Determined Stud Leads U.S. Buyers at Tattersalls Opener

Days before the Breeders' Cup World Championships, Determined Stud's Matt Dorman didn't want to show his cards for the upcoming Tattersalls December Mare Sale. The one nugget he offered was his goal for the Dec. 1-3 auction in Newmarket, England, was to add elite European bloodlines he didn't already have as part of his burgeoning broodmare band. After just the first day of the sale, that goal has been accomplished. Determined Stud put down 350,000 guineas ($486,056; 1 guinea = $1.39) for White Caviar (FR), a daughter of four-time group 1 winner Australia (GB). White Caviar was part of the sale's Sceptre Sessions, which highlight the top mares on offer. She is in foal to Too Darn Hot (GB). The ticket for White Caviar, consigned as Lot 1455 by Baroda Stud, was signed by bloodstock agent David Ingordo. "It's a nice pedigree, very deep family," Ingordo said. "There's grade 1s and graded races all over the pedigree. She's a nice, big mare in foal to Too Darn Hot, who needs no introduction. She should be something nice to breed out of. And whatever (Dorman) decides—if he wants to sell them over here, race them—those things would be determined. But the mare is lovely and great cover." Just as it was two months earlier at Tattersalls' October Yearling Sale, it was Dorman making a big splash among North American buyers. Before the high-priced mares in Monday's Sceptre Session entered the sales ring, Ingordo, for Determined Stud, also brought the bidding to a halt for Warren Hill (IRE) at 320,000 guineas ($444,394). Consigned by New England Stud, Ingordo said the daughter of No Nay Never was one who caught his attention outside of the select mares offered later in Monday's first session. The mare is in foal to Charyn (IRE). She is a full sister to grade 3-winning 2-year-old Hey Nay Nay. "I bought Hey Nay Nay for a client; we think he is a very nice horse and he got third (in the Cecil B. Demille Stakes, G3T) last night from a bad trip," said Ingordo. "It is a beautiful pedigree, she is a gorgeous filly, I did some research on Charyn, and he looks to be a good cover. I thought she was the prettiest physical coming up. It is a page that works here or back home, and she could go to visit Too Darn Hot. She is likely to stay in Europe." Dorman's $930,450 for two purchases was the most spent by an American buyer through the opening session of the sale. As turf racing continues to grow in the United States, Dorman sees an opportunity in buying overseas. "We're investing money, and we're trying to pick things that suit what we want to do," Ingordo said. "We're trying to buy quality. Sometimes it costs what it costs. And you got to decide, when you're looking at a 10-year investment with a mare; it's not an overnight deal. This is the cliche part: When you buy a mare, you're marrying her for a while. So, we're trying to do that." Determined Stud was not the only American buying Monday. Kim Valero, agent for DJ Stable, went to $90,267 for Dismissed (GB), consigned as Lot 1308. The daughter of No Nay Never is unraced but carries a solid pedigree. Beyond her sire's exploits, she is out of the Sky Mesa mare Mesa Fresca. DJ Stable also added Majaz (GB), consigned by Shadwell Estate as Lot 1252. The daughter of Dubawai (IRE) was classified as a horse out of training. She is out of the Gallileo mare Cushion (GB) and is placed five times as a 3-year-old. Cushion closed out her racing career in the United States, including seconds in the 2014 My Charmer Handicap (G3T) and 2015 Violet Stakes (G3T). DJ Stable's Jonathan Green said they're looking for relative value at this sale. "We looked at the November sales here in the States and, quite frankly, we thought that because of the Big Beautiful Bill primarily the prices were outstanding if you were a seller," Green said. "It was really tough to buy at those sales and we're value players." Green said because American buyers are not as active in this sale compared with domestic auctions, he believes there will be a greater opportunity for value purchases. He thinks both of Monday's mares would have cost twice as much had they been in the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Both Dismissed and Majaz will come to the U.S., but have different immediate futures. Dismissed will join DJ Stable's broodmare band, and Majaz will race, perhaps as soon as February. "She's an average-sized mare," Green said of Dismissed. "She's got good conformation and, most importantly for our program, there's a lot of American blood and a lot of graded stakes winners in the immediate family; horses that competed and won in the States. And you have to have that in mind when you're buying horses overseas and bringing them to America that there's got to be some kind of commercial appeal for the future foal." Majaz will head to the stable of trainer Mark Casse. Green pointed to champion 2-year-olds in her bloodline that suggest precocity. "I think that she can run in the States and maybe cut back in distance a little bit," Green said. "She's been running primarily a mile and a quarter. (If) we cut her back to get to a flat mile and maybe even try on the dirt because the Dubawis can run on dirt, then we may have a really nice value play in this filly as well." Earlier in the day, Repole Stable, repped by Alex Solis II, dropped the hammer at $83,324 to secure Laugh Aloud (GB). She is a 12-year-old daughter of Dubawi consigned by Godolphin as Lot 1260. Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, Upland Flat, and Nick Bauer spent $55,549 for Power of Destiny (GB). Consigned by Whattan Manor Stud as a horse in training, the 4-year-old Sea The Stars (IRE) filly has not won this year but earned two wins at 3. She is out of the Kingsman (GB) mare Rux Power (GB), who produced two winners from three of racing age. Taylor Made had its first of four mares from its consignment head into the sales ring Monday. Sharpen (IRE), consigned as Lot 1462, was the second-to-last of the day's Sceptre Session. She sold for $499,943 to Stephen Hillen Bloodstock. Sharpen was owned by Taylor Made's Medallion Racing, DJ Stable, Steve Weston, and Stewart Hoffman.