The Queensland-based Julian Blaxland of Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) has carved out a record envious of any agent with an honour roll that includes the Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Sunlight (Zoustar), Group 1 victress Shamal Wind (Dubawi {Ire}) and in recent times the dual Group 1 victor Artorius.
Blaxland has not been afraid to chase new frontiers in the quest to find or produce the next star galloper. He has been a familiar face in Kentucky for years and hopes to participate again this year.
The 2023 edition of Keeneland's Sale will begin on Wednesday, November 8 and run till Thursday, November 16. Fasig-Tipton's iconic November Sale is staged across town on November 7.
Both venues will facilitate the sale of some of the world’s elite broodmare prospects and weanlings. Keeneland also offers horses of racing age, stallions, stallion prospects and shares in a 3591-lot extravaganza.
Julian Blaxland | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Successful buying
Blaxland has purchased several mares from Keeneland over the years with success, the most expensive being the Smart Strike (Can) mare Vintage Strike (USA).
Vintage Strike was offered at the 2014 Keeneland November Breeding Sale, where Blaxland, under his Blue Sky Bloodstock banner, paid US$500,000 (AU$776,300).
Despite carrying the American suffix, Vintage Strike had some close ties to Australia; her dam Bollinger (Dehere {USA}) had won the G1 Coolmore Classic and the G2 Surround S.
Bollinger, dam of Vintage Strike (USA) and winner of the G1 Coolmore Classic | Image courtesy of Sporptix
Bollinger proved an excellent producer, with her A.P. Indy (USA) colt Friesan Fire (USA) winning a G2 Louisiana Derby and the G3 Risen Star S., Lecomte S. and the Louisiana H.
Bollinger's Australian-bred produce Villermont, a son of All Too Hard, was victorious in the G2 Sandown Guineas and the G3 Gunsynd Classic and also finished third in the G1 Australian Guineas.
Vintage Strike arrived in Australia in 2015, and in 2017, her meeting with Star Witness saw the arrival of a colt to be named Aim.
Aim, winner of the R. Listed Magic Millions Guineas, son of Vintage Strike (USA) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Sold at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000 to China Horse Club and Newgate Bloodstock, Aim has won four races, including the R. Listed Magic Millions Guineas and the Silver Eagle.
Aim earned his connections over $1 million in prizemoney.
Another purchase from the 2014 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale was Miss Charming (USA) (Forestry {USA}). A half-sister to the Group 1 winner Tout Charmant (USA) (Slewvescent {USA}), Miss Charming cost US$180,000 (AU$279,500).
Imported to Australia, Miss Charming is the dam of the classy Snitzel filly Letzbeglam, a victress of the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) and the G3 Countries Bowl. Letzbeglam’s full brother, Snazz ‘n’ Charm, has also been placed at the Listed level.
Letzbeglam, winner of the G2 Blue Diamonds Prelude (Fillies), daughter of Miss Charming (USA) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The cheapest of Blaxland’s Keeneland purchases at US$30,000 (AU$46,600) and also an 2014 Keeneland November Breeding Sale alumni is Hello (USA) (Smoke Glacken {USA}).
A five-time winner, including a Listed victory, Hello is a granddaughter of the G2 Diana H. victress Ratings (USA) (Caveat {USA}), while she is also closely related to Lighthouse (USA). The American-bred daughter of Mizzen Mast (USA) found great success in Australia, winning the G1 Coolmore Classic and the Listed Chester Manifold S.
North American appeal
The North American-bred mares have had great success in Australia and have been well-sought after by Australian buyers and breeders.
Blaxland shared with The Thoroughbred Report why he loves the North American mares and what he feels makes them ideal for Australia, “I love the North American broodmare and have had success buying mares from there to come to Australia.
“I guess it’s that meeting of families, blending North American and Australian pedigrees. For me, the American mares have more speed than their European cousins, so pound for pound has been more commercial in this part of the world.
“For me, the American mares have more speed than their European cousins, so pound for pound has been more commercial in this part of the world.” - Julian Blaxland
“You can mate the North American mares to almost any stallion down here (Australia), which is a huge plus,” Blaxland explained.
“One must still choose a physical that suits our tastes and racing style in Australia, though. Mares can be quite different in America - with the bulk raced on dirt, so while they might suit on paper, in reality, the physical doesn’t always suit Australia.”
No ceiling at the top-end?
It has been well advertised the big money the elite producers and broodmare prospects make when offered in America and Europe.
At the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, the brilliant mare Midnight Bisou (USA) (Midnight Lute {USA}) was purchased by Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida for US$5,500,000 (AU$8,500,500).
Midnight Bisou (USA) was purchased for US$5,500,000 (AU$8,500,500) by Katsumi Yoshida at last year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale | Image courtesy of Keeneland
While the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Mixed Sale has also seen some truly outstanding results, the Champion Filly Lady Aurelia (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) was sold to Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings for US$7,500,000 (AU$11,700,500).
Monomoy Girl (USA) (Tapizar {USA}) counted dual victories in the Breeders' Cup Distaff and the G1 Kentucky Oaks among her 14 wins.
She was an astutely purchased yearling for US$100,000 (AU$155,500) by BSW Bloodstock and Liz Crow at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Monomoy Girl was offered as a breeding and racing prospect at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Novemeber Sale, where Spendthrift Farm went to an incredible US$9,500,000 (AU$14,800,500) to secure her.
Watch: Monomy Girl (USA) sells for US$9,500,000 (AU$14,800,500)
The outstanding filly Songbird (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) also made the exact figure of Monomoy Girl when offered in 2017 selling to Whisper Hill Farm.
Songbird’s 2022 produce, a colt by Curlin (USA), was a US$1,000,000 (AU$1,500,000) purchase by Grand Equine at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm has been a significant player in acquiring these fine mares. In 2012, Pope paid US$10,000,000 (AU$15,500,000) to secure the 2011 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Female in the United States of America - Havre De Grace (USA) (Saint Liam {USA}) at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale.
Australian-sold mares such as Sunlight (Zoustar) ($4,200,000), Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) ($4,100,000) and Sunshine In Paris (Invader) ($3,900,000), among others, have topped sales on these shores. However, in comparison to their North American (and European) counterparts are as strangely as it sounds ‘cheaper and more accessible’ to buyers.
Gallery: Some of the top-selling Australian-bred mares, images courtesy of Magic Millions
It begs the question as to why there's more of a ceiling at the top-end here, especially considering the health of the Australasian industry.
It also brings up the thought of what valuation Champion mares such as Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {Ire}) and Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) had if they were based in the Northern Hemisphere.
We will never know, but it is intriguing to ponder. However, Blaxland has his theory of why the Northern Hemisphere mares make arguably inconceivable prices.
“Regarding the big-money mares, I think it’s because America is simply a bigger country than Australia. Three-hundred-and-fifty million people in comparison to 28 million, you are going to run into more big players,” Blaxland said to TTR AusNZ.
“Regarding the big-money mares, I think it’s because America is simply a bigger country than Australia. Three-hundred-and-fifty million people in comparison to 28 million, you are going to run into more big players.” - Julian Blaxland
“You’ve also got most of Europe playing at the mares sales in the Northern Hemisphere and, of course, Japan.
“I’ve always thought of Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton as the Super Bowl of breeding stock sales, and I just love going there.”
