Arqana February Sale Lots to Watch

With drafts from leading owner-breeders such as the Aga Khan Studs and the Wertheimer family, along with horses in training from the yards of Francis Graffard and Amy Murphy, there is something for everyone at Arqana. There are well-bred and performed fillies and broodmares in both codes going under the hammer, providing prospective buyers with the perfect opportunity to stock up with the breeding season now under way. Kitty Trice picks out a few interesting offerings at the two-day February Sale, which begins Feb. 17. Lot 71 Imperatrice 11 m Kitten's Joy-Empress Of France (Storm Cat) Haras de la Cour Blanche Haras de la Cour Blanche offers this black-type-producing mare who arrives in foal to unbeaten champion Ace Impact (IRE). The daughter of Kitten's Joy was unraced but is the dam of Waldora (FR), a listed-winning daughter of Waldgeist (GB) who captured the Prix Occitanie in the summer of 2024. Imperatrice also possesses a top-class pedigree, being a half sister to the dam of 2023 New York Stakes (G1T) winner Marketsegmentation. Her dam, Storm Cat mare Empress of France, is a sister to the dam of multiple group 1 heroine Misty For Me, in turn responsible for July Cup (G1), Dewhurst (G1), and Middle Park Stakes (G1) hero U S Navy Flag and his War Front sister Roly Poly, a winner of the Falmouth Stakes (G1), Prix Rothschild (G1), and Sun Chariot Stakes (G1). There were a number of group 1 updates to the page last year, with leading juvenile colt Puerto Rico (IRE), a son of Misty For Me and fellow group 1 winner Ballydoyle's sister April Showers, capturing the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) and Criterium International (G1). Coolmore's Wootton Bassett colt could yet add more top-level updates to the page this season. Lot 99 Celebrite 3f Camelot (IRE)-Heuristique (Shamardal) Wertheimer & Frere A typically well-bred Wertheimer homebred, Celebrite is out of the stakes-winning Shamardal mare Heuristique, a classic performer when third in the 2017 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1). The Camelot filly is a half-sister to Australian listed winner and group performer Touristic, while their dam is a half sibling to Italian group 2 winner Assiroand the listed-placed Tantpispoureux. Further down the page is Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Torrestrella and Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) scorer Queens Ring. Unraced and only 3, she could be a good project for someone. Lot 229 Sign And Seal 16 m Hurricane Run-Seraphine (Dashing Blade) Haras de Saint Maur Sign And Seal goes under the hammer as the dam of Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) winner Beaute Cachee, a three-time graded scorer in America for Chad Brown and a subsequent $700,000 purchase by Blue Diamond Stud at the 2024 Keeneland November Sale. There is further upside as Sign And Seal is carrying to Haras d'Etreham's promising young sire Victor Ludorum (GB). The Haras de Saint Maur-consigned mare is a daughter of the listed-winning Dashing Blade mare Seraphine. The page also contains the brilliant Coronation Stakes (G1) and Cheveley Park (G1) victress Indian Ink, American grade 2 scorer and Prix de la Foret runner-up Royal Touch, and Blandford Stakes victor and Irish Derby third Foresee. Lot 233 Daraydana (FR) 4f Zarak (FR)-Daradiyna (Sea The Stars (IRE)) Aga Khan Studs The Aga Khan Studs drafts always prove highly popular and with good reason. The beautifully curated bloodlines have been responsible for countless top-class performers over the years, and buyers at Arqana will once again have the opportunity to buy into some of those exceptional pedigrees. A daughter of Zarak, who was third at Chantilly last May on the first of two starts, Daraydana hails from a very current pedigree and one which has further room for more updates this term. Her third dam, Prix de Diane and Vermeille heroine Daryaba, is the dam of Hong Kong Vase winner Daryakana (FR), the dam of multiple black-type winners headed by last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) hero Daryz (FR) and fellow top-flight scorer Dariyan (FR). Daryz remains in training with Francis Graffard this year and bids to add further group 1 wins to his Longchamp triumph.