Breeders Barn

[Horny Harry]

Distorted Humour http://www.winstarfarm.com/img/stallions/distortedhumor.jpg
Distorted Humor's first crop of runners in the USA keep putting the son of Forty Niner in the spotlight.
First it was Awesome Humor winning four from four, including the G1 Spinaway Stakes and G3 Debutante Stakes, then Humorous Lady won twice, including the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes by 8 lengths, and Ritzy Dame winning by 11 lenghts at Rockingham Park.
Now it's Funny Cide's turn to shine. The Distorted Humor 2yo gelding broke his maiden at Belmont by 14 3/4 lengths, following up with a 9 length win in the US$83,975 Bertram F Bongard at Belmont on 29 September over 1400m.
Jose Santos, who rode Funny Cide said "I worked him three times before he ran and I knew he was going to be a nice horse....His debut was great. I was actually working him the other day and he ran off with me. We were supposed to go in :49, we went in :47 2/5 and I was standing up. He's ready to go a mile. He can beat open company."
The win of Funny Cide boosts Distorted Humor's earnings for his debut USA bred crop to US$693,780 and he is currently 2nd on the 2002 Leading First Crop Sires table with 3 stakes-winners from 23 overall starters.
LAKEWOOD STUD currently has several quality two-year-olds for sale by Distorted Humor.
Lakewood Stud news release
By: Jo Adams - Thursday, 3 October 2002
Like cricketers who feel more comfortable once they get off the mark,
studmasters and stallion owners feel the same way about seeing a freshman
sire get on the board. Peter Anastasiou of Grand Lodge Thoroughbreds is
celebrating the first win for progeny of multiple US G2 winner Distorted
Humour.
Awesome Humour, a 2-year-old filly by the G1 placed son of Mr. Prospector¹s
champion 2YO son Forty Niner, won the opening event at Keeneland last
Thursday by a neck. Distorted Humour stood his first season in the United
States and Australia in 1999. His dam Danzig¹s Beauty was a G2 winner in
America who also placed in the coveted G1 Acorn Stakes.
Distorted Humour¹s American base is WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.
Winstar Farm (http://www.winstarfarm.com/farm/)
http://www.winstarfarm.com/img/stallions/b-distortedhumor.jpg
Current Winner of the Week:
Awesome Humor
Tom Durant's Awesome Humor rallied wide at the top of the stretch under jockey Calvin Borel and went on to post a two-length victory over Vibs in Saturday's $109,500, grade III Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs.
The 3-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor, making her second career start after breaking her maiden at Keeneland on April 11, ran the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.45.
The winner, trained by Ronny Werner, paid $17.20, $9.00 and $5.80. Vibs, who took the lead at the top of the stretch but could not hold on, paid $6.80 and $4.40. Attemptress finished two lengths back in third and paid $4.40. Blues In Seattle, the 3-2 favorite, tired after setting the pace and finished fourth.
With the winner's purse of $67,890, Awesome Humor increase her lifetime earnings to $99,115.
D'Nile and Blues In Seattle battled for the early lead through fractions of :22.24 for the quarter and :45.25 for the half mile. Awesome Humor, who settled back in fifth, commenced her rally five-wide on the turn while Vibs took control. Vibs drew out to a 1 ½-length advantage but could not withstand the rally by Awesome Humor.
"I could have cut the corner at the top of the stretch, but I knew this filly had so much," said Borel, who registered his second stakes win of the meet. "I was told to lay off the pace and just let the race set up. I wasn't going to set myself down there on the inside and ask for trouble. There was no need when you have a ton of horse under you."
"I loved the post position we had," said Werner. "I told Calvin we were in great position and to just sit off of them. I know it was a long time in between races, but this was a race that we decided to go after. I've told people for some time that this filly just makes my job easy."
Bred in Kentucky by Dr. Naveed Chowhan, Awesome Humor was purchased for $45,000 from last year's Fasig Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale.
[ October 03, 2002, 08:34 AM: Message edited by: Horny Harry ]

[Handy Harry]

Date Posted: 1/2/03 2:58:39 PM
Last Updated: 1/2/03 2:58:39 PM

http://channels.bloodhorse.com/images/content/pleasant_colony_head_bl.jpg

Pleasant Colony, at Blue Ridge Farm in the spring of 2001.
Photo: Barbara D. Livingston

Pleasant Colony, who won the 1981 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I), died Dec. 31 in his paddock at George Grayson's Blue Ridge Farm near Upperville, Va.

The 25-year-old Virginia-bred son of His Majesty was buried at David Blake's Buckland Farm just a short distance from the barn where he was born. Buckland at the time was owned by Thomas Mellon Evans, who campaigned Pleasant Colony as a homebred.
Pleasant Colony won the Run for the Roses from a fast-closing Woodchopper, and in the Preakness, he overtook pacesetter Bold Ego in the final furlong. His try for the Triple Crown ended with a tiring third-place effort in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

Pleasant Colony's other wins that year came in the Wood Memorial (gr. I) and Woodward (gr. I) Stakes. He was retired in the fall after a fourth-place effort in the Marlboro Cup Handicap (gr. I) with six wins from 14 starts and earnings of $965,383 in two years of racing. His stakes win as a 2-year-old came in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II).

Pleasant Colony, who entered stud at the Buckland division near Lexington, became a source of stamina and soundness in pedigrees. He is represented by 73 stakes winners, including Eclipse Award winners Pleasant Tap and Pleasant Stage; multiple European champion St. Jovite, recent star Behrens, and 1993 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Colonial Affair. On the 2002 general sire list, he is ranked 26th, with progeny earnings of $4.1 million. He packs an impressive 3.49 A-EI, compared to a 2.47 CI.

As a broodmare sire, Pleasant Colony is represented by such grade I winners as the half-siblings Forestry and Cash Run. The latter won the 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I). Another of Pleasant Colony's maternal granddaughters, millionaire Summer Colony, is owned by Evans' son, Edward Evans. The elder Evans died in 1997.

Pleasant Colony stood for a time at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky. He was pensioned in 2000 after developing libido problems and was moved to the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. That year, he was sent to Blue Ridge.

[Handy Harry]

Date Posted: 1/2/03 2:38:38 PM
Last Updated: 1/2/03 3:45:28 PM

http://channels.bloodhorse.com/images/content/old_trieste_head_bl.jpg

Laminitis claims Old Trieste.

Photo: Barbara D. Livingston


Old Trieste, a graded stakes winner who earned $847,944, was euthanized Jan. 2 due to acute laminitis. The 8-year-old son of A.P. Indy stood at Jonabell Farm, now Darley at Jonabell, for each of his three years at stud.

Old Trieste, who was raced by Gary Biszantz, burst into national prominence while preparing for the 1998 Kentucky Derby (gr. I). He recorded what is believed to be the fastest pre-Derby work in history at Churchill Downs for six furlongs (1:09), but lost all chance at the race's start when he broke poorly and nearly fell. Later that year, he won the Swaps Stakes (gr. II) by a dozen lengths over Grand Slam, plus the Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) and Affirmed Stakes (gr. III). The following year, he took the Californian Stakes (gr. II).

"I feel very fortunate to have raced a horse with such brilliance and class." Biszantz said. "We are blessed to have three crops to look forward to, and I anticipate seeing several of his youngsters display the characteristics and talent that made Old Trieste such a special racehorse."

Old Trieste, who was produced from grade I winner Lovlier Linda (by Vigors), won six of 14 starts. His 2003 fee was to be $25,000. He will be buried at Biszantz' Cobra Farm near Lexington.



Copyright © 2003 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

[Handy Harry]

http://www.margauxfarm.com/web_images/img_header_logo.gif

Margaux Farm is located just outside of historic Midway, KY where our 320 acres are surrounded on three sides by the South Fork of the Elkhorn Creek. This quiet, protected and secluded setting is perfect for the nurturing of young thoroughbred athletes. The maury silt loam soil, with its underlying limestone is the type of soil that has made the Bluegrass region of Kentucky the horse capital of the world. These soil, water, and geological conditions, have enabled Margaux-raised horses to consistently remain sound and competitive throughout their racing careers.
Our management philosophy is to care for the horse first. The nutrition and feeding programs are continually monitored by our staff and the nutritional consultants with whom we work. Our horses are not crowded together. We maintain between 3 to 5 acres per horse in the field in which the horses are raised.

All of our horse staff (16) live on the farm. As each horse is handled every day, he is led and groomed by people who are dependable, competent, and know each horse individually.

The horses that graduate from our program are widely accepted by trainers throughout the world and historically have withstood the rigors of heavy training. Our success is a direct result of the nutrition, soils and fields, herd health and general sound management principles we apply as we put the horse first.


http://www.margauxfarm.com/web_images/photo_staff_group.jpg

LATEST NEWS

VOLPONI sired by Margaux stallion CRYPTOCLEARNCE won the Breeders' Cup Classic -G1 on October 26, 2002 at Arlington Park.

The 6 1/2 length margin of victory was the largest in Breeders' Cup Classic history! VOLPONI became the second long shot to win the Classic paying out at odds of 43.5 to 1.

After breaking alittle slow, VOLPONI saved ground going to the first turn and settled in between horses on the backstretch and then on the far turn split rivals and made an impressive move down the stretch to take a commanding lead and finished the race under a hand ride from jockey Jose Santos in a time of 2:01.39.


http://www.margauxfarm.com/web_images/photo_cryptoclearance.jpg
CRYPTOCLEARANCE

Fappiano - Naval Orange, by Hoist The Flag
dkb/br, 1984, 16.1 hands

Grade 1 Stakes winner of $3,376,327
Leading sire in 2000: Sire of 77 winners, 6 stakes horses, and progeny with earnings of more than $2 million. His 2000 Stakes winners include multiple stakes winner and track record setter MAN THE SHIPP and VOLPONI - G3 at 2
Leading Sire Lifetime: Sire of Belmont Stakes (GI) winner and Champion older horse VICTORY GALLOP ($3,505,895), Grade 1 performer CRYPTO STAR ($730,090), multiple graded stakes winner CRYPTIC RASCAL ($368,425), course record Grade 1 winner CLEARANCE CODE ($346,445), 1997 Canadian Champion 3 year old colt CRYPTOCLOSER ($368,302); multiple Grade 1 winner STRATEGIC MANEUVER ($414,340); Futurity S. - G1 winner TRAITOR ($267,556).

http://www.margauxfarm.com/web_images/photo_devil_his_due.jpg

Devil His Due

Devil's Bag - Plenty O'Toole, by Raise A Cup
Dkb/br, 1989, 16.1 hands
Multiple Grade 1 winner of $3,920,405.
Raced without medication in 40 of 41 starts (Bute 1 time)

Leading second crop sire in 2000 with 7 stakes winners and 45 winners

Sire of SHE'S A DEVIL DUE, G2 winner and third in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies, BUCKLE DOWN BEN, MISTER DEVILLE, Etc.

http://www.margauxfarm.com/web_images/photo_captain_bodgit.jpg
Captain Bodgit

Saint Ballado - Answering Echo, by Greek Answer
dkb/br, 1994, 16.1 1/2 hands
Grade 1 Stakes winner of $1,014,849

Brilliant 2 year old - won 5 in a row, including 3 stakes

Classic 3 year old - 2nd in the Kentucky Derby by a head- 3rd in the Preakness by a neck

Raced drug free

Entered stud in 1998

http://www.margauxfarm.com/admin/uploaded_files/temp_graphic.jpg

[imaufo]

By GLENYE CAIN


Tabasco Cat, winner of the 1994 Preakness and Belmont Stakes, has died at age 13 in Japan, where he was at stud, according to a published report.

The Thoroughbred Times reported that Tabasco Cat, a Storm Cat stallion, died of heart failure March 6 while covering a mare. The Japanese Bloodhorse Breeders' Association purchased Tabasco Cat in 2000 for $7 million and stood him at its Shizunai Stallion Station on Hokkaido.

Tabasco Cat, a son of the Sauce Boat mare Barbicue Sauce, earned $2,347,671 in two seasons at the racetrack. He was campaigned by his breeders, Overbrook Farm owner W. T. Young and David Reynolds, and built a career record of 18-8-3-2. D. Wayne Lukas trained the chestnut colt.

Tabasco Cat is best known in North America both for his classic successes and for his involvement in an accident that nearly took the life of Lukas's son and chief assistant, Jeff Lukas. In December 1993, the then-2-year-old got loose in the Lukas barn at Santa Anita. Jeff Lukas stepped out into the shed row to try to stop the colt, who ran over him. The younger Lukas was hospitalized for months with multiple skull fractures and only narrowly survived the accident.

Tabasco Cat went on to win five stakes the following year. In addition to the Preakness and Belmont, he captured the San Rafael Stakes, El Camino Real Derby, and Kentucky Cup Classic. He also finished second in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Derby, and Jim Dandy Stakes and was third in the Travers that season.

Retired initially to Overbrook, Tabasco Cat sired Grade 1 winners Snow Ridge and Habibti, and such other graded winners as Cat's at Home, Freefourinternet, Perfect Cat, and Raylene, among others. His worldwide progeny earnings stand at $17,389,731.

Tabasco Cat's first Japanese runners are 2-year-olds this year.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/53864.html

[imaufo]

Keeneland Day-10: Median Up By 128%

At the 10th and 3rd last of the 12 day Keeneland November breeding stock sale, the average soared by almost 93% when 252 horses sold for US$4,125,200, at an average of US$16,370, and a median of US$10,250. That compares very favourably with last year where 237 horses sold for US$2,120,500, with an average of US$8,947, and a median of US$4,500. Overall, 76 horses failed to meet their reserves. This represented 23.2 % of those offered, versus 18.6 % at the comparable session last year. (Nov 19)

Keeneland Day-10: Figures Up Across The Board

Overall for the sale, the comparisons with last year are extremely pleasing. With sessions 11 and 12 yet to come, so far there have been 2,452 lots sold for an aggregate of US$275,624,100 (2003: US$234,808,300), an average of US$112,408 (2003: US$96,908), and a median of US$40,000 (2003: US$35,000). The all important median is up 14.3%, underlining the depth of the buying bench. (Nov 19)

Keeneland Day-10: Grand Slam Filly Tops Session

Meanwhile, according to bloodhorse.com, “Ruthless Babe, a 3YO daughter of Grand Slam produced from the graded stakes-winning Clever Trick mare Tricky Squaw brought the top price of US$105,000” for the 10th session of the marathon sale. She was purchased by Arch Bloodstock, who also purchased the sale topper in Session 9. (Nov 19)

[imaufo]

Record price for broodmare Ashado

Email Print Normal font Large font By Lexington, Kentucky

November 9, 2005

tSheikh Mohammed al Maktoum of Dubai spent a world record $12.3 million yesterday for broodmare prospect Ashado — a multi-million-dollar earner who won last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff.

John Ferguson, acting on behalf of the Dubai horse fancier, outbid Coolmore's John Magnier to purchase the four-year-old by Saint Ballado. The mare has won 12 races in 21 starts and earned $5.33 million.

Ashado was named champion three-year-old filly of 2004 when she captured both the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders' Cup Distaff.

At Keeneland's 2002 September yearling sale, Ashado was purchased for $232,272.

AAP

[imaufo]

Legendry Danzig Passes On





http://www.racenet.com.au/breeding/news_images/anabaa_eye.jpg

Danzig (Northern Dancer-Pas de Nom by Admiral’s Voyage), one of the most influential stallions of the past century, was euthanised Tuesday at Claiborne Farm due to infirmities of old age.

The 29yo stallion had been pensioned in 2004. Nowhere was his influence felt more than in Australia where his ill fated son Danehill (USA), the worlds leading sire of stakes winners, has reigned supreme.

A $310,000 purchase by Henryk de Kwiatkowski at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, Danzig was unbeaten in three career starts before a knee injury halted his career.

Retired to Claiborne in 1981 he was instant success at stud with short-term shuttler Chief’s Crown coming from his first crop. He became the Champion Sire in the U.S. on three successive occasions from 1991to 1993.

To date he has sired 188 black-type winners (18.3 percent of his foals), 107 graded stakes winners, 42 Grade I winners and 10 champions, which have amassed over US$100m in prizemoney.

http://channels.bloodhorse.com/images/content/DanzigWebBDL.jpg

Only two stallions worldwide have sired more stakes winners than Danzig. One was Danehill, who died in 2003 after siring champions in seven countries and more than 300 stakes winners. The other is Sadler's Wells, who, like Danzig, is a son of Northern Dancer. Sadler's Wells also stands at Coolmore.

Both Danehill and Sadler's Wells, however, have benefited from the institution of dual-hemisphere breeding, a practice embraced by Coolmore in the 1990's that allowed the stallions to cover 200 mares or more over the course of a year. During Danzig's stud career at Claiborne, he never covered more than 75 mares, and only four times covered 70 or more mares, according to Gus Koch, the stallion manager at Claiborne.

"That's the Claiborne way," said Koch, who managed Danzig his entire stallion career. "That's the way it was with Mr. Prospector and Nijinsky, and that probably had a big influence on the longevity of their stallions careers. Northern Dancer wasn't a very fertile stallion, but all three of those, all of them his sons who stood here, had very long careers."

Sire sons of Danzig standing at stud in Australia this season includes Anabaa, Belong To Me, Bianconi, Foxhound, Golden Snake, Mull Of Kintyre, Nuclear Frezze, Perugino and Snaddee as well as a plethora of grandsons, principally through Danehill. His daughters have left Kentucky Derby hero Fusaichi Pegasus and the Japanese Champion Grass Wonder.

By: Racenet - Wednesday, 4 January 2006

[imaufo]

High priced colt to race 22 Jul 2006

By Rob Burnet

The Green Monkey, the highest-priced thoroughbred ever bought at sales when he was purchased by Coolmore for $US16 million, may make his much-awaited debut at the 36-day Saratoga festival in up-state New York this northern summer.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the past four training titles at the festival, told the local paper the Albany Times: “I don’t want to make any mistakes with him. I’m not saying he has to win first time out, but I am going to play it careful and make sure he is as ready as we can get him. “Every once in a while you run one and think ‘if I had just one or two extra works with him’. I won’t do that with him."

Pletcher said of the Forestry colt: “He’s a very laid-back horse, very easy to train. He might be the most highly anticipated two-year-old to race at Saratoga, who knows? I know he’s the most expensive.”

Irish-based Coolmore has connections with a golf course in Barbados named The Green Monkey plus the colt was foaled in 2004 which was the Chinese Year of the Green/Wooden Monkey

http://www.thoroughbrednews.co.nz/international/default.asp?id=24868

[imaufo]

$11.7 Million Yearling Establishes September Sale Record; Drives Double Digit Growth in Average and Median Prices

Lexington, KY (September 12, 2006)

The second day of selling at Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale saw the competition between the Maktoum family of Dubai and Coolmore Stud escalate to produce not only great drama but a September Sale record price of $11.7 million.

When the hammer fell, it was John Ferguson, representing Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, who signed the $11.7 million ticket for a colt by Kingmambo from the consignment of Burleson Farms LLC, agent.

The $11.7 million price surpasses the previous mark of $9.7 million paid at last year’s September Sale by Sheikh Mohammed for a yet unnamed colt by Storm Cat out of Tranquility Lake. It is also the all-time second-highest-priced yearling sold at public auction in North America, ranking just behind the $13.1 million record paid for a half-brother to Seattle Slew at the 1985 Keeneland July Selected Yearling Sale.

“In Sheikh Mohammed’s eyes he was the number one yearling (in the sale),” Ferguson remarked. “He was awesome.”

Out of the stakes-winning Seattle Slew mare Crown of Crimson, the colt is a full brother to Ashaawes, a winner of three races recently in England. Ashaawes was purchased by Shadwell Estate Company Ltd. for $2.85 million at the 2004 Keeneland September Sale and races in the name of the Maktoum family’s Godolphin Stables.

The colt was consigned by Lyn Burleson’s Burleson Farms LLC, as agent. “We foaled and raised this colt, and he was a standout from the start, just like his brother and his entire family,” said Burleson, who previously worked with Becky Thomas at Lakland. This colt was part of Burleson’s first Keeneland consignment since going out on his own in February of this year. “We knew he was a nice horse and he vetted very well, but you never know how its going to work out. You just hope you have the right people on your horse and that’s what happened.”

The bidding war between Sheikh Mohammed and Coolmore resulted in individual yearling price records and a second straight day of growth in average and median prices. A September Sale record average of $589,814 was posted on Tuesday, up 10.2 percent over the corresponding first session in 2005, and well above yesterday’s record of $539,264. The median of $300,000 was up 10.1 percent over last year.

Gross receipts of $94,960,000 were the second-highest for a September Sale session, though down 3.6 percent over last year’s $98,502,000. The number of horses sold – 161 head – was down 12.5 percent.

“Spectacular,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “The competitive spirit between the Maktoums and Coolmore was very evident today. The success of the Maktoum family in North America has whetted their appetite for North American horses (in particular, members of the Maktoum family won the 2006 Preakness with Bernardini and the 2006 Belmont with Jazil). The top echelon of the market is stronger than last year. The next level down is a little lighter. But the 30 million-dollar yearlings we’ve sold these past two days have out-grossed the 39 we sold during the first two days last year, so the select market is alive and well.

“We also are very happy for Lyn Burleson and Gary Knapp (consignors of the day’s two top-priced yearlings). They both operate smaller farms that have received a lot of exposure on the global market today, and that is wonderful. Both have invested heavily in the industry, worked very hard, and run small but quality programs. They are getting their just rewards by being in the forefront today.”

Dr. Gary Knapp’s Monticule LLC consigned the day’s second-highest-priced yearling when Ferguson and Sheikh Mohammed paid $9.2 million for a colt from the last crop of leading sire Danzig. Coolmore was the underbidder on the colt. Out of the Deputy Minister mare Sharp Minister, the colt is a half-brother to stakes-winner Sharp Writer and a full brother to Dijeerr, a recent winner at Leicester for Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum.

“He was one of the nicest Danzigs we’ve ever seen, and we’ve seen a lot of them,” said Ferguson. “We’ve had such good luck with Danzig, he’s the sire of Danehill and so many others. We were looking for an athlete and this colt is outstanding.”

Dr. Knapp, whose Monticule farm bred and consigned the $9.2 million colt, agreed with Ferguson’s assessment. “This colt is a very special animal. He has a beautiful physical frame and the cardiovascular system to support it. Once he matures he will be a beautiful racing machine.”

Knapp said he expected the colt to bring seven figures, but not at the level at which it finally sold. “Those seven figures were entirely unanticipated,” he laughed. “But when it gets to that point, you have two parties who have assessed the horse as you have, and it becomes a reflection of their aspirations to own the finest Thoroughbreds.”

Demi O’Byrne, on behalf of Coolmore partners John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, paid $5.2 million for a son of Danzig out of the Roberto mare Al Theraab. Consigned by Indian Creek Farm (Dave C. Parrish, Jr.), agent, the colt is a half-brother to stakes winners Albert Hall and Barsine. O’Byrne indicated the colt would be sent to Coolmore’s Ballydoyle yard in Ireland.

Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale runs through Monday, September 25. There is no sale Friday, September 15. Sessions begin at 10:00 a.m. each day.

http://www.keeneland.com/news/pressdetail.asp?PID=2057

[imaufo]

Mega-rich Sheik Mohammed sets sales alight

John Holloway

September 15, 2006


MONEY doesn't grow on trees but it surely multiplies under the ground in oil wells. Dubai's Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum proved this at the world's biggest yearling sales in Kentucky on Monday and Tuesday, with a spending spree of $US56,885,000 ($75,724,500) for just 25 thoroughbreds.

The Keeneland September Sales catalogued 5161 yearlings for sale over a 14-day period, with the first two sessions featuring 474 yearlings as the showcase lots. Sheik Mohammed and his chief bloodstock adviser, John Ferguson, dominated the sale ring.

Thirty yearlings sold for $US1 million or more on the first two days, with Sheik Mohammed blasting his arch rivals, the Coolmore Stud conglomerate headed by John Magnier, finishing with the four highest-priced lots.

The top price came on day two when Ferguson signed the $US11.7m ticket for a Kingmambo colt from Crown And Crimson. He becomes the second-highest-priced yearling sold at public auction in the US behind the $US13.1m half-brother to Seattle Slew at the 1985 Keeneland July Sale.

Sheik Mohammed's 25 yearlings were bought at an average of $US2,275,400, while Coolmore bought eight for $US8,825,000, an average of $US1,103,125. Its biggest outlay was $US5.2m for a Danzig colt.

The Arabs bought six $US1m-plus yearlings on day one, including the two highest-priced lots of the day - $US8.2m for a Storm Cat colt (Lot 154) and $US5.8m for a Mr Greely colt (Lot 91).

Coolmore was underbidder to them on the two most expensive on Tuesday - lot 312, a colt by Danzig knocked down to Ferguson at $US9.2m, and then the sales-topper.

Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland's director of sales, said the success of the Maktoum family in North America this year had whetted their appetite. Russell was referring to the wins in the Preakness with Bernardini and the Belmont with Jazil.

Racing and breeding website www.thoroughbredinternet.com mused: "Is the top end of the market becoming an exercise in vanity prevailing over logic?", also recalling the $US16m spent by Coolmore on the two-year-old The Green Monkey earlier this year. That's a good question.

RIGHT AT HOME: Sheik Mohammed and his entourage left Kentucky on Wednesday but Ferguson stayed on and added a further four yearlings for $US1,810,000.

Sheik Mohammed, in an interview with Bloodhorse.com, explained the Godolphin operation wanted to make a bigger impact on US racing. He said: "Before, we were only in Europe. We are racing in Europe and the Far East and then we decided to come here to America. American horses, if you take them to Europe, they don't do well. They have to run here [in the US] because they are a different shape of horse. The way horses walk, from Europe, you have to have them on grass. We are very happy now to come and we'll be racing more and more in America."

REAL WARRIOR: High-profile Australian breeders Jim Fleming and his son Dean had another great result on day one at the Keeneland Sales, selling their Storm Cat filly from Warrior Queen for $US2.2m.

This is the third successive year the Flemings have sold a yearling from Warrior Queen, the first in 2004 by AP Indy which fetched $US1.3m, and then last year a Storm Cat filly brought $US3.8m and was the highest-priced filly sold in 2005 at Keeneland.

On the local front the Flemings' Tyreel Stud has entered a Redoute's Choice colt from Ballroom Babe for the 2007 Inglis Easter Sales. He is a half-brother to Just Dancing, which won the group 2 Furious Stakes on the Kensington track last Saturday.

OUT OF LOOP: Sheik Mohammed has stuck by his decision more than 12 months ago to refrain from buying yearlings by Coolmore's stallions. Of the fortunes spent by Sheik Mohammed and Sheik Hamdan's Shadwell Estates on the first two days - a combined 39.4 per cent of the gross - not one dollar was spent on a yearling by a sire that stands at Coolmore or Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

QUALITY STOCK: Six shuttle stallions owned by Darley and Coolmore standing in Australia had yearlings sell at the major two days of Keeneland's September Sales.

Darley's duo of Street Cry and Elusive Quality fared strongly, with Street Cry having three lots sell at an average of $US350,000 and Elusive Quality had 11 lots sell at an average of $US341,364.

For Coolmore, Tale Of The Cat had five sell at an average of $US292,000; Johannesburg had five average $US286,000; Fusaichi Pegasus had 19 sell at $US271,316 and Rock Of Gibraltar had three lots average $US125,000.

IMMINENT ARRIVAL: Further to last week's Bloodlines item about Coolmore anxiously awaiting a birth by caesarean from Piccadilly Circus last weekend … they're still waiting! The mother of Fastnet Rock is still at the Scone veterinary practice waiting to give birth to a colt by Giant's Causeway.

johnhollysenior@yahoo.com.au

http://www.smh.com.au/news/horseracing/megarich-sheik-mohammed-sets-sales-alight/2006/09/14/1157827091251.html

[imaufo]

Posted: 9/25/2006 5:22:46 PM

Records established at close of Keeneland September sale

Keeneland's September yearling sale came to a close on Monday, establishing a world record for gross sales as well as sale records for average, median, and price for an individual yearling.

Overall, Keeneland reported the sale of 3,556 yearlings for a world-record $399,791,800, a 4% increase over last year's record of $384,347,400.

Average and median prices broke last year's records as well as the average rose 3.7% to $112,427 and the median jumped 12.5% to $45,000.

John Ferguson, on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum of Dubai, went to a September record $11.7-million for the sale topper, a Kingmambo colt out of stakes winner Crown of Crimson, by Seattle Slew.

http://www.stallionregister.com/images/conformation/kingmambo.jpg

Kingmambo


Top Ten Runners By Lifetime Earnings

Updated 9/22/2006


King Kamehameha (Jpn) $3,904,136
American Boss $3,660,979
Star King Man $3,591,581
El Condor Pasa $3,502,404
Lemon Drop Kid $3,245,370
Alkaased $2,799,039
Mambo Twist $2,478,851
Divine Proportions $1,553,790
Asakusa Kininaru $1,529,776
Voodoo Dancer $1,427,952

The price eclipsed the previous September sale record of $9.7-million paid last year by Sheikh Mohammed for Jilal. It also is the second-highest-priced yearling sold at public auction in North America, ranking just behind the $13.1-million record paid for Seattle Dancer at the 1985 Keeneland July selected yearling sale.

In all, 32 yearlings were purchased for $1-million or more over the 14-day auction.

"The select portion of this sale was stronger than last year and set the tone for the rest of the sale," Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said. "However, the success of this sale was built on the middle market—Books 3, 4, and 5 of the catalog.

"We graded deeper into the middle market this year, and really made this a conformation class. Our consignors worked hard with us to understand and make adjustments, and they were rewarded with a stronger sale.

"All in all, we are most pleased with the results. We extend our thanks to all of our consignors and buyers. Their hard work is what makes this sale such a success."

On Monday, Keeneland sold 180 horses for $1,466,300, a 10.6% increase over last year's final session, when 154 horses brought $1,325,300. The average of $8,146 dropped 5.3% from last year's final-day total, while the median dipped 21.4% to $4,600.

The highest-priced filly of the sale was bought for $3.2-million by trainer Todd Pletcher, on behalf of James Scatuorchio. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, the filly is by Seeking the Gold out of multiple graded stakes winner Take Charge Lady.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=66713&subsec=4