Sometimes things just fall into place. Not often but every once in a while, even a blind squirrel finds a nut. It's not a coincidence that there is such a resurgence in the demand for fillies by American Pharoah. People all over the world have noticed his female offspring are not only achieving superior racing status globally but are also garnering very high prices at the auctions. In the past week alone, we've seen the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Mile victor Kathynmarisa not only win convincingly but then sell for $3.2 million at the Fasig-Tipton Night of the Stars Sale. And just a day later, we saw a chestnut weanling filly by American Pharoah bring $1 million at Keeneland in Book one and get purchased by one of the most foremost farms in Kentucky. It is not a coincidence that I decided to purchase a chestnut filly by American Pharoah. I always thought that with his magnificent physicality, good bone and balance he would turn out to be a superior sire and perhaps even a breed influencer—a breed shaper—through his female offspring. I was at Coolmore when he was first retired and I visit that farm and their stallions quite often at least once every year when I go back to Kentucky for the various auctions. And every time I saw him, I was so impressed not only by his stature but also his presence of mind. The thing that always caught my eye was how his legs were as stout as tree trunks. Good heavy, solid bone from the shoulder and the stifle all the way down to his hoof. That's one thing I always look for, you have to have good bone to support these thousand pound bodies going 38 miles an hour.
Sometimes because of our fashion-conscious commercial market, tastes in this country wane towards the flavor of the month, which then becomes the most popular and most desired. We sometimes ignore the stallions that have some years under their belt, with multiple crops already on the ground. In this case, and this happens quite often with stallions, their attraction sometimes wanes and then starts a resurgence. Looking at some young stallions retired with four or five starts, they cannot compare to a Triple Crown winner who was out of the money only once in eleven starts and achieved triple-digit Beyers every single race except his first maiden attempt. I think they call that brilliance!
Right now with American Pharoah, I think we are climbing back towards a peak.
All in all, it is a very exciting time as market swings allow us the unique opportunity to be involved with such an important stallion through a very attractive daughter at a very reasonable price point. Get in while the getting is good!