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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

How Much Money Buys a Derby Winner?

As if you need yet another angle to analyze regarding this year’s Kentucky Derby contenders, here’s the low-down on which ones sold (or didn’t) at auction and which are racing as homebreds.

If you like the homebred angle, then Papa Clem, Chocolate Candy and Summer Bird are the horses for you. Also, at least a portion of ownership is still retained by the breeders of I Want Revenge and Friesan Fire when both sold privately. Join in the Dance was also privately purchased earlier this year.

Thirteen of the entries went through Keeneland’s September 2007 yearling sale, with two failing to meet the reserve. They are, from most to least expensive:

Dunkirk—$3.7m
Friesan Fire—$725k (RNA)
Flying Private—$700k
Desert Party—$425k
Hold Me Back—$400k
Pioneerof the Nile—$290k
Mr. Hot Stuff—$200k
Atomic Rain—$170k
Join in the Dance—$130k (RNA)
West Side Bernie—$50k
Win Willy—$25k
General Quarters—$25k
Musket Man—$15k

Three came out of Fasig-Tipton sales, including both Darley horses that were purchased out of the Calder Selected 2-year-olds sale: Regal Ransom ($675k) and Desert Party ($2.1m). Mine That Bird ($9.5k) was purchased out of the Kentucky Fall Yearlings sale in October 2007.

Only one, Advice ($170k) was sold through the Ocala 2008 February Selected 2-year-old sale.

So, what does this all mean? Probably not one damn thing, except we'll see after Saturday afternoon if money can buy victory.

2 comments:

sid fernando said...

You might be interested to know that Join in the Dance, who was trained by a friend of mine last year, Kelly Ackerman, was offered for private sale for $250 to $300K after running 2nd in a Chicago maiden. Kelly hadn't cranked him up -- he ran him short that day, he said -- but predicted he'd be a good one. The colt was offered to some big names, but everyone passed except for one buyer.

sid fernando said...

General Quarters actually sold for $20,000, then was claimed for $20,000.