The World's Largest Collection of Breeding Stock For Sale!

It’s that time of the year again where we spruik for orders for the upcoming breeding stock sales in Kentucky. To be honest, in the past few years we haven’t been too successful at being able to convince many breeders of the pluses of buying in the USA, however, for those who have been good enough to place some trust in our judgement, they have been well rewarded.

 

We are all aware it is extremely difficult to make a dollar as a commercial breeder in the present climate, but it can be done if you spend/invest your capital prudently. If this includes purchasing stock from the USA via someone with a good track record, then why not give this a try?

 

At last year’s sales we purchased just the one mare, VICTORY ROMANCE (by SLEW CITY SLEW), a dual Listed Race winner of just under $400,000 (in foal to GET STORMY) for $35,000. A few months ago, her first foal, 2yo filly STARLESS NIGHT, saluted in the $150,000 Shady Well Stakes (Listed Race) at Woodbine in Canada. A great result for her new owners Rod & Ron Dufficy.

 

The previous year in 2012, our tally of purchases numbered two. Both young stakes winning broodmare prospects. ANNE’S BEAUTY (by ARTIE SCHILLER), a Group 3 winner/dual Listed Race winner of over $400,000 and an outstanding type, was purchased for $180,000. Looking at the prices breeder’s here paid at the 2013 & 2014 auctions for their broodmare prospects, we have little doubt ANNE’S BEAUTY if re-offered through any of these sales would have sold for a minimum 50% premium on her US purchase price and possibly even double!

 

EMBELLISHED (by BELLAMY ROAD) was the other 2012 purchase. A five times Listed Race winner, she was bought for $40,000. Once imported into Australia she was mated to FOXWEDGE ($25,000 fee) and then re-offered at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where she sold for $140,000. A nice return on investment for client Arthur Darivas. Certainly a great deal better than bank interest!

 

We can recite many other examples of successful Randwick Bloodstock purchases from the USA – both short term profitable trades and mares which have gone on to produce Group 1 winners or valuable yearlings in Australia. And we’re not talking big numbers of horses and we’re usually paying no more than $50,000 to $100,000.

 

Over the years we’ve found the buying in the USA to be attractive especially in terms of value for money. Even allowing for the $25,000 air freight to get them back to Australia or New Zealand, the value is still there. Outside of the positive results we have been able to achieve, every year the Australian and NZ race results keep telling us the same thing – the progeny of US mares punch well above their weight here. Below is a list of horses which since the 1st August have won or placed in stakes races in Australia and NZ and who are out of US bred or purchased mares. It’s impressive!

 

Abduction

Delectation

Estonian Princess

Hampton Court

Junoob

La Amistad

Moriarty

Multilateral

Neena Rock

Panzer Division

Puissance De Lune

Scissor Kick

Shamal Wind

Signoff

Tawteen

Trust in a Gust

Twya

Wouldnt It Be Nice

 

There are two breeding stock sales to be held in Kentucky early next month. 2,450 broodmares and broodmare prospects are catalogued. The first sale is the Fasig-Tipton November Sale on the 3th November, the second sale at Keeneland is on the 4th to 14th November. If you would like the catalogues for both sales posted to you, please let me know and we will organise ASAP. Alternatively you might prefer to download the catalogues (PDF files) from each auction house’s web site. Here is the link to Fasig-Tipton page - http://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogues/2014/The-November-Sale/The-November-Sale-new.asp and here is the link to the Keeneland page - http://www.keeneland.com/sales/download-books-and-indexes (when on page click on “FULL SALE DOWNLOAD (FOR IPAD)).

 

So if you could be interested in adding a new mare or two to your broodmare band from these US auctions, please consider the benefits of employing the services of someone with a proven track record of spending their client’s money diligently. My gut feel at this time is nice mares in Australasia are only going to become more expensive and harder to purchase in 2015. This is definitely an industry where you make your money when you buy, not when you sell. If you’d like to make some money, please give me a call.

 

Until next time.

 

Best Regards

 

Brett Howard

 

P.S. Our fee for any purchase is 4.4% (GST inclusive) of the sale price. For horses bought for under $25,000 the fee is a flat $1,100. No purchase – no fee. As part of the service we are also happy to arrange transport door to door.