Eblouissante, a half sister to Horse of the Year Zenyatta, captivated attendees of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale when the daughter of Bernardini commanded a price of $2.1 million Nov. 5.
Tom Thornbury, Keeneland's associate director of sales, handled bids via telephone for Ian Banwell of St. George Farm, who landed the imposing dark bay or brown filly. The 4-year-old was consigned as Hip 130 by Winter Quarter Farm, agent, for the Estate of Zenyatta's late breeder Eric Kronfeld.
Banwell noted after the sale that Eblouissante would stay in training with John Shirreffs.
Bred by Kronfeld's Maverick Productions and raced in the name of Maverick Racing, Eblouissante broke her maiden at first asking by 4 1/4 lengths at Betfair Hollywood Park last November. She also won her next start, a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming contest, at Santa Anita Park, and then finished off the board in the July 20 Shuvee Handicap (gr. III) at Saratoga Race Course. She has career earnings of $65,800.
Eblouissante is out of the winning Kris S. mare Vertigineux, who also produced the aforementioned Zenyatta, a Street Cry mare who won 19 of 20 starts, including the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), 2008 Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (gr. I), and 11 other grade I events.
Vertigineux is additionally the dam of multiple grade I-winning millionaire Balance (by Thunder Gulch), and stakes winner Where's Bailey.
