Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' three-time grade I winner Curalina, a daughter of Curlin, sold for $3 million to Japan's Shadai Farm. She is one of two mares or racing/broodmare prospects to sell for $3 million or more.
Bred by CASA Farms in Kentucky, Eclipse Thoroughbred and Dogwood Stable bought Curalina for $125,000 out of the 2013 Keeneland September sale. She went on to compile a 6-3-2 record out of 13 starts and earn $1,535,940. She won the Acorn Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks, and the La Troienne Stakes (all gr. I).
Naohiro Hosoda with Shadai said Curalina was definitely purchased as a broodmare prospect and that her racing career is over.
"She’s such a high-class mare as a broodmare prospect," he said.
Curalina, sold by Meg and Mike Levy's Bluewater Sales, is the daughter of graded stakes-placed winner Whatdreamsaremadeof, who sold about a dozen hips earlier for $1.65 million to Jane Lyons' Summer Wind Farm.
"I’m trying to change my strategy a little bit, and I’m trying to buy mares who have produced," Lyons said. "In the past I’ve bought a lot of good grade I winning mares carrying their first foals, and sadly, quite a few of those don’t produce. So I figured I’d start a step ahead, having a mare who can already produce a grade I winner."
Lyons said she thought Curalina was a beautiful filly but didn't buy Whatdreamsaremadeof just because she like the daughter.
"I bought the mare because she can produce (a racehorse like) Curalina," she said.
Lyons also owns Littleprincessemma, the dam of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. She said the mare is now back in foal to Pioneerof the Nile, carrying a full brother to the champion.
She also said she is not done shopping for additions to her broodmare band.
"The mares that I have that I’m definitely keeping at this point are fewer than I’d like to have, I’d like to add three or four mares this year and continue to do that for a few years if I can," she said. "I hope that there will be more here and more at Keeneland. I need some more mares."
