Perry and McKeever snare Sedaka for NZ$205,000
Group 2 runner-up Sedaka (Savabeel) was the headline act of yesterday’s gavelhouse.com sale after she was purchased by Bruce Perry Bloodstock and McKeever Bloodstock for NZ$205,000.
Johnny McKeever told ANZ Bloodstock News the mare had been purchased on behalf Watership Down Stud to support Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot (Dubawi), who was bred by the operation.
Too Darn Hot has made a blistering start to his career in the northern hemisphere, siring 15 winners from 44 starters and they are headed by three stakes winners including Moyglare Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) winner Fallen Angel.
“The results in Europe have given us the confidence to use the horse in Australia,” said McKeever. “Watership had shares in three broodmares in Australia and now with Sedaka, that makes four. She was recommended to me by Bruce Perry and she has good form, a quality mare to breed to a quality stallion.”
Catalogued as Lot 41 and offered by owners Go Racing, Sedaka won once in nine starts and proved her talent with runner-up finishes in the Royal Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) and Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 2100m) last season, while her last start before retirement saw her finish fifth in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) in March.
Sedaka is the first foal out of Rip Van Winkle (Galileo) mare O’Carol, herself a half-sister to Australian Listed winner and Group 1-placed filly Odeon (Zacinto).
The son of Dubawi’s (Dubai Millennium) first crop yearlings proved popular throughout the sales in Australasia earlier this year, with 56 selling for an aggregate of $10,324,247 at an average of $184,361.
McKeever teamed up with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Watership Down to purchase a filly by the stallion at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, paying Vinery Stud $1 million for the youngster, the most expensive progeny from his first-crop.
“He has made such a strong start to his career – I think they will only get better as three-year-olds and out over a mile,” said McKeever. “Having bought six yearlings by him at the sales in Australia last season, I get feedback on a lot of them and their various trainers are reporting they are forward and very precocious.
“The Australian breeders have really taken a shine to Too Darn Hot and he has proved popular in all seasons he’s stood in Australia and now with all the winners he’s produced in the northern hemisphere it is great for those breeders who have supported him.”