, 1500m) and Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Con Te Partiro is catalogued as Lot 217, while Houtzen is one of two well-credentialed, southern hemisphere-bred mares set to be offered by Aquis Farm in the coming days. She will be joined by Chintz (Savabeel), dam of New Zealand Group 2 winner Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt), who will go through the ring as Lot 572 in the second session tomorrow. Both she and Houtzen, who is catalogued as Lot 31, are in foal to Hill ‘N Dale Farms resident Curlin (Smart Strike).
Keeneland’s Australasian representative Barry Bowditch acknowledges the challenges presented by the pandemic in sustaining a strong interest by southern hemisphere buyers, but hopes the excellent record of the auction – and the opportunity to buy below the market value of previous years – will prove an attractive proposition.
“I think the sale has stood the test of time. Participants here in Australia who have played in that market for decades now have bought products that have come back and done really well, not only on the racetrack but in the sales ring,” he said.
“It’s a proven source of results here in our market. It has bloodlines that we look to acquire to diversify what we do in Australia and give us lots of outcrosses. This year’s catalogue is very interesting from an Australian perspective – there’s some really quality pedigrees that are known to us in this part of the world.
“I think the time’s right to play in the market over there given the opportunities that are going to present themselves over the next week.”
Elaborating further on the likely involvement of Australasian buyers, Bowditch continued: “I think there’s interest but to what level I am still unsure. But the market this year will provide more opportunities and more holes than any other year.
“Whether you’re buying maiden mares to bring back to get in foal, or whether you’re buying mares in foal and getting the investment back in US dollars and getting them back here for next season, there’s so much opportunity to play. Anyone who is willing will see that when they put these mares in foal, or whether they are trading mares, or whether they are buying for end users to sell yearlings out of, they will be well rewarded for participating.
“It provides those who are willing to try and get themselves prepared to buy horses at huge value and play in a market which will be seen as being a very viable market going forward. You’ll be buying diamonds.”
Prospective purchasers will not have to wait long for those diamonds to emerge. Trained in Queensland by Toby Edmonds, Houtzen – a daughter of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) – won seven times, adding two Group 3 successes to her Magic Millions 2YO Classic victory. She ran her final three races in Europe, achieving her best form when runner-up to European champion sprinter Battaash (Dark Angel) in the 2019 renewal of the King George Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Goodwood while under the care of Martyn Meade.
Aside from her racecourse record, Houtzen’s service to Curlin is sure to catch the attention of buyers given his daughter, six-time top-tier winner Stellar Wind, topped the corresponding session of this sale in 2017 when selling to Coolmore’s M V Magnier for US$6 million.
“Houtzen would be a flagship mare in anyone’s broodmare band. We had great fun racing her with a lot of good people,” said Aquis Farm managing director Shane McGrath.
“She is by I Am Invincible and is a stunner herself, so it will be really interesting to see how the market receives her. There’s obviously a really strong Australian connection and you see quite a few Australian boutique breeders and large commercial breeders keeping an eye on the Keeneland sale.”
Houtzen realised $105,000 at Book 2 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2016, being knocked down to Edmonds Racing from the Yarraman Park Stud draft, while she is out of a winning sister to the dam of Bendigo Guineas (Listed, 1400m) scorer Mystery Love (Eurozone).
“It’s obviously an Australian pedigree underneath but the sireline is a successful European one. We’ve seen how well Royal Meeting, a son of Invincible Spirit, has been received down in Victoria. It’s a line everyone is familiar with,” McGrath said.
“She’s in foal to Curlin, a world-class stallion who will appeal to all the leading American breeders. Knowing how good looking she is…there are plenty of options with her. You can foal her down and bring her home (to Australia) or leave her up there.”
Aquis’ second offering Chintz, an 11-year-old daughter of Savabeel (Zabeel), counted the Rich Hill Mile (Gr 2, 1600m) among her six career successes, while she also finished third in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m). Having fetched NZ$240,000 at Book 1 of the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale in 2019, her Tony Pike-trained son Not An Option won the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) as a juvenile in December.
“She was a very good racemare herself. She leaves a really good sort. Savabeel is a sire who appeals to most breeders from an outcross point of view,” McGrath said.
“She is the dam of Not An Option who, on ratings, looks like he is one of the best three-year-olds in New Zealand. He’s probably a Group 1 winner in waiting. She could have appeal.”
Other mares encompassing southern hemisphere interest include Miracles Forever (Medaglia d’Oro), an unraced daughter of Australia’s dual Group 1-winning sprinter Miracles Of Life (Not A Single Doubt). She is in foal to Kantharos (Lion Heart) and will be offered as Lot 724 in session three on Wednesday.
In session four on Thursday, dual Listed winner Scorpio Queen (Choisir), who was bought by Spendthrift Australia for $300,000 in 2016, will be offered by the US arm of B. Wayne Hughes’ operation as Lot 1178. She is in foal to young sire Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy).
Selling begins at noon (ET) today, with purchasers able to bid on-site, by phone and online.