July 2003
Monster September Sale for Keeneland 16 July 2003
Keeneland announced Monday that it will catalogue 4,294 horses for its September Yearling Sale including 2,272 colts, 2,018 fillies and four geldings.
In 2002, the company sold 2,934 horses for a gross of $US210,809,000, which averaged out to $US71,850.
“Buyers can find quality in quantity at Keeneland in September,” said Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell. “The best stallions in the world are represented and, almost without exception, they’re represented in large numbers.”
Stallions with progeny on offer include A.P. Indy, Danzig, Storm Cat, Unbridled and first crop stars Fusaichi Pegasus and Giant's Causeway.
Ill-fated champion Dubai Millennium will be represented by one yearling, the lone youngster to be offered in North America.
Products of the sale have distinguished themselves throughout the world. Just one month ago, 2001 September graduate Kris Kin—a $275,000 purchase-- won the Epsom Derby.
Other outstanding horses of recent years who are graduates of the sale include several champions of last year--Horse of the Year and champion older mare Azeri, champion sprinter Orientate, champion three-year-old filly Farda Amiga and champion older male Left Bank--along with You, Kona Gold, Caller One, Came Home, Dublino and Milwaukee Brew.
Keeneland will publish a preview with consignor and sire indexes later this month and the catalogue will be available in mid-August.
As your Keeneland representative for Australasia don’t hesitate to contact me If I can be of any assistance.
Snippets to Join BOBS Stallions 15 July 2003
In recent weeks a number of additional stallions have been made eligible for the BOBS scheme thanks to the generosity and foresight of an interested third party, which has consented to pay the required sire contribution fee.
Australia’s leading sire of winners Snippets can now be added to the BOBS list having been nominated today and a syndicate is being formed to meet the $27,500 cost involved based on his final service fee.
Snippets has a host of young horses which can benefit from his inclusion in the scheme, with some 87 rising three year olds and 94 yearlings (rising two) set to hit the racetracks after August 1st.
Everyone knows that Snippets boasts a winner to runner ratio of nearly 80% and that the majority of his stock are up and competing in those first few years. He is the perfect stallion to enjoy the benefits of a scheme such as BOBS.
No doubt owners and trainers who are lucky enough to have a young Snippets runner in their stable will be thrilled to discover that their charges are now BOBS eligible. We encourage everyone involved to pay the $660 nomination fee to register their racehorse for BOBS and collect a slice of the lovely bonus money on offer.
Stallion nominators are entitled to 12.5% of all bonuses won and the $27,500 one off fee to bring Snippets into the BOBS stable seems a reasonable price to pay given the potential for so many people to benefit for the next season. Should anyone be interested in participating in the Vin Cox Bloodstock Snippets BOBS Syndicate, please contact Vin Cox as listed below.
If you have a rising Snippets 2 or 3 year old, get in touch with RacingNSW as soon as possible as nominations close August 1st.
Bold Changes to Improve Stakes Race Listings 10 July 2003
A proposal put forward by the the Australian Group and Listed Races Advisory Group to completely overhaul the current schedule of Black Type events has the potential to greatly enhance our racing and breeding industry.
Fasliyev Tops European First Season Sires 7 July 2003
Fasliyev (USA) hit the front in the European first season sires list this week courtesy of his top class daughter Much Faster, winner of the Deauville Prix du Bois Gr 3. She joins the colt Russian Valour as his second Group Three winner and with all the major juvenile contests still to come, Fasliyev (USA) seems poised for a big debut year.
Early success achieved by first season sires in the Northern Hemisphere does not always spell success here in Australia, however in the case of Fasliyev (USA) I feel we’re entitled to be optimistic.
The horse himself was a big strong early maturing type who dominated his juvenile rivals claiming the title of Champion European Two Year Old. He retired undefeated after winning all five starts culminating in Group One victories in Ireland and France.
His first Australian crop, conceived from a service fee of $25,000, sold exceptionally well with 56 selling at an average of $92,955.
All the good judges were impressed with his yearlings and I was lucky enough to secure a great looking Fasliyev (USA) colt at the Melbourne Premier Sale for just $65,000. He’s a forward type whose broken in perfectly and all going well should be up and running for the early two year old races.
It can be a risky decision for a commercial breeder to patronise a young stallion in his fourth season. When it comes time to sell your yearling, the horse in question will have been well and truly judged by the marketplace. However, Fasliyev (USA) drops to a fee of $20,000 +GST this spring and at that price could be a gamble well worth taking.
