When California horseman Thomas Bachman bought the winning Malibu Moon mare Moon River Gal for $270,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, she was in foal to Darley stallion Nyquist , whose first foals had hit the ground that year.
As Nyquist—the 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner—emerged as the leading freshman sire of 2020, the subsequent foal produced from Moon River Gal, a filly foaled Jan. 28 of last year, was sold for $135,000 during the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale at Los Alamitos Race Course Oct. 19.
Consigned by Bachman's Fairview as Hip 75, the filly was purchased by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.
"She's by a stallion that is off to an incredible start," said Eclipse Thoroughbred's Aron Wellman. "Physically, she was a woman among girls. You tack on the fact she was a Cal-bred and it was the complete package. We have already two nice winners by Nyquist and to me this filly was a standout at the sale."
"She was a very straightforward nice filly who was well-received here," Bachman said. "She was a very well-conformed, well-balanced individual and she sold well. She vetted clean and had a good walk to her."
Moon River Gal is a daughter of multiple stakes winner High Heeled Hope, who is also the dam of grade 3 stakes winners Lady T N T and Sweet Hope, the latter of which also finished second in the Test Stakes (G1).
Bachman said Moon River Gal, who is now in foal to Lane's End Farm's Twirling Candy , is scheduled to be sold in November as he cuts back on the number of mares in his broodmare band.
"I have been raising 10-12 foals a year and I'm going to get down to five or six," Bachman said. "I'm cutting down."
