Breeders' Cup winner sells for $6 million at Fasig-Tipton - and now to emulate Goldikova

Champion Goodnight Olive, a repeat winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita last weekend, lit up the Fasig-Tipton sales ring on Tuesday night when selling for $6 million to owner John Stewart. 

Gavin O'Connor was the agent in the purchase of one of two lots to make that amount, the other being triple Grade 1 winner Nest, and the joint-sale toppers are both set to race on in 2024.

Elite consigned the four-time Grade 1 winner Goodnight Olive, who also captured last year's Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland on her way to an Eclipse Award. 

The Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings-bred five-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper has recorded nine wins from 12 starts and earnings of nearly $2.2m for owners First Row Partners and Team Hanley under the direction of trainer Chad Brown.

She sold as a racing/broodmare prospect and will return to Brown for one more campaign on the track. That could include bidding to emulate Goldikova as the only horse to win the same Breeders' Cup race three times – she took the Mile between 2008 and 2010.

Stewart, a big new player on the sales scene having bought his first thoroughbreds only last year, spent a combined $13.35m at the auction in Lexington, Kentucky billed as ‘the night of the stars’.

He is focused on setting up a breed-to-race programme, being under contract to buy a former Shadwell Farm property in Midway, Kentucky.

He told reporters: "We bought a lot of yearlings, and so we wanted some horses that have potential to run – she fits the bill. 

"I think we could have a lot of fun with her, and hopefully have her defend her title at the Breeders' Cup. I think there's an opportunity for her to run at Del Mar and do that. I’m really excited about it."

Goodnight Olive has also won the Ballerina and Madison Stakes.

Four-year-old Nest, likewise an Eclipse Award winner of 2022 as champion three-year-old filly, went the way of Mike Repole, who was buying out his partners Eclipse Thoroughbred and Michael House. 

Nest was bought by Mike Repole at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton November SaleCredit: Fasig-Tipton Photo

Consigned by Highgate Sales, as agent, the Curlin filly will be returned to the barn of Todd Pletcher, though Repole does have stallion interests, including Uncle Mo, so if plans need to change there is back-up.

“But I really think that the objective and the goal would be to bring her back,” Repole told reporters. “I think she has unfinished business.”

Nest has won eight of 14 starts for earnings of more than $2.1m. The Ashland Stakes, American Oaks and Alabama Stakes have been her strikes at the top level.

She won once from just three starts this year in a campaign delayed by a fever.

"I think if we get off to a better start and space her properly this year, I think she's good for a good campaign,” added Repole.

All told, 154 horses sold for aggregate sales of $101,281,000, the third year in a row the sale has topped $100m.

The average was $657,669, ten per cent up year-on-year, while the median also went in the right direction to the tune of 18 per cent, to $295,000.

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