Grade I winner Octave, whose $4 million price was the second-highest at the recent Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale, has been retired to become a broodmare for Sheikh Mohammed's Darley in Central Kentucky. Breeding plans are undecided for the 3-year-old daughter of Unbridled's Song.
Campaigned by Jack and Laurie Wolf's Starlight Stable and Donald J. Lucarelli, Octave scored consecutive wins in this year's Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) and Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) and finished second to Rags to Riches in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). She closed out her career with a third-place finish in the Oct. 27 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).
Octave, who won the Adirondack Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II) at 2, won or placed in all 13 starts and earned $1,660,934. Her other stakes-placings included efforts in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and Alabama (gr. I), Ashland (gr. I), and Matron (gr. I) Stakes.
Octave's purchase by Darley adviser John Ferguson created some tense moments during and after the sale. Coolmore Stud principals filed an objection with Fasig-Tipton officials stating their $4-million bid was overlooked by a bid spotter. After a conference, sale company officials let the sale stand, saying the bid was not recognized by the bid spotter.
Bred in Kentucky by Martin and Pam Wygod, Octave was purchased for $350,000 by Barry Berkelhammer as agent at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale. She was consigned by Mill Ridge Sales Agency, agent for the Wygods.
Octave, whose price at Fasig-Tipton was $1.75 million less than the sum paid for sale-topper Round Pond, was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
This is not the first time Darley paid a sizable sum for a grade I stakes winner campaigned by Starlight in partnership. At the 2005 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, Darley bought two-time champion Ashado for $9 million, a then world-record price for a broodmare or broodmare prospect.
Octave, who is out of the stakes-winning Dr. Carter mare Belle Nuit, is a full or half-sister to three stakes winners, including grade II winner Belle Cherie. The latter is the dam of stakes winner Last Best Place (by Gone West).