MAMA MIA!

No sooner did I shut my mouth from bragging about Hyperbaric than he up and wins the Grade II Oak Tree Mile in 1:33.3. His earnings now surpass $400,000. You’ll recall that we bought the mare for a mere $19,000.

Another horse living it up is Arden Belle who won a Woodbine stakes recently, moving her earnings over $500,000. We bought her dam, Bow Bell’s Reef, as a March OBS juvenile. She demonstrated ability but lacked soundness. It’s athletic ability that we are looking for and she had already shown it. Bow Bell’s Reef was by Virginia Rapids and her SW daughter was by Dance Brightly. An unexpected place to find a half-million dollar earner.

Shopton Lane just won the Formal Gold S. at Monmouth to move her earnings to nearly $300,000. We bought her dam for Eugene Melnyk ( same for Bow Bell’s Reef) with similar results. She showed some ability on the track and came up with a good one in Shopton Lane. Incidentally, Shopton Lane was recently bought privately and flew the colors of Malih Al Basti for his Jersey score. Mr. Al Basti is our genial host and benefactor during recent visits to Dubai for the World Cup.

McKilts is a mare whose son PV Lightening was in the news for victory in a $100,000 stakes at Delaware. We actually bought and sold the mare twice. The first came at Keeneland November some years back when I landed her for $40,000 on behalf of Canadian client Norman McAllister. He sat inside to watch the bidding and gave me carte blanche to assemble a broodmare band. McKilts was our first purchase and I had no sooner signed the ticket than a fellow offered a $10,000 profit. I searched out Norman and told him of the offer.
While he declined, the incident helped cement the necessary trust in the agent/owner relationship.

“I didn’t know about the offer and I realize that you could have put a fast $10,000 into your pocket, and no one is the wiser,” he said. “I really appreciate what you did.”

Norman had the perfect temperament for the game and we did very well in our time together. He cut his involvement way back for business and personal reasons. I fervently hope he will be back one day.

McKilts, meanwhile, was sold to a Maryland breeder of my acquaintance after a couple of foals in the McAllister camp. I suggested Sultry Song for the mating which produced PV Lightening ($154,364).

We do this sort of thing all the time. November Sales are around the corner. It might be a good idea for you to take advantage of our four decades experience finding the right mare for the right price.