Sales highlights
Record Price at Auction:
$16 Million Forestry Colt at Fasig-Tipton Calder Sale
From Bloodhorse.com/Thoroughbred Daily News
The most expensive horse ever sold at public auction was hammered down today at the Fasig-Tipton Calder sale when a Forestry colt brought a staggering $16 million from Demi O’Byrne.
O’Byrne purchases for the Coolmore team headed by John Magnier and Michael Tabor. The colt also represents a huge pinhooking homerun, having been purchased as a yearling for $425,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky auction.
The colt is the second foal out of the winning Unbridled mare Magical Masquerade. The Feb. 4 foal was bred in Florida by Satish Sanan’s Padua Stables and sold as a yearling by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. He was purchased by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, which resold him Tuesday. He worked in 9 4/5 during the Calder breeze show.
“I used to rave that the best video that I ever saw was Unbridled’s Song, when he sold at the two year-old sale at Barretts”, said consignor Dean De Renzo after the work. “And I said that until I saw this (Forestry) colt go. I’ve seen fast works, but not like that, not so easily
The previous record for a horse of any age was the $13.1 million paid for Seattle Dancer, a half-brother to Seattle Slew by Nijinsky II, as a yearling in 1986. The record for a 2-year-old was set just last year, $5.2 million for a Tale of the Cat colt sold at the same Calder sale last year.
Auctioneer Walt Robertson took 14 bids after the price reached $10 million, an area only two horses had ever reached before. Besides Seattle Dancer, Snaafi Dancer, by Northern Dancer, sold for $10.2 million at the 1983 Keeneland summer yearling sale.
Robertson took a bid at $15.5 million, then O’Byrne bid $16 million. Robertson then quipped, “Does anyone else want to bid,” before dropping the hammer
Foresty Again Post Strong Keeneland Numbers
Foresty has been a darling of the commercial market ever since his first weanlings appeared on the Keeneland sales grounds in 2002. In 2005, the trend continued with a $525,000 weanling colt at the Keeneland November sale. Another Forestry colt brought a final bid of $200,000, selling to Tony Lacy, agt. The four Forestry foals sold in November averaged $285,000, nearly six times the stud fee upon which they were bred.
Breeders selling mares in foal to Forestry on his 2005 service fee of $75,000 also fared well, with his 12 pregnant mares selling for an average price of $386,666. Five of those mares commanded a price of a half million dollars or more, including Starry Ice for $750,000, Rubye for $675,000 and Secret Ballad for $575,000.
Forestry Yearlings Command $975,000, $700,000, etc.
at Keeneland September 2005
Eleven Forestry yearlings sold during the first four sessions of the 2005 Keeneland September Sale for an average price of $400,454, eight times the stud fee upon which they were bred.
Jess Jackson, under his Stonestreet banner, went to $975,000 to secure a Forestry filly out of the stakes producer Shivering Six. Sheikh Mohammed also continued his keen interest in progeny of Forestry with a pair of high dollar buys. He purchased Hip #474, a Forestry colt from the family of Gorgeous and Seaside Attraction, etc. for $700,000 and Hip #56, a Forestry half brother to graded winner Rockport Harbor for $675,000.
Other Forestry’s brought $475,000, $450,000, $320,000 and $250,000. The median price for the eleven Forestry’s sold in Books 1 and 2 was $320,000.
Forestry Leads All Sires by Average at FT-July 2005
Forestry yearlings have been in high demand ever since they were first offered in 2002. That year, his first crop averaged $248,766, tops among first year sires.
At the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Yearling Sale, Forestry was once again at the top of the heap. Five Forestry yearlings sold for an average of $252,400, the highest average of any sire with two or more sold. Those five included a $425,000 colt out of the Unbridled mare Magical Masquerade, who was the third-highest priced lot of the sale, as well as a $350,000 colt and another $300,000 colt purchased by B. Wayne Hughes.
A $3 Million Juvenile Colt at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Calder Sale
A colt from the third crop by Forestry brought a final bid of $3 million at the Fasig-Tipton Calder Sale. That price tag is the fourth-highest ever paid for a juvenile at public auction. The colt was purchased by Coolmore representative Demi O’Byrne, who engaged in a spirited dual with agent Buzz Chace, representing Aaron and Marie Jones. Mr. Chace briefly lost his cell phone connection with the Joneses, adding to the drama.
The Forestry colt is out of the Rahy mare Rare Bird, whose four year-old, Host (by Tabasco Cat), won the G3 Mac Diarmida in late January. Tony Bowling and Boby Dodd consigned the colt and were obviously pleased with the result.
“It’s huge. He’s been a dream since day one,” Mr. Dowling said after the sale. “He came here and performed like the right kind of horse. When I brought him down here, I expected maybe a half a million. Then he breezed good and there was more interest everday.”
Two $1 Million Plus Yearlings at Keeneland September 2004
Not one, but two yearling colts by Forestry brought seven figure prices during the first two sessions of the 2004 Keeneland September Sale. During the opening session, John Ferguson went to $1.1 million to secure Hip #232, a Forestry colt out of the Affirmed mare Christmas In Aiken. The flashy colt is a three-quarter brother to multiple grade one winner Harlan’s Holiday. On Day Two, renowned bloodstock agent Buzz Chace went to $1.9 million to secure Hip #477, a Forestry colt out of the multiple stakes-producing Clever Bertie. It was the highest price yet paid for a Forestry yearling and the sixth highest of Keeneland’s record-setting second session. Hips 232 and 477 were not the only Forestry stars at Keeneland September. Hip #480 sold for $950,000, Hip #40 sold for $575,000, and Hip #315 brought $550,000. All three were purchased by John Ferguson. Additionally, Eugene Melnyk went to $485,000 for Hip #134, a Foresty colt out of Royal Reserves.
More Six-Figure Juveniles For Forestry
In 2004, 5 second-crop juveniles by Forestry brought six-figures, including the following who commanded over $200,000
A $280,000 colt out of Dancin Renee, purchased by Paul Fout.
A $250,000 filly out of Al Balessa, purchased by Fleetwood/NW Management.
A $210,000 colt out of Oxford Scholar, purchased by Eldon Farm Racing.
Forestry Yearlings Bring $950,000 and $1 million at Keeneland September 2003
On September 9, Padua Stable paid $1 million for a gorgeous daughter of Forestry at the Keeneland September sale. The filly, out of the Saratoga Six mare Shivering Six, was consigned by Mulholland Springs, who had earlier sold a Saint Ballado filly for $1.4 million.
A few days later, Bob and Beverly Lewis went to $950,000 to secure a Forestry colt out of the Alydar mare Alyfair. After the sale, Mr. Lewis told the Thoroughbred Daily News: “He’s a magnificent horse. I think he’s one of the top five horses at Keeneland this year.”
Forestry Yearlings Average $375,000 at the 2003 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale
Forestry was the leading first-crop stallion in 2002 with a yearling average of $248,766. Now that they have have come out running, yearlings from his second crop are in even higher demand. These four sold at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga in August:
A 600,000 colt out of Hail Atlantis, purchased by Centennial Farms.
A $350,000 colt out of Sez Fourty, purchased by Mike Ryan, agt.
A $300,000 colt out of Clever Pilot, purchased by Padua Stables.
A $250,000 filly out of Royal Reserves, purchased by Stephen Carr.
$900,000 Two-Year-Old In Training For Forestry
Leading bloodstock agent Buzz Chace paid $900,000 for a son of 2003 Freshmen sire Forestry at the Fasig-Tipton Calder Selected Two-Year-Old Sale on Feburary 25. “I thought I’d have to pay more,” said Mr. Chace. “He’s a nice rangy horse…he travelled so well, and galloped out nicely. I’ve seen alot of nice Forestrys and I think (this horse) will be a good miler.” Out of the stakes winning Ice Age mare Starry Ice, the colt was purchased by Hoby and Layna Kight for $150,000 at the 2002 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. “He was leggy when we first got him, but he just kept getting and bigger and bigger and bigger,” said Mr. Kight of his successful pinhook. “He’s the best thing I’ve ever touched.” The words of Mr. Chace and Mr. Kight proved prophetic as the colt, now named Forest Danger, is already a G3 stakes winner and holds the highest Beyer Speed Figure of 2005 (118).
Forestry: Leading First Crop Sire By Yearling Average in 2002
Thirty-two (32) yearlings by Forestry sold in 2002 for an average of $248,766, nearly five times his stud fee. His top sellers include:
A colt out of Alexandria, purchased by Baker, Mack & Cornstein for $950,000
A colt out of Broad Dynamite, purchased by West Wind Farm for $800,000
A colt out of President’s Girl, purchased by John C. Oxley for $800,000
A filly out of Deputy Jane West, purchased by Padua Stables for $330,000
A filly out of Regal Relam, purchased by G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. for $300,000
Forestry: Leading First Crop Sire By Weanling Average in 2001
Eight ( 8) weanlings by Forestry sold for an average of $257,500 in 2001. They included:
A colt out of Katies, purchased by A and M Ventures for $500,000
A colt out of Confirming, purchased by Aaron and Marie Jones for $330,000
A filly of out Fabulous, purchased by Roger Devenport for $300,000