McMahon Goes to $425,000 for Arrogate Filly

Bloodstock agent Mike McMahon struck early during the second day of Book 2 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale to land a $425,000 filly by first-crop weanling sire Arrogate . 

He bought the attractive, well-balanced dark gray filly, bred in Kentucky by Bonne Chance Farm and consigned by Gainesway as Hip 704, for a pinhooking venture he and his partner Jamie Hill put together annually with high-end fillies and colts. The filly is out of the stakes-placed Silver Deputy daughter Lucas Street, who is the dam of 2015 TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winner Wavell Avenue. 

"We have tried to buy three Arrogates and loved the one at Fasig-Tipton as well," McMahon said. "I'm really impressed by them. I think he has a very real chance to be a super sire. We've kinda been shut out, so it's nice to get a really high-quality one early in the day."

The filly is one of three Arrogate weanlings sold out of three offered during the Keeneland November sale. They averaged $315,000, putting Arrogate at the top of first-crop weanling sires by average at the Keeneland sale. Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate, the 2016 champion 3-year-old colt and a four-time group/grade 1 winner, was represented by two at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select sale of foals and breeding stock. A filly out of Bernardini  stakes producer Mahkama sold for $300,000, and a colt out of grade 1 producer Maggie McGowan was bought back on a final bid of $340,000.

Besides the filly's physical quality and strong pedigree, McMahon said he is encouraged by her attitude.

"I especially like that John Durr, the (Bonne Chance) farm manager, told us what an aggressive horse she was in the field," he said.

Gainesway's Michael Hernon said he expected the filly to sell well because she attracted a lot of interest back in the barn.

"She had a following," he said. "She is a scopey filly and a good mover. The frame is there for her to grow into money, a good yearling that will appeal to a lot of people."

McMahon said he was happy to secure the Arrogate filly not only because of her sire but because the competition has been particularly strong for horses with her physical quality and pedigree.

"The market is very difficult to buy, and it seems like a good time to sell foals because there isn't as many of them as usual," he said. "It seems like breeders are keeping some. With the mares, it is difficult to find the one you like. We've only bought one so far, and here we are on the second day of Book 2. So it's hard."

Arrogate won the Travers Stakes (G1), Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), and Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1). He stands at Juddmonte for $75,000.