Bobby’s Berglar Palace

For the second time in as many days, Bobby Flay had reason for a celebratory meal. A Tapit filly from the celebrity chef’s Super Espresso (Medaglia d’Oro) brought $1 million from Chiefswood Stable Tuesday (story), and a Flay-bred daughter of Tiznow (hip 549) commanded a winning bid of $1.1 million from Dr. Christoph Berglar’s Stonereath Stud yesterday. Both fillies were consigned by Arthur Hancock’s Stone Farm. 

Through agent James Delahooke, Flay purchased French listed-placed Countess Lemonade (Storm Cat) for 700,000 guineas at the 2010 Tattersalls while she was ‘only’ a half-sister to European champion Duke of Marmalade (Ire) (Danehill). Campaigned by Flay in the U.S. the following year, the dark bay was third in Belmont’s GIII Athenia S. for conditioner Todd Pletcher. Countess Lemonade and her first foal–this Tiznow filly–grew increasingly valuable last year when the Coolmore contingent’s Ruler of the World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half to Countess Lemonade and Duke of Marmalade, annexed the G1 Epsom Derby. 

“It’s been a very good sale,” Flay said understatedly. “I think what that proves is that if you buy quality racehorses and mares, that the blood continues on. I’m in this for the long run. Super Espresso was a filly that I bought here in 2008, and she produced the filly that sold yesterday for $1 million. I bought Countess Lemonade at Tattersalls when she was a 3-year-old. That’s a family that’s world-class. It doesn’t get any better than that in the stud book. These fillies are carrying on their bloodlines, and as you can see they’ve produced beautiful babies.”

Flay said it was a tough decision to part with hip 549, but explained, “It was her first foal, it was a very good mating and she was a good physical. Plus, she’s a young mare. Some people here are lucky enough to hold on to everything that they breed, but I can’t do that. I love to race, but I have to sell some good ones as well. Hopefully, she’ll have plenty more babies and I’ll be able to race some of those.” 

Countess Lemonade has a Medaglia d’Oro colt on the ground, and is currently carrying a filly by Galileo. She hails from the same extended Lane’s End female family as A.P. Indy.

Stonereath Gets Tiznow Filly…
 
Peter Berglar, bidding on behalf of his family’s Stonereath Stud, was forced to $1.1 million to secure a filly by Tiznow (hip 549) late in Wednesday’s session of the September sale. 

“I bought her for my dad, Dr. Christoph Berglar, who owns Stonereath Stud in Paris,” Berglar said after signing the ticket on the yearling. “We bought her to race here in the United States.” 

The yearling is out of graded stakes placed Countess Lemonade (Storm Cat), a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Duke of Marmalade (Ire) (Danehill) and Group 1 winner Ruler of the World (Galileo {Ire}). 

“I liked the individual a lot, the presence of her and, of course the page, she has a lovely pedigree,” Berglar said. “We hope for her to be a broodmare down the road, but in the near future we are looking forward to her racing career. We are going to enjoy that first.” 

Berglar admitted the filly’s seven-figure price tag was not unexpected. 

“I think, in this market, for that kind of mare, you have to go that far,” he said. 

Stonereath Stud, purchased by the Berglar family in 2011, is home to a broodmare band of around 
25 mares, including boarders. The band includes German champion Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), dam of champion Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), as well Emma’s Encore (Congrats), who won the 2012 
GI Prioress S. for Berglar. Also in the group is Grade II winner Summer Applause (Harlan’s Holiday), who was purchased by Stonereath for $1.3 million at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale. 

“We breed to race and to sell,” Berglar said. “We are trying to build a nice solid broodmare band with some quality.” 

Berglar added the filly will likely be trained in the U.S. by Graham Motion.