Alterite Stars At Arqana

ALTERITE STARS AT ARQANA 
By Kelsey Riley and Alix Choppin 
Last year’s GI Garden City H. winner Alterite (Fr) (Literato {Fr}) (lot 188) was billed as one of the stars of the show of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale and she didn’t disappoint, fetching €1.1 million from Emmanuel de Seroux of Narvick International on behalf of Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm during the opening session of the four-day sale yesterday. 

Alterite was the lone seven-figure transaction of the session, which was marked by a pair of high-profile buybacks when Samba Brazil (Ger) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Xcellence (Fr) (Champs Elysees {GB}) failed to find homes at €1.5 million and €950,000, respectively. While the session took some time to gain momentum, the late afternoon witnessed frenzied trade, and in the end figures were largely on par with last year, with minor dips across most indicators. A total of 156 horses changed hands at a clearance rate of 76%, down from 80% 12 months ago, and the aggregate of €16,873,500 was down 8% from just three fewer horses sold. The average of €107,933 was down 6%, while the median climbed 44% to €72,000. 

De Seroux said Alterite would be retired and shipped to Japan to be bred next year, and there is a “good chance” she will be covered by Japan’s leading sire Deep Impact (Jpn). 

“She’s a star,” de Seroux said. “She’s a Grade I winner, and she’s a beautiful filly.” 

Alterite was purchased by Martin Schwartz after finishing third in Longchamp’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac one start after breaking her maiden as a 2-year-old, and she helped return that investment next out when winning a listed race at Saint-Cloud on her sophomore debut. Alterite could not measure up to Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast) in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, but she missed by a short head when stretched out to 10 furlongs for the G1 Prix Saint-Alary, and was sixth behind Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in the G1 Prix de Diane in her final French outing. Expatriated to trainer Chad Brown in New York, Alterite immediately rewarded that decision with her Garden City victory. Competing only in Grade I company thereafter, Alterite finished second in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Cup and third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. She failed to hit the board in three outings this year, most recently finishing seventh in the GI Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Sept. 27. 

Northern Farm is also the new owner of G3 Prix de Lieurey victress Via Medici (Ire) (Medicean {GB}) (lot 172). De Seroux secure the 7-year-old mare, in foal to Dansili (GB), for €480,000.