Amo Racing smashed the Arqana August Yearling Sale record when Kia Joorabchian bid €3,000,000 (US$3,499,680, €1=US$1.17) to secure a Night Of Thunder filly out of Ecurie des Monceaux's blue hen Prudenzia midway through the third session Aug. 18 in Deauville.
The bidding blasted into seven-figure territory in the blink of an eye, with Joorabchian, standing with Amo's bloodstock agent Alex Elliott, personally lodging a string of rapid-fire increases. The blue-blooded filly was bred by Monceaux and the late Lady O'Reilly, and farm director Henri Bozo sought to buy out his fellow shareholders by joining in the bidding.
There was a remarkable rally of €100,000 raises that moved the price from €2 million to €2.7 million in a mere matter of seconds. However, proceedings came to a dramatic conclusion when Joorabchian delivered the decisive nod of the head that took the filly's value from €2.8m to €3m in one fell swoop.
That price comfortably eclipses the previous August Sale record, which was set in 2019 when John Ferguson paid €2.6m for this filly's near relation Parabellum.
"She's actually priceless," said Elliott after Joorabchian had exited stage left. "For somebody like Kia, we're trying to create a dynasty, and you've got to start with those sorts of horses. She's a collector's item. It's a well-used term, but she is, so we're very happy."
Elliott added, "She's got a great body for a filly out of a mare of that age. Sometimes things start to tail off a little bit, but her sister (Diamond Necklace) was very impressive when she won the other day, so the mare's still doing it. We've bought into one of the greatest families there is. She doesn't take any explaining."
Prudenzia has developed into one of the most high-achieving broodmares of the modern era. Her nine winners include five black-type performers, most notably enigmatic 2013 Irish Oaks (G1) heroine Chicquita and her three-parts sister Magic Wand, who also struck at the highest level in the 2019 Mackinnon Stakes in Australia. Another daughter, Philomene, won the 2021 Prix Penelope (G3) and was runner-up in the Prix de Diane (G1).
There could well be more black type in the offing too, as the latest cab off the rank, last year's €1.7m August Sale topper Diamond Necklace, showed she has inherited plenty of the family's talent when making an impressive winning debut at the Curragh for the Coolmore partners. The mare has a Siyouni colt on the ground and visited Zarak for her most recent covering.
Prudenzia's stock has now generated a staggering €14.895m in Arqana August Sale receipts. That figure does not include the €6m Coolmore paid for Chicquita at Goffs in November 2013, setting an Irish public auction record in the process.
Despite the sky-high price, Bozo admitted to feeling some mixed emotions after filling the role of underbidder.
"Of course, there's a lot of pride," he said. "In the case of this filly, it's a bit special because that's all our professional life's work. We're in partnership with Lady O'Reilly's brother (Petros Goulandris), but I wanted to try to buy a share for Ecurie des Monceaux.
"I really wanted to keep her, and I thought I would get her. It's mixed emotions because I'm so attached to this family. There's still plenty to come, and I'm very grateful for the trust from Amo Racing. I hope they win the Oaks with her."
The record-busting purchase was Amo's first of the sale, and was swiftly followed by a €850,000 son of Lope De Vega .
Records Set Across the Board as 'exceptional' Arqana Spending Reaches an Unprecedented €57.8 Million
A record-breaking renewal of the Arqana August Yearling Sale concluded on Monday with new high marks posted across a range of key market indicators. The intensity of trade increased as the three sessions went on, culminating with Monday's high-octane finale.
Underpinned by a series of clashes involving racing's superpowers, both new and established, turnover for the three days hit an unprecedented €57,847,000 (US$6,7456,518), which is up 18% year-on-year and 5% higher than the previous high mark set in 2023. This was achieved despite Arqana presenting a streamlined catalog this time around.
The average price was also a clear record at €266,576 (US$310,859), a 23% increase compared to 12 months ago. The median was €170,000 (US$198,240), a 21% gain on last year and back in line with the previous benchmark set in 2023. The clearance rate was a solid 80% as 217 lots sold from 272 offered.
While there was plenty of talk about new investors ahead of the sale, the buyers' table was led by a couple of very familiar names. Godolphin were comfortably the leading spender, with eight yearlings purchased for €8,050,000. The group was headed by the Frankel colt out of Orendina from Haras de Montaigu, who fetched €2.25m on Monday.
The name of Coolmore's MV Magnier appeared beside six purchases that cost a combined €4.99m, including the Wootton Bassettcolt who topped day two when signed for alongside White Birch Farm at €2.3m. That tally was just ahead of Amo Racing, whose four-strong haul brought receipts totalling €4.95m.
The lion's share of Kia Joorabchian's spend went on the Night Of Thunder filly out of Prudenzia, who became the most expensive yearling in August Sale history. Arqana president Olivier Delloye emphasized the diversity among those responsible for driving the record-breaking trade.
He said, "It's been an exceptional sale, one which we went into with a slightly slimmed-down catalog compared to previous years. We broke records on all fronts, with overall turnover only just shy of €60 million, with perhaps a couple of deals outside the ring to come. We had a new record top price, a new record for the number of millionaires, and four that went at or above €2m.
"There was a real spread of buyers, with 15 or so different entities buying in the €500,000 plus bracket, and that was without Al Shaqab and John Stewart. We saw investors who came here with major budgets and who found themselves beaten again and again, but who still came back strong on the final day.
"It was pretty even at the top of the market between colts and fillies. We always see strong results for the best-bred fillies and that is maybe where Deauville's reputation lies traditionally, but there was plenty of demand for the good colts as well."
Ecurie des Monceaux retained its status as the August Sale's leading vendor, with 36 members of the farm's draft selling for a cumulative €17.455m. That means the operation was responsible for 30% of sale turnover from 17% of sold lots.
Monceaux, who sold four seven-figure yearlings, including the record-breaking €3m Night Of Thunder filly, has been the leading seller in Deauville for the last 14 years.
Haras des Capucines, which enjoyed its biggest ever result when selling day two's top lot for €2.3m, was next best with 34 lots sold for a combined €6.217m, while Haras d'Etreham moved 15 yearlings for €4.065m.
Delloye added: "The greatest causes for satisfaction were the real diversity of vendors who achieved really big results; there were five different sellers at €1m plus, and 11 farms that sold one or more horses for €500,000 plus.
"Obviously we had the very big studs who regularly top the charts, such as Monceaux, Etreham, and Capucines, but there were others like Saint-Vincent, Beaufay, and Cadran who really shone. That's the result of major investment by French breeders in their stock and also in seeking out the best stallions."
Wootton Bassett supplied three of the top ten lots and duly finished as the sale's highest grossing sire, with 21 lots generating €6.595m of spending at an average price of €314,050. His current yearling crop, his third since he made the switch from Etreham to Coolmore, was bred at a fee of €150,000.
The highest average price belonged, somewhat unsurprisingly, to Night Of Thunder. Darley's Kildangan Stud resident had five lots sell for an average of €612,000 and a combined €3.06m. His current crop of yearlings is his first bred at a fee of €100,000. The quintet was headed by the €3m filly out of Prudenzia.
