A colt by U.S. champion and Central Kentucky sire Big Brown sold in Australia for the highest price at the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2-year-olds in training sale Sept. 30.
Magic Millions, acting as agent for an unnamed but prominent Singapore trainer, went to Aus$230,000 ($200,971 in United States funds) to acquire Australian-bred colt out of the Jade Robbery mare Funicular.
Rosehill-based trainer Gary Moore was the underbidder in a spirited battle to land the colt, who was offered by Washpool Lodge.
The sale topper is a half brother to Good Master, a stakes winner in Macau, and Australian stakes-placed Merryanna. His second dam, Top Station (by Palace Music), is a half sister to 1992 Australian Derby (Aus-I) victor Dance the Day Away and Irish group III winner Spring Daffodil.
Big Brown, winner of the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) en route to the Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old male, stands at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky. He shuttles to Vinery Australia for the Southern Hemisphere season. His oldest Australian offspring are 3-year-olds of the 2014/15 season.
Washpool Lodge also sold a colt by Kentucky-based Congrats , also a shuttler to Vinery Australia, for $155,000 ($135,555). Moore was the successful bidder on the youngster, who is out of the winning Flying Spur mare Talons Shown. Based at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Congrats' Australian offspring are 2-year-olds in the current season. He was leading freshman sire in the U.S. in 2010.
