A HANDSOME chestnut colt by Maverick out of Wild Heart fetched the top price of $860,000 at Sunday's annual Select and Regular Sales held in the Official Car Park at Caymanas Park.
Entering the ring as Lot 115, the well conformed stripe faced yearling opened at $100,000 and attracted several bids before going to owner Derrick Smith. A half brother to Purple Heart, Straighttotheheart and Withallmyheart, the yearling was bred by Wayne DaCosta and will be trained by him.
Two other yearlings were sold for $800,000 and over. First of these was Lot 75, a powerfully built bay colt by Irish Quest out of the 1990 Jamaica Derby and 1000 Guineas winner Distinctly Native, bred by Ken Gooden, purchased for $810,000 by Jimmy Chin, a popular owner from May Pen in Clarendon. This half brother to the unbeaten 2-y-o colt A King Is Born will be trained by many-time champion Philip Feanny.
The other sales topper was Lot 44, a bay colt by Footloose II out of Run Marisa Run, bred by champion breeder Henry Jaghai J.P., and purchased by Dennis Lee for $800,000.
In all, 14 yearlings fetched prices of $500,000 and over. The others were:
Lot 16, a bay colt by Law Of The Sea - Hnauska bred by Derrick Brandt for $760,000; Lot 100, a chestnut colt by Law Of The Sea - Exceptional Type bred by HAM Stables Limited $750,000; Lot 166, a bay colt by Royal Minister - Good Diversion bred by HAM Stables Limited and purchased by Barbadian owner Elias Haloute for $710,000.
Lot 110, a bay filly by Natural Selection out of the 1993 Guineas, Oaks and Red Stripe Superstakes winner Vestia, bred by HAM and purchased by Wayne DaCosta for $700,000, Lot 159, a chestnut colt by Royal Minister - Princess Naevus bred by Orange Valley Estates Limited $700,000; Lot 90, a chestnut filly Law Of The Sea - Dream Watcher bred by HAM Stables Limited $650,000.
Lot 60, a bay filly by Royal Minister - Economic Sensation bred by Ivor Patrick and George McLeish purchased by Alexander Haber for $610,000; Lot 8, a grey filly Pat N Jac - Bow Creek bred by Orange Valley purchased by trainer and champion owner Richard Azan for $600,000.
Lot 70, a chestnut filly by Royal Minister - Miss Valid Journey bred by HAM Stables Limited $510,000; Lot 149, a grey filly Kammtarra - Cozenage bed by the Lakeland Farms Limited $510,000; Lot 88; a bay colt by Irish Quest - Bert By Jo bred by HAM Stables Limited $500,000.
Other notables were Lot 40, a chestnut filly by Royal Minister - Royal Colours bred by HAM and purchased by Haloute for $465,000; Lot 68, a chestnut colt by Maverick - Sweetest Nut bred by Carl Anderson $480,000; Lot 95, a grey colt by Kammtarra - Quiet War bred by Argyll Farms $470,000; Lot 119, a dark bay filly by Kammtarra - Roamin' bred by Lakeland Farms $460,000; Lot 30, bay colt Natural Selection - Alejandra bred by Y.S. (1955) Limited and purchased by Dwight Chen for $410,000, Lot 154, a chestnut colt by Sir Lal Bahadur - Restless Belle bred by Henry Jaghai J.P. $400,000.
A total of 109 lots were sold from 141 passing through the ring - 95 in the regular sale and 14 in the select.
The combined sales saw just over $33 million changing hands - up from $27.2 million and 86 lots sold last year. However, in last year's sales a bay filly by Law Of The Sea out of Dax The One was sold for $1 million to equal the record set by Dom Perignon in 1997. There was no such record this time around.
Stallions fetching consistently high prices were Royal Minister, Law Of The Sea and Kammtarra. Auctioneer was popular racing commentator Brian Rickman assisted by Dr. Paul Wright.
- Orville Clarke
