Woodford On European Sojourn

Woodford On European Sojourn… 
John and Susan Sykes’ have built up a collection of nearly 100 mares since founding Woodford Thoroughbreds in 2007, and they have showed no sign of showing down, acquiring 18 at Keeneland November, and five through the first two days of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. Woodford’s General Manager Matt Lyons, who is attending the sale with John Sykes, noted they are considering an expansion into the European market for the operation that is currently split between Kentucky and Florida. While the mares purchased this week will head back to Kentucky, Lyons noted their foals may return to the European market to sell. 

“In the future we’re not ruling out bringing some horses to sell here,” Lyons said. “We wanted to come and test the market and get to know it, and something we may consider in the future is keeping some mares over here or selling some horses over here.” 

Lyons and Sykes made their first visit to Tattersalls for this sale last year, when they took four home, and Lyons said their primary aim is to add new blood to their broodmare band. 

“We’re trying to add a few different mares,” he said. “We’re just trying to add some new blood to the broodmare band and trying to expand. This has been a good avenue for us to do it.” 

Woodford’s haul this week thus far includes lot 1653, the 8-year-old mare Lastroseofsummer (Ire) (Haafhd {GB}), in foal to the red-hot Lope De Vega (Ire), for 60,000gns; lot 1497, the winning Hekaayaat (Mr. Greeley) in foal to Kodiac (GB) for 50,000gns; lot 1785, the 3-year-old filly Good Strike (Smart Strike), in foal to Mastercraftsman (Ire); lot 1827, the Bernardini mare Kimono, in foal to Declaration of War and lot 1861, Scenica (Arg), also in foal to that new Ashford Stud resident. 

“The market has been pretty good,” Lyons noted. “The ones we’ve bought, they made right around what we thought they would.”