The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
High hopes for Authentic at Spendthrift
North America: Breeders’ Cup Classic and Kentucky Derby winner Authentic has been retired to B Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky, where he will stand in 2021 for a fee of $75,000 S&N.
By Spendthrift’s reigning champion sire – and world #1 dirt sire - Into Mischief, Authentic became his sire’s most accomplished horse to date, ending his career with earnings of $6,191,200 from his six wins out of eight starts.
The colt was bred in Kentucky by Peter Blum and is out of the Mr Greeley mare Flawless. He was campaigned by Spendthrift, MyRacehorse, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. Hughes is the majority owner (86.5 percent) of MyRacehorse, which enabled 5,314 owners to share in the experience.
Ned Toffey, general manager at Spendthrift, said that the unique ownership model made the decision “different and very difficult” for Spendthrift, but it was “felt there wasn’t a lot more to accomplish for a Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner”.
“We believe in the sire line and feel Authentic is a big part of its future. It is very rare that you come across a 3-year-old as well-bred, talented and accomplished as Authentic.”
Second jockeys’ title for Oisin
Europe: Oisin Murphy has retained his British champion flat Jockey title after it proved mathematically impossible for second-placed William Buick to overhaul his total of 142 wins in the 2020 championship.
The 25-year-old scored a double at Southwell, which proved enough to win him a second title with 142 winners in a year in which he won his first British Classic with Kameko in the Qipco 2000 Guineas.
An “incredibly proud” Murphy thanked his team – “my agent, manager, driver, form-man, and family” – especially trainer Andrew Balding and his retaining owner, Sheikh Fahad, who have “allowed me to go wherever I wanted to”.
“It’s huge to win two jockeys’ championships in two years and beyond my wildest dreams,” said Murphy.
Meanwhile, Cieren Fallon was crowned 2020 champion apprentice – becoming the first jockey to retain the title in 32 years. Like Murphy, the son of six-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon is retained by Sheikh Fahad, but he also raced extensively for world #14 trainer William Haggas.
The 21-year-old returned 43 winners, a haul that includes his first G1 triumph when Oxted took the July Cup at Newmarket.
“It’s been a very good year,” Fallon said. “I’ve been very lucky and had a lot of support. Hopefully it can continue next year without a claim. I’m going to be riding on the all-weather over the winter and I’ll just keep ticking along, trying to build on this for next year.”
Click here for the final standings.
Maximum Security to Ashford
North America: Ashford Stud has confirmed the addition to its stallion ranks of Saudi Cup winner Maximum Security, who has been retired after finishing fifth in last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. The multiple G1 winner will be available at Coolmore’s U.S. operation for a fee of $20,000.
Perhaps the most storied horse of recent times, Maximum Security was first past the post in all his four G1 starts as a sophomore in 2019, winning the Haskell, the Cigar Mile and the Florida Derby and finishing first in the Kentucky Derby but being disqualified for interference.
He won the inaugural Saudi Cup in February, but connections are yet to receive the world-record purse due to the federal case involving his then trainer, Jason Servis. He transferred to Bob Baffert, for whom he won the G2 San Diego Handicap and the G1 Pacific Classic.
“Maximum Security was an exceptional racehorse and I have no doubt that he will prove very popular with breeders once they see him,” said Ashford's director of sales, Charlie O'Connor. “He's an extremely impressive-looking individual.”
Buying frenzy as elite mares go under the hammer
North America: Fasig-Tipton conducted a successful renewal of its November Sale in Lexington on Sunday, which posted its second highest gross of all time, led by five fillies and mares sold for $4 million or more, setting a world record for a racing/broodmare prospect sold at public auction.
Fresh from a second Breeders' Cup Distaff win, Monomoy Girl topped the sale when sold for $9.5 million to Spendthrift Farm from the consignment of ELiTE, agent.
Rushing Fall, winner of the 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, went for a final bid of $5.5 million from Jamie McCalmont, agent for M.V. Magnier. And last year's Eclipse champion older dirt female, Midnight Bisou, was the third-highest seller, knocked down to Chuck Allen for $5 million.
Overall, 142 horses changed hands for a total of $80,237,000, an 18 percent increase in gross from 2019 and the second highest gross all time for the November Sale. The average rose 6 six percent to $565,049, with a median of $200,000. Twenty-two fillies and mares sold for $1 million or more.
Click here for the full results.
Darley sets fees for star European stallion roster
Europe: Darley in Europe has announced its 2021 stallion fees, with over a third trimmed by 25 per cent or more.
Across the board, Sheik Mohammed’s operations on the continent were responsible for the winners of 107 individual stakes races, including 16 at the highest level, in 2020.
World #2 sire Dubawi again heads the roster at Dalham Hall in Newmarket on an unchanged £250,000 after another superb year, in which he sired four G1 winners. He will be joined in Newmarket by Pinatubo, who will stand £35,000. The son of Shamardal was assessed as Europe’s best juvenile for 25 years in 2019.
In Ireland, Night Of Thunder, whose first crop are three, has had his 2021 fee revised to reflect demand and he will stand at €75,000.
New to Kildangan Stud for this season are the TRC’s current world #3 racehorse, Ghaiyyath, whose performance in the Juddmonte International at York in August is the highest-rated in the world so far this year, and France’s 2019 champion juvenile, Earthlight, who will stand at €30,000 and €20,000 respectively.
Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions, said, “While 2020 has undoubtedly been a challenge, there has been remarkable resilience in parts of the yearling market, and buyers have shown great confidence in the product of European breeders’ labours.”
Click here for the full list of fees.
Tweenhills broodmare role for G1 winner Con Te Partiro
Europe: Six-year-old Scat Daddy mare Con Te Partiro, winner of two G1s in Australia earlier this year, has been purchased privately by Sheikh Fahad’s Qatar Racing for $1.6 million after failing to attain her reserve on a final bid of $1.9 million during Monday’s opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Retired in this autumn with a a 6-1-2 record from 25 starts and career earnings of $828,719, the former Wesley Ward-trained Con Te Partiro is “definitely coming back to Tweenhills Stud”, confirmed David Redvers, who signed the ticket on behalf of Sheikh Fahad.
“At the moment, the [stallion] options will be either Kameko, Zoustar or possibly Frankel or Dubawi,” said Redvers. “There is a debate going on with Sheikh Fahad and his team. We’re just sort of looking around and seeing what it best. We’ve made no final decision.”
34 aftercare groups win TAA accreditation
North America: The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) has announced that 34 Thoroughbred aftercare organisations have been awarded accreditation - 26 previously accredited and eight that received accreditation for the first time.
The TAA now has a network of 81 organisations with around 170 facilities in North America.
“We congratulate the aftercare organisations that earned TAA accreditation this year, including the new organisations joining the TAA roster,” TAA President John Phillips said.
“We are proud to have a total of 81 accredited organisations across North America representing the gold standard in Thoroughbred aftercare. As our list of organisations receiving TAA funding increases, we ask industry participants to continue to support the TAA as we in turn fund these amazing accredited aftercare organisations and their 170 facilities.”
Elsewhere in racing …
Oceania: Magic Millions is to extend its Gold Coast sale to seven days. More here
Middle East: Square in the Air PR agency has been hired by Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia to promote world’s most valuable horserace. More here
North America: Deborah Hay has been appointed chief executive officer of Take the Reins, a non-profit that works to encourage young people to take get involved in racing. More here
Europe: Cheveley Park Stud has become the latest operation to release its reduced 2021 covering fees. More here
Europe: Kirsten Rausing’s Lanwades Stud in Newmarket has released its 2021, with Sea The Moon leading the four-strong roster at £22,500. More here
Europe: Ballylinch Stud in Ireland has revealed its 2021 fees, with Lope De Vega at a career-high €125,000. More here