Filigree Tops Buck Pond Auction

Filigree, a stakes-placed daughter of Candi's Gold, brought the top price of $50,000 during a sale of broodmares and weanlings on Oct. 23 at Doug Arnold's Buck Pond Farm near Versailles, Ky. The auction grossed "about $200,000," according to Arnold, whose primary goals were to publicize his nursery and to showcase its 12 stallions.

"It was raining hard, so we didn't have as big a crowd as we had hoped for, but it was fun," Arnold said. "We had a stallion show, and several people said afterward that they were interested in breeding to our stallions. We also have a brand new barn, and I think people enjoyed seeing it. It was great publicity for the farm."

Filigree, who sold in foal to Bernstein, earned $478,607 and finished second or third in five added-money events in Southern California. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Rally Run (by Dixieland Band) and is from the family of 1969 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Majestic Prince. Arnold purchased the mare, while she was in foal to You and I, for $30,000 from James Keogh, agent, at this year's Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Arnold did not reveal the name of Filigree's buyer, who also received a complimentary 2006 season to the Buck Pond stallion of his choice for purchasing the mare.

More than 50 mares and weanlings were catalogued for the auction.