Coolmore Swoops In for $2.7M Kimari

Fresh off her Nov. 7 effort for Ten Broeck Farm in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Del Mar, Kimari  was scooped up by M.V. Magnier for $2.7 million Nov. 9 at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's premier breeding stock sale near Lexington. 

Jamie McCalmont, who signed the ticket on behalf of Coolmore and Magnier, added that the current plan will be to return to the filly to training with Wesley Ward, who was more than pleased with the thought of keeping her in his barn. 

A daughter of Ashford Stud stallion Munnings  , the talented turf runner and 4-year-old was consigned as Hip 195 by Eaton Sales, agent, and was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect. She holds a 6-2-1 record from 11 starts with earnings of $768,777 and was seventh in her recent Del Mar run. 

Kimari was originally purchased as a yearling by Ben McElroy for David Mowat of Ten Broeck Farm for $152,000 from the consignment of Bluewater Sales to The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky select yearling sale. Watching the seven-figure sale on Tuesday was an emotional moment for McElroy, who holds a soft spot in his heart for the flashy bay. 

"It was a little bittersweet until I saw who signed the ticket. She's a collectors item. I'm delighted for Dave and for myself. It's gratifying. Dave is a good client, and he's been a very good friend and it's great for him." 

"I bought her a couple of years ago and ever since Day One she's showed great talent. I still think she's got a lot of chapters to write. She's had an abbreviated 3-year-old and 4-year-old campaign, and I'm delighted that Coolmore has bought her and I think she'll go back to Wesley Ward. I hope she goes on to prove to everyone how good she is." 

Bred in Kentucky by China Horse Club International out of the grade 3-winning Cozzene mare Cozze Up Lady , Kimari was trained by Ward during a racing career that saw her twice make the trip across the pond to compete in Royal Ascot.

During her time abroad she performed very strong against European competition, placing second in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) at 2 and second in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at 3. Her domestic wins include the Bolton Landing Stakes, Indian Summer Stakes, Purple Martin Stakes, Spring Fever Stakes, and the Madison Stakes (G1). 

"She was second in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, which traditionally has a great record of fillies producing good horses," said McCalmont. "I think she might be able to run on again. Munnings is just getting better and better as a stallion. She was lovely. She's beautiful. Maybe she can have an Ascot winner and breed a Queen Mary winner." 

"I'm excited," said Ward. "I love that filly, and I've had her since she was a yearling. She had a few minor issues all throughout her career so that's why we could only race her sparingly. But she's never been as sound as she is now. In the race the other day, she always comes from behind, but she came from last and it was almost like a workout. As good as she is, she could almost be better on the dirt than the turf, there just wasn't enough time to get her in those types of races ahead to the Breeders' Cup.

"Moving forward I talked to Michael Tabor about possibly going to Dubai and some of the bigger races, because she's ready to go. Being by Munnings and a grade 1 winner, she'll always have stamped value there, but whatever she can add to that on the racetrack is good. There are some big sprints coming up here in the next few months. Hopefully she is as good as she is now when we go over there."