Monsun Colt Tops BBAG Sale
MONSUN COLT TOPS BBAG SALE
By Kelsey Riley
A final-crop son of Monsun stole the show at yesterday’s BBAG sale in Baden-Baden, Germany, reaching a final price tag of €450,000, but the underlying theme of the one-day sale was the international flavor, with yearlings at all levels of the market knocked down to buyers from such countries as the U.S., France, the UK, Qatar, Hong Kong, Ireland and of course, Germany.
The sale concluded with a 13.5% increase in aggregate to €8,178,000, and while the average and median were slightly down–1.4% to €47,942 and 8% to €41,942–it is important to note the sale was coming off a landmark year in 2013–where the average was up 43%, and this year saw 26 more horses catalogued. In the end, 174 yearlings changed hands for a 68% clearance rate.
“We are delighted with the largest attendance of buyers for many years and, although the average is slightly down, the clearance rate has improved and there has been a strength in the middle market we have not seen for some time,” said Klaus Eulenberger, assistant manager at BBAG. “While we are delighted to see so many people come from abroad, it is also heartening that many of the top lots are staying in Germany. We are particularly pleased that Gestut Schlenderhan, who were selling all their colts for the first time for 50 years, did so well.”
Another Novel Horse…
Dr. Christoph Berglar hit the heights of the racing game last year with his triple Group 1 winner Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger})–winner of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. and Grosser Preis–and the longtime Thoroughbred breeder can only hope to experience a case of deju vu after purchasing lot 142, a colt from the final crop of Monsun, for €450,000.
Every corner of the BBAG ring was packed by the time the strapping dark bay strolled into the ring, with auctioneer John O’Kelly declaring to those present, “we have something truly special here.” O’Kelly opened the bidding at €100,000, and it skyrocketed to €200,000 before continuing its climb in smaller increments, with live bidders scattered throughout the ring. When the dust at last settled, and the colt left the ring to applause, it was Peter Brauer of Panorama Bloodstock, acting on behalf of Berglar, who emerged victorious, with David Redvers the underbidder.
“He has very good conformation and very good bone,” Brauer noted. “Dr. Berglar is a thorough fan of Monsun.”
Lot 142 is the third foal out of the stakes-winning Flashing Colour (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}), a half-sister to Listed Chesham S. winner Tha’ir (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and the stakes-placed Flash Dance (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). It is the extended family of G1 Champion S. victor Cezanne (GB) and G1 Irish Oaks winner Colorspin (Fr). Ronald Rauscher consigned the colt on behalf of Gestut Schlenderhan, Germany’s oldest private stud and the former home of Monsun. As Berglar’s racing and bloodstock advisor, Rauscher will remain involved in the colt’s career.
Rausher was understandably jubilant at the end of trade yesterday, having achieved four six-figure prices. In addition to the topper, he was also responsible for the preparation of a Mamool (Ire) colt sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for €200,000; lot 210, an Adlerflug (Ger) filly knocked down to Jurgen Albrecht for €180,000 and lot 192, a Shamardal colt knocked down for €135,000.
“One is elated–one has put the work in, and at the same time the horses were good, which is always the main thing, but then again you never know heading into a one day sale–you can hit it right, or you can hit it wrong,” he said. “Needless to say, the international element is huge, and that really kick-started it. It’s been a great day.”
Berglar is a pharmaceutical magnate and former Chief Executive Officer of the German Jockey Club, and in addition to his operations in Germany he owns Stonereath Farm in Kentucky.
The Monsun colt was the second six-figure purchase of the day for Brauer, though the first occurred in an unconventional manner. A Lando (Ger) half-sister to last year’s G1 Deutsches Derby winner Lucky Speed (Ire) (Silvano {Ger}) (lot 74) caused a stir in the ring late morning, with the hammer dropping at 270,000 for the March-foaled bay, but the stir continued moments later when the “successful” bidder declined to sign the ticket. A short time later, the filly consigned by Jamie Railton was reported as sold to Brauer–the original underbidder–on behalf of an undisclosed German client, for €250,000. The filly is the sixth foal out of Lysuna (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), and she is also a half to multiple stakes winner Lyssio (Ger) (Motivator {GB}). She was one of three through the ring during the sale for Railton; he also sold Lot 69, a Teofilo (Ire) filly for €150,000, and his Monsun colt failed to meet his reserve at €110,000.
Agent John McCormack signed for the Teofilo filly–from the immediate family of G1 Deutsches Derby winners Lando (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and Laroche (Ger) (Nebos {Ger})–on behalf of an undisclosed European client, and he commented, “She’ll probably race in Europe. She’s a lovely quality filly, and she has the best of German breeding.” He added, “The German horses have proven themselves time and again. They just do it right, and they do it simple. Since the second world war, the Germans have shown to the world how it can be done naturally right.”
McCormack backed his support of German breeding late in the session when landing lot 223, a filly by Samum (Ger) from Gestut Karlshof, for €180,000. The February foal is a full-sister to a pair of Group 1 winners–Baila Me (Ger) and Be Fabulous (Ger)–and a half to another stakes winner, and will race in France, according to McCormack.
French Connection…
Stauffenberg Bloodstock’s filly by Lawman (Fr) (lot 179) had generated significant traffic around the barn in the days leading up to the sale, and that popularity carried over to the ring yesterday. She is now bound for France after being picked up by Bertrand Le Metayer, bidding on behalf of Qatar’s Al Shahania Stud, for €240,000.
“She’s going to go back to France to be pre-trained, then it will be decided later where she’ll go,” Le Metayer explained.
The February-foaled bay is out of Notre Dame (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), making her a half-sister to Group 2 winner Now We Can (GB) (Martillo {Ger}), and two other stakes-placed fillies.
Al Shahania has been particularly successful with French-bred fillies, its colors having been carried by the likes of G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and G1 French 1000 Guineas winner Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast) and last year’s G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Vorda (Fr) (Orpen).
Le Metayer later went to €180,000 for a colt by promising young German sire Kamsin (Ger) on behalf of the same connections. Lot 220 is a full to stakes-winning 3-year-old Amazonit (Ger), and a three-quarter to French Group 3 winner Aquatint (Ger) (Samum {Ger}). The dam, Arpista (Ger) (Chief Singer {Ire}) has produced two other stakes-placed winners.
Also bound for France is Lot 205, a filly by Dansili (GB) from the draft of Stauffenberg bloodstock, after being purchased by Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International on behalf of an undisclosed client for €260,000–good for the second-highest price of the day. Bozo noted that he was familiar with the family, having purchased stakes winner Chantilly Creme, under the filly’s third dam.
“It’s a quality, up-and-coming family,” he said.
Double Header for Hong Kong…
A pair of German-bred colts will join the training ranks in Hong Kong after both were plucked from the BBAG ring for €200,000 yesterday. Horst Paturill struck early on for lot 43, a son of Soldier Hollow (GB) whose dam is a full-sister to Group 3 winner Deva (Ger) (Platini {Ger}), and a half to stakes winners Dragon Fly (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and Duke D’Alba (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). The buyer explained that the February foal would go into training in Germany with a view to exporting to Hong Kong later.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Mark Richards was in action an hour later when securing lot 72, a Mamool (Ire) half-brother to Lucky Lion (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}). That G2 German 2000 Guineas winner provided his brother with the ultimate update when besting elders to win the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis July 27.
“We haven’t had a Mamool in Hong Kong yet–he wouldn’t be a particularly high-priority sire for us, but this horse is an athlete, and looks very much like a horse that can go on and hopefully do well in Hong Kong,” said Richards, who was returning to the place where he purchased Bullish Smart (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), Hong Kong’s champion griffin of 2014, two years ago.
“It made common sense to come back and have another look,” Richards said. “The German breed, I think we all know, are very reliable horses, and we’re trying to find some speed as well.”
A German ‘Edition’ For Malloy…
A handful of Americans have been visible at BBAG over the last few days, and Mike McMahon of McMahon and Hill Bloodstock, bidding for and sitting alongside Edition Farm’s Vivien Malloy, made the first big splash when shelling out €180,000 for lot 56, a British-bred filly by Cape Cross (Ire) out of Goathemala (Ger) (Black Sam Bellamy {Ire}) from Gestut Fahrhof. The young, Group 3-winning Goathemala has already produced the stakes-placed Goiania (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), and it is also the family of Classic and Royal Ascot winner Fame and Glory (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Group 1 winner Gonbarda (Ger) (Lando {Ger}) and her Group 1-winning son Farhh (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).
Freddy Seitz of Brookdale Farm had a busy few moments early in the session when scooping up a Champs Elysees filly (lot 29) for €70,000 and an Excellent Art (Ire) colt (lot 37) for €36,000. He later went to €80,000 for lot 208, a Dalakhani (Ire) colt on behalf of Calumet Farm, and waited until the bitter end to snap up lot 254, an Areion (Ger) colt, for €22,000 . Trainer Kenny McPeek purchased a Samum (Ger) colt for €61,000 (lot 149) and a Medicean (GB) colt (lot 98) for €34,000.
End of an Era…
Never again will a son of daughter of Monsun (Ger)–Germany’s flagship sire and indeed, the reason for much of the country’s international success in recent years–go through the ring at BBAG, as last night’s sale featured five members of his final crop. With the exception of the sale topper, however, none found new homes. Lot 218 was bought back for €260,000; lot 199 for €115,000; lot 193 for €110,000 and lot 78 for €75,000.