Coolmore Buys Half-Interest in Serena's Song's 2-Year-Old Colt

Irish-based Coolmore Stud bought a half-interest in Serena's Song's 2-year-old son, Grand Reward, from Robert and Beverly Lewis, who bred the colt. The son of Storm Cat is in training at Ballydoyle in Ireland with Aidan O'Brien and will race for Beverly Lewis and Coolmore associate Michael Tabor in partnership with Sue Magnier, whose husband, John, is Coolmore's managing partner.

Coolmore showed an interest in purchasing Grand Reward last year primarily because of the success achieved by the colt's older full sister, Sophisticat, who was group I stakes-placed as a 2-year-old in 2001 and a group I winner and classic-placed in 2002. Coolmore associate Demi O'Byrne paid $3.4 million for Sophisticat at the 1999 Keeneland July yearling sale. Grand Reward was sent to Ireland last year at the request of Coolmore and the deal involving his sale was completed in February.

Eleven-year-old Serena's Song, dam of the full siblings, was a millionaire and champion for the Lewises. She recently foaled her sixth offspring, a Storm Cat filly, Feb. 23 at Craig and Holly Bandoroff's Denali Stud near Paris, Ky. Serena's Song (Rahy -- Imagining, by Northfields) is kept at Denali.

Grand Reward will run in the Coolmore colors while racing in Europe.