Eden’s Moon, a sleek daughter of Malibu Moon , got the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training off to a fast start in Maryland when she brought $390,000 May 23. Bidding on the telephone through Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert purchased the bay filly as agent. She was Hip No. 5 in the auction's catalog.
“It’s for one of Bob’s clients,” said Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms bloodstock services director Donato Lanni, who helps Baffert pick out horses at the sales. “She is a well-bred filly with a strong family, she worked awesome on the track, and she’s by Malibu Moon, so she has sire power. Check, check, check.”
Eden’s Moon was among the four horses in the auction that turned in the fastest time for a quarter mile during the under tack show, covering the distance in :21 3/5. She is the second foal out of the winning Giant’s Causeway mare Eden’s Causeway, who is a half sister to champion Paradise Creek (by Irish River), grade I winners Forbidden Apple (by Pleasant Colony) and Wild Event (by Wild Again), added-money winner I’m Very Irish (by Pleasant Colony), and Paradise River (by Irish River), the dam of English champion David Junior (by Pleasant Tap).
Eden’s Moon’s breeder, Florida-based Bridlewood Farm, agent, consigned her to the Midlantic auction.
“I’m certainly pleased, but not totally surprised,” said Bridlewood general manager George Isaacs. “She showed at the farm that she had plenty of ability and she actually worked well at an earlier sale in South Florida, but not quite over the top.”
Denali Stud, agent, consigned Eden’s Moon to the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale, but she was scratched. Isaacs said the filly was “plain-looking” at that point in her life. Consigned to this year’s Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training by Niall Brennan Stables, agent, Eden’s Moon was a $110,000 buy-back after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5.
“What we’re doing isn’t rocket science,” Isaacs said. “We’re trying to sell the ones that can sell for good money that we can use to run the farm with. We’re a commercial operation.”