Oppenheim: Records Set at European Mixed Sales

Between 2013, when the bloodstock market began to recover from the shattering effects of the 2008 World Financial Crash, and 2016, the number of North American and European yearlings that made 1 million or more (of resepective currency) varied between 23 (in 2013) and 19 (in 2016), according to figures compiled by my colleague, Dr. Emily Plant.

After 32 yearlings topped those marks in 2017, the stage was set for more fireworks at the recently concluded mixed sales. Though the Kentucky November sales saw three fillies or mares bring $6 million or more (Songbird, Tepin, and Stellar Wind), the overall Kentucky November sales total of $276 million was nowhere near the Kentucky November record of $394 million racked up in 2007.

Not so at the European mixed sales. Though Kentucky did have three of the four $6 million-plus fillies and mares, Marsha broke the European auction record at 6 million guineas ($8,491,140) in a purple patch of about 60 horses sold Dec. 5, and resulted in a sale session of 45 million guineas, which was more than the entire Tattersalls December mares sale grossed in 2016. Goffs November sale had started proceedings Nov. 20—Keeneland ended Nov. 18—and their week of foals and breeding stock grossed €42 million, continuing a trend that saw their November sale's gross rise by 35% since 2013. 

Then it was straight to Newmarket for a day of yearlings Nov. 27, foals the rest of the week, and fillies and mares the following week, Dec. 4-7. The sale's near-two-week run resulted in a record gross of 105,255,000 guineas (€124 million, $149 million). Those still standing finished off the sales season at Deauville Dec. 10-13, where Arqana's gross jumped 35% to a record €31 million. The three markets combined grossed a little more than €197 million, which is near $230 million. We can therefore say the combined five-sale major North American and European mixed sale markets in November and December grossed over $500 million, and the European sales accounted for 45% of the total.

The results at Arqana didn't materially move the needle as far as the leading European sires of weanlings. In the tables included with this column there are details on sires of weanlings at both the North American and European sales since Oct. 1. Of the five super-sires at the yearling sales this year, four topped the figures at the weanling sales, though with only a total of eight weanlings sold among them.

A Dubawi (IRE) half sister to Jack Hobbs topped the Tattersalls foal sale for 750,000gns, so that was one that sold for more than $1.06 million. Galileo (IRE) had three foals sell at Goffs that averaged €708,333 ($831,442), including the highest-priced auction weanling of 2017, a €1.1 million full sister to the group 1-winning 2-year-old and recent Emirates Melbourne Cup (G1) runner-up, Johannes Vermeer. Tapit  had three weanlings average $616,667, while the third European of the top five North American and European super-sires, Frankel, had one foal sell at Tattersalls for 375,000 guineas ($532,704). The fifth of the top five, War Front , had two foals sell for an average of $337,500.

Ten foals from the first crop of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah  averaged $445,500 to establish him as the leading sire of weanlings with 10 or more weanlings sold, while Curlin  ($419,000) and Medaglia d'Oro  ($412,500) also averaged over $400,000, with five and four sold, respectively.

Speightstown  ($356,250), Empire Maker  ($343,333), and War Front ($337,500), as mentioned, all averaged over $300,000 with small numbers sold. Pioneerof the Nile  had 10 weanlings sell for an average of $295,500.

Six European sires averaged over $245,000, including the top two with their first weanlings, Shadwell's top sprinter, Muharaar ($281,994) and 2015 Epsom Investec Derby and Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (both group 1) winner, Golden Horn ($246,949). Dansili ($264,221, two sold), Dark Angel ($259,506), Invincible Spirit ($256,785), and Oasis Dream ($251,436) also averaged over $250,000.

Among covering sires, War Front (five sold, average $1,300,000), edged out Curlin, to whom 15 mares in foal averaged $1,241,667, including Tepin for $8 million, and Galileo, who had five mares in foal average $1,228,958. Dubawi, who had one weanling bring 750,000gns had one mare in foal bring the same price ($1.06 million).

Medaglia d'Oro had 10 mares in foal average a whopping $941,000; Tapit had three average $895,000; and Invincible Spirit had one sell in foal, for 600,000gns ($849,114). Seven mares in foal to Pioneerof the Nile averaged $817,143; and eight mares in foal to Frankel averaged $678,407. Speightstown had four mares in foal average $571,250.

Besides Frankel, among younger sires 11 mares in foal to Uncle Mo  averaged $438,636; 12 mares in foal to American Pharoah averaged $419,354; and nine mares in foal to Kingman averaged $361,043.

The top first-year covering sires were 2015 juvenile champion and 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Nyquist —from Uncle Mo's first crop—with nine mares in foal averaging $308,889; and Frosted , a son of Tapit who was second to American Pharoah in the 2015 Belmont Stakes Presented by DraftKings (G1) and devastating winner of the Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (G1) as a 4-year-old in 2016, with 13 mares in foal to him averaging $235,000. Both Nyquist and Frosted are Darley stallions in Kentucky.