Filly sold for $3m at yearling sale

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Last Sunday's annual yearling sale at Caymanas Park was all about Mark My Word's half sister, who fetched the record price of $3 million.

Bred by HAM Stables Limited, the well-conformed chestnut filly (Lot 228) by the late champion stallion Royal Minister out of Miss Chestnut attracted an opening bid of $500,000 and in the end was purchased by trainer Howard Jaghai after some spirited bidding.

She was all the buzz in the week leading up to the sale, and when Triple Crown winner Mark My Word romped the CTL Superstakes on Saturday, the record was a foregone conclusion.

Her price erased the previous record of $2.8 million paid for a chestnut colt by Traditional out of She's On Wheels last year. That yearling, who was also bred by HAM, was bought specifically to race in Trinidad.

Other notable purchases were $2.4 million for another chestnut filly by Royal Minister out of the 1994 1000 Guineas winner Melissa's Song (Lot 204); while Barbados-based Elias Haloute, a former champion owner in Jamaica, shelled out $1.8 million for a bay filly by Alisios out of Aero Commander (Lot 240), $1.7 million for a chestnut colt by Alisios out of Sea Treaty (Lot 96), both bred by Everglades Farms, and also $1.3 million for Lot 255, a bay colt by Image Maker out of Sweet Desire, bred by Argyll Farms Limited.

Once again, buyers from the Eastern Caribbean figured prominently in the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) promoted sale, with Haloute and Trinidadian trainer Douglas Bennett making multiple purchases.

Bennett purchased three yearlings specifically to race in Trinidad, among them (Lot 39), a bay filly by Western Classic out of Economic Sensation (bed by HAM) for $1.3 million.

According to TOBA president Howard Hamilton, the sale was "highly successful", as it surpassed the previous records of a year ago.

A total of 180 yearlings were sold for a record $119.6 million. In all, 32 yearlings fetched prices of $1 million and over.

Auctioneer was Oliver Fowlston, visiting from England, assisted by Patrick Anderson. As usual, the sale was held in the official car park at Caymanas.