Miki Goes to $3M Each to Secure Brave Anna, Aunt Pearl

Japanese owner and breeder Masahiro Miki flexed his spending power early Nov. 9 at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's premier breeding stock sale. On his radar was Hip 146, Brave Anna , who fell the way of the buyer for an impressive $3 million. 

"We've had a lot of success at this sale these last years," said Carl McEntee of Ballysax Bloodstock, which consigned the mare. "We've sold two seven-figure mares in a row, but to sell a mare for $3 million as a young consignment, it's obviously very special for us. I feel very privileged to be entrusted with a mare of such quality and I feel that she brought what she was worth. She's a very special mare. We're very grateful and thankful that it happened."

A daughter of Claiborne Farm stallion War Front  , Brave Anna has plenty of turf potential in her pedigree as she is out of the Sadler's Wells mare Liscanna , who was group 3-placed on the turf in Ireland. In addition to Brave Anna, Liscanna has also produced Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner and Spendthrift Farm stallion Hit It a Bomb   as well as stakes-placed Border Town . 

Bred and raced by Evie Stockwell, Brave Anna impressed early at 2, winning the Albany Stakes (G3) before taking group 1 honors three starts later in the Connolly's Red Mills Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket for trainer Aidan O'Brien. 

Brave Anna was offered in foal to Lane's End stallion Quality Road  , who continued to build on his growing stature as a sire over the weekend when his undefeated juvenile son Corniche  picked up his second grade 1 win in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at Del Mar. 

The mare also has a 2-year-old filly racing in Japan by Dark Angel  named Angelsilica—who was purchased for $150,000 by North Hills from the Four Star Sales consignment to the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale—as well as a yearling colt and weanling filly by Ashford Farm stallion Justify  . 

"She was incredibly popular in the barn," McEntee said of Brave Anna. "Corniche running well didn't hurt, but I don't think she needed much help. Her 2-year-old just finished second first time out the other day in Japan. We knew we had something very special, but it's always nice when it comes to fruition." 

Later in the evening Miki scored another top turf female for $3 million when he signed the ticket for Aunt Pearl . Consigned as Hip 208 by ELiTE, agent, the Lope de Vega  filly was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect. 

Bred in Ireland by Ecurie Des Charmes and Ballylinch Stud, Aunt Pearl is out of the Hurricane Run (IRE) mare Matauri Pearl . She was a $358,766 purchase by BSW Euro Venture from Ballylinch Stud's consignment to Book 1 of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, and ultimately won the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Keeneland.

"I bought her as a yearling at Tattersealls," said Liz Crow of ELiTE, who had originally purchased the filly for $358,766 from the consignment of Ballylinch Stud to the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. "We bought eight fillies over there. Michael Dubb, Madaket Stable, Michael Kisber, Peter Deutsch, Mike Caruso and Stuart Grant—all those guys supported us in our first year going over to Tattersalls and it was beyond our wildest dreams that we could buy a Breeders' Cup winner in our first group.

"Brad Cox did a beautiful job with her. She won all three of her starts as a 2-year-old Lasix free. She had brilliant speed wire to wire and never was headed in any of her calls as a 2-year-old."

Trained by Brad Cox and campaigned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael Kisber, and The Elkstone Group, Aunt Pearl was announced as having been retired from racing in October. Her three starts at 2 included winning the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T) along with her Breeders' Cup score. She made only one start at 3 in the Edgewood Stakes Presented by Newport Racing and Gaming (G2T), where she finished fifth. 

"She showed herself really well all week," said Crow. "I think what really pushed her over the top here was that Bruce Jackson of Fair Hill prepped her for us and did a phenomenal job. She could not have looked better. She had a beautiful coat, great weight, and she showed herself with class this week. I'd like to mention the show person, Kathy Betz, she did a great job with her, and she did a great job of keeping her calm and happy all week. 

"The market is really strong and it feels very active and like there are a lot of groups out buying. There are a lot of Japanese groups and a lot of domestic buyers as well. We had mares out 90-plus to 100-plus times. There have been a lot of people looking at our horses."