Broodmare success on the track and in the ring
20 Jan 2023
Broodmare Sales are an important part of the Willow Park calendar annually, where we aim to present a group of highly commercial, young mares in foal to the best stallions. We follow the subsequent careers of these mares closely and get a thrill out of the many big sale ring and racetrack results that arise.
On the racetrack this week, the Gr2 placed Whatalovelyday (Domesday), sold for $150,000 at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale in 2017, had an impressive winner at Sandown in the Jason Warren trained Benedetta (Hellbent). The exciting three-year-old filly is a winner of two of her three starts, by a combined margin of 5.75 lengths. Benedetta is the second winner from as many to race for Whatalovelyday, who has already produced the Gr2 placed mare Whatafox (Foxwedge).
Up-and-coming Vinery Stud sire Star Turn sired a double on the card at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, both horses produced by mares sold by Willow Park. Star Contact (ex Gr1 placed Vittoria (NZ)) registered his second win for David Hayes in The Hong Kong Challenge Cup, while Sugar Sugar (a $250,000 Inglis Ready 2 Race graduate ex In The Moment (NZ)) scored his third win in 10 starts for Caspar Fownes.
In the sale ring, it was fantastic to see a number of Willow Park sold mares achieve outstanding results at Magic Millions last week.
Sold through our 2018 Inglis Chairman's Sale draft for $140,000, Thrill (NZ) (Flying Spur) has benefitted from a number of pedigree updates since that sale and her new owners have reaped the rewards. Thrill's filly by Zousain sold for $400,000 last week from the Widden Stud draft and since being sold by Willow Park, Thrill's three yearlings offered at auction have brought a total of $1,045,000.
The well-related Tarragon (NZ) (Reliable Man) produced another super result with her second yearling offered for sale. A daughter of past WP resident mare, the infamous Pravda (Zabeel), from a family that has seen so much success come from the paddocks of Willow Park, Tarragon was sold for $58,000 in 2019 carrying her first foal - an Invader colt that subsequently made $500,000 at Magic Millions in 2021. Last week saw her second foal, a colt by Brutal (NZ), sell for $230,000, bringing a total of $730,000 for the first two foals of the $58,000 mare.
Another highlight was the powerful $400,000 I Am Invincible colt from the Gr3 placed mare Aquamosa (NZ) (Alamosa). The colt is the third foal of Aquamosa (pictured), who was sold in our 2019 Inglis Great Southern draft for $87,500. The mare's first foal, and only other to be offered at auction, was a $130,000 Inglis weanling, proving she throws a lovely, correct type.
Of the older brigade, Bernarsini (Bernardini) was sold by Willow Park in 2016 in foal to Deep Field for $72,500. The resultant foal became the triple stakes placed Hawker Hurricane. Last week, the mare's yearling colt by Shalaa sold to astute judge Boomer Bloodstock for $200,000. Bernarsini has had five foals offered at auction for a total of $950,000, consistently producing great types, as well as a 100% winner/runner record from three to race.
Next stop on the yearling sale circuit is the Karaka yearling sale, where we are represented by the progeny of 17 Willow Park-sold broodmares. As racing begins to heat up heading towards the Autumn carnival, we also look forward to the return of a number of promising horses, including She's Extreme (Extreme Choice x Keysbrook), who is not only a Willow Park yearling graduate, but also a product of a WP sourced mare!