American Pharoah pair add pizzazz to highly anticipated August Yearling Sale

The presence of two fillies from the first crop of the iconic American Pharoah look set to add some pizzazz to the Arqana August Sale, which opens the European yearling sales season in Deauville on Saturday night.

As ever, the August Sale represents a fusion of the cream of the French yearling crop and those from further afield. In that respect, it annually attracts an array of international big-hitters in search of the next Wings Of Eagles, Intellogent, Magic Wand or Pakistan Star, all sale graduates who have struck in elite company over the past two years.

This year’s renewal consists of 345 lots, including those by Galileo, Dubawi and Frankel alongside younger horses such as American Pharoah, Golden Horn, Gleneagles and Muhaarar, and opens off the back of a renewal in 2017 that featured a record average of €165,587 for 231 sold.

View catalogue and previously sold lots

One of the contributory factors to such an ascent was the buying power of Markus Jooste but with that beleaguered South African owner now out of action, the onus may well fall to the likes of Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Peter Brant to provide competition to the other traditional high-end players.

This is a sale that invariably appeals to international investors. Last year was particularly notable in that respect, once again attracting the likes of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Koji Maeda, Solis/Litt and Justin Casse, who bought the Listed-winning Frankel colt Gidu for Zayat Stables in 2016, in addition to first-time buyer James 'JJ' Crupi.

An auctioneer in full swing during the Arqana August Yearling SaleCredit: Patrick McCann

Ocala-based Crupi came away with €1.06 million worth of stock in partnership with Marco Bozzi on behalf of St Elias Stable, including French Reef, a €420,000 New Approach half-brother to Permian who has posted several works at Saratoga. Camas Park and Glenvale Stud return this weekend with another half-brother to Permian in Lot 52, a colt by Australia.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds, acting through Kerri Radcliffe, went to €1.55 million for last year’s top lot, a Dubawi colt out of Falmouth Stakes heroine Giofra now named Al Battar and in training with Ed Vaughan. The colt was bred and sold by Haras de la Perelle, who return with his Galileo half-brother (121).

Galileo is responsible for six entries overall, including a sister to this year’s Prix de Sandringham winner Mission Impassible out of Nunthorpe Stakes winner Margot Did. Catalogued as Lot 159, she is offered by Haras d’Etreham, who purchased the filly privately from her breeder Katsumi Yoshida.

As for Dubawi, his draft of two comprises the first foals out of Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Just The Judge (137), a colt bred by Qatar Racing and the China Horse Club and offered by La Motteraye Consignment, and Group 2 winner Cladocera (98), a filly who forms part of Haras de la Perelle’s highflying draft.

Ecurie des Monceaux sold Magic Wand, Intellogent, Wind Chimes, Gidu and Pharell at this sale in 2016 and once again, it is that stud that presents the most powerful draft on paper. The sale’s leading vendor every year since 2012, Monceaux return with a draft of 35 yearlings, among them a pair of Muhaarar yearlings from their famous Platonic family.

First up is Lot 9, a half-sister to the winning Parabellum, who sold for a sale record €2.6 million to John Ferguson in 2015. She is followed by Lot 16, a half-brother to Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita and Magic Wand - herself the €1.4 million sale-topper in 2016 - who is out of Listed winner Prudenzia.

Monceaux’s draft also includes two yearlings with significant updates in Lot 8, a Gleneagles half-brother to Prix Jean Prat winner Intellogent, and 94, a Lope De Vega half-brother to the unbeaten Vintage Stakes winner Dark Vision. Charm Spirit, himself a Monceaux-bred, is also represented in the draft by a half-brother to Sunday’s Beverly D Stakes heroine Sistercharlie (43), now a three-time Grade 1 winner this year.

However, all eyes are likely to be on the farm’s filly by Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, who sells on Sunday as Lot 158. Bred by Monceaux in partnership with Haras de Saint Pair, she is the first foal out of Marbre Rose, a Grade 3-winning daughter of Smart Strike from the further family of Grade 1 winner Zoftig.

Henry Bozo of Ecurie des Monceaux pictured at last year's August SaleCredit: Patrick McCann

Saturday night’s session, meanwhile, features the sale of Haras d’Etreham’s American Pharoah filly out of Shawara (34). Bred by Barronstown Stud, she is a half-sister to the Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille winner Shareta and from a deep Aga Khan family.

They look set to be the only yearlings offered at a select sale this year in Europe by American Pharoah. The Coolmore stallion has unsurprisingly already caught the imagination at auction with four seven-figure yearlings to his name. As a result, his yearling average is running at $590,250.

Etreham’s draft also includes a half-sister to recent Prix de Pysche winner and Prix de Diane third Homerique, by Temple City (97).
It also promises to be a productive sale for Haras de Bonneval’s Siyouni, whose draft of 25 includes the half-brothers to Dabirsim (24), Naaqoos (44) and National Defense (79).

Lope De Vega, meanwhile, is represented by the brother to champion Belardo (105), himself a graduate of the 2013 sale, while Camelot’s draft includes a colt out of Irish Oaks runner-up Venus De Milo (62). He will be offered by the Coulonces Consignment alongside a Le Havre brother to dual Classic winner La Cressonniere (68) and a Zoffany half-brother to recent Star Stakes winner Look Around (154). Also of note is the Oasis Dream colt out of Grade 1 winner I’m A Dreamer from Whatton Manor Stud (131).

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