HEADLINE NEWS • 1/13/09 • PAGE 2 of 15
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HEADLINE THREE CHIMNEYS NEWS The Idea is Excellence. For information about TDN, DYNAFORMER call 732-747-8060. 2 All-Weather Stakes Performers in 2009 www.thoroughbreddailynews.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2009 A MAN’S PREROGATIVE Agree or disagree--and it seemed everyone in Lexington had an opinion--Michael Paulson has an un- ending reserve of confidence in Azeri (Jade Hunter). That conviction was in evidence during yesterday=s opening session of the Keeneland January sale when, amid a flurry Pat Costello • 859.296.6455 • www.paramountsales.net of excitement at the sale pavil- ion, Paulson chose to buy back TOP 10 BROODMARES - MONDAY the 2002 Horse of the Year for Hip Name Covering Stallion Price ($) $4.4 million. Azeri, offered in foal 90 Island Fashion Ghostzapper 950,000 to Ghostzapper, became the top- (9, Petionville--Danzigs Fashion, by A Native Danzig) priced RNA for a mare at Consigned by Pope McLean (Crestwood Farm), agent Keeneland in at least a decade, for Everest Stables (Reduction Phase I) which puts her in the rarified at- Purchased by Katsumi Yoshida mosphere recently occupied by 290 Almonsoon Racing/b’mare prospect 950,000 her first foal Vallenzeri. The A.P. (6, Giant=s Causeway--Garimpeiro, by Mr. Prospector) Indy colt earned the distinction of Consigned by Hill >n= Dale Sales Agency, agent the highest yearling RNA in his- Purchased by Southern Equine Stables EquiSport tory when Paulson bought him 9 Elusive Diva Giant s Causeway 825,000 back for $7.7 million at the 2008 Keeneland September = (8, Elusive Quality--Taj Aire, by Taj Alriyadh) sale. AWe were very close to selling,@ Paulson said of Azeri, who was bred by his late father Allen and raced Consigned by Denali Stud (Craig & Holly Bandoroff), for the Allen Paulson Living Trust. AWhen she went Agent IV above $4 million, I thought we had her sold, but it just Purchased by Claiborne Farm, agent missed where we were on the reserve. It=s bittersweet. 93 Jade Queen Racing/b’mare prospect 450,000 I was hoping to sell. But the good thing is that we still (6, Giant=s Causeway--Jade Flush, by Jade Hunter) own her.@ Cont. p2 Consigned by Hill >n= Dale Sales Agency, agent Purchased by Summer Wind Farm/Jane Lyon KEENELAND JANUARY STATISTICS 59 Harbor Blues Indian Charlie 310,000 MONDAY, JAN. 12, 2009 (9, Petionville--Downtown Blues, by Seattle Song) Consigned by Pope McLean (Crestwood Farm), agent SESSION TOTALS 2009 2008 for Everest Stables (Reduction Phase I) Catalogued 406 365 Purchased by James (Mike) Lauffer No. Offered 275 291 235 Susan=s Angel Bernardini 290,000 No. Sold 202 195 (8, Cape Town--Copeaway, by Copelan) RNAs 73 96 Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent XVII % RNA 26.5% 33% Purchased by Summer Wind Farm/Jane Lyon No. $400K+ 4 7 High Price $950,000 $2,700,000 208 Shes All Eltish Racing/b’mare prospect 280,000 Gross $11,945,900 $21,325,900 (4, Eltish--Shesabullwinkle, by Hesabull) Average (% change) $59,138 (-46%) $109,364 Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent XCIII Median (% change) $27,000 (-51%) $55,000 Purchased by Katsumi Yoshida www.keeneland.com Top Mares cont. p4 www.juddmonte.com P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 1/13/09 • PAGE 2 of 15 Azeri cont. The Hills and the Valleys... Michael Paulson added, AWe=re going to talk to a few Catalogued as hip 301 from the draft of John people shortly,@ to see if a private transaction could be Sikura=s Hill >n > Dale Sales, hammered out. AI don=t know who [the underbidder] Azeri, who is believed to be was, but we=re trying to find that out now,@ he said. AI carrying a filly, generated know there were several people interested in putting a plenty of excitement simply syndicate together. But if not, we=ll take her home and walking the back ring yester- get that Ghostzapper foal. Unfortunately, we=ve been day. By the time she was led the victim twice now of the global financial market into the rear of the sales pa- meltdown. In a good market, I think she would have vilion, people were packed brought double what the price was today. With two and three deep, jockey- Vallenzeri, based on prices in 2006 and 2007, I thought ing to get a glimpse of the that he=d bring high in the seven figures, and maybe 11-time Grade I winner. Bid- even eight figures. But my father always said, >when ding started at $500,000, you have quality, you want to keep it.=@ and progressed in $100,000 increments from there up to AMAZING AZERI $4.4 million. While represen- tatives of Coolmore were Michael Paulson and Azeri Michael Paulson on some of Azeri's finest victories present, they did not appear Horsephotos GI Lady's Secret, 2002: "She was carrying 127 pounds, which I to be involved in the bidding. think was more than any male carried that year. The jockeys were Darley=s Jimmy Bell was in his usual perch under the ganging up on her--she was challenged three times in that race, and rear bid spotter and looked to be involved in the action she was giving up anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds to the other right up to the end. Hill >n= Dale=s Sikura acknowledged horses. She set unbelievable fractions [:22 2/45, :45 2/5, 1:08 4/5], that he bid on Azeri as well, representing himself and but was still just so dominant. Any time another horse came to her, his father-in-law, Ed McGee. she just blew them away [winning by 3 1/2 lengths over Starrer]. It's a AI was in up until right around the $4-million mark,@ race she doesn't get much credit for, but considering the weight she said Sikura. was carrying and the fractions, it was really dramatic." Swarmed by reporters shortly after Azeri was led out GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, 2002: "We were very confident going into of the ring, Sikura was forthright when asked about the the race...I was actually considered running her against the males [in pair of high-priced buybacks. the Classic], and too bad I didn't. Even the NBC commentators said AI gave my opinion on what her market value was, afterwards that no horse in the world could have beat Azeri that day. I and I think my market value would have had the mare remember the fractions were just amazing--she went :23, :46 and sold,@ said Sikura, who said he instructed Paulson not 1:09 and change, which was just a few ticks off what the Sprint went in." to reveal the reserve to him, as he intended on bidding. GI Apple Blossom, 2003: AI told him he should keep it to himself. He set the "It came after we were named Horse of the reserve on his opinion of the value of the mare. The Year. We came into it having breeze only a couple times and with man who owns the horse always has the ability to very little training. We were going up against some of the top mares in reject or accept a bid. Sometimes it s proven folly and the United States at that time. It was one of her most dramatic = races--she won right at the wire against Take Charge Lady. sometimes it=s proven wise. Obviously, it=s disappoint- Everybody was screaming, and it was such an unbelievable ing because it=s a high-profile mare and a high-profile performance because she was probably only 80 to 85 percent fit." consignment.@ Azeri cont. p3 P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 1/13/09 • PAGE 3 of 15 Azeri cont. Paulson Looks Forward... Sikura said there wasn=t a Plan B if Azeri did not sell. Michael Paulson also acknowledged that the $7.7 AThat was never discussed, because I didn=t want to million buyback of Vallenzeri may have left January think of it not working,@ he said, adding, AI think a mare buyers skeptical. AThat could be--I can=t speak for every- of that quality would have made double that last year. body,@ he said. ABut if they were in my shoes and had If barren mares can bring $14 million, a Horse of the the only living female Horse of the Year and only three- Year in foal to a Horse of the Year certainly could bring time champion older mare, they would be in the same in excess of $8 million.@ position. I adjusted the reserve to reflect the market, Still, Sikura said that he understood if potential buy- but she has a value. I was going to let her go for an ers were skeptical that Azeri would have a reserve that extremely good value.@ Paulson confirmed that Azeri fit the current state of the market, especially after would return to Hill >n= Dale, unless a deal was reached watching Vallenzeri RNA for $7.7 million at September. in the hours after the sale. Paulson said that he=d Aabso- AIt=s human nature to question the motive [of the lutely@ be interested in retaining an interest in Azeri. seller],@ said Sikura. AIs it going to be the same ap- AShe=s part of the family, but this is a business for us, proach? Frankly, we discussed it prior to the sale, the and we have to treat it as a business,@ he said. ABut issue of buyer=s confidence, and I thought that we had when I look in her eyes, I see part of my father.@ a pretty good understanding of how things were.