For the third sale international sale of the northern hemisphere season, China Horse Club’s boutique yearling offerings have been sourced and secured by one of the world’s leading owners.
Overnight it was the turn of a handsome Quality Road x Yellow Agate colt on Day 1 of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale. With bids clipping along in USD25,000 increments the colt was finally knocked down for USD650,000 and will race in the interests of American racing royalty in Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola.
The result has set the tone for a quality Keeneland draft which will sell over the ensuing week and follows results achieved in recent weeks when an Uncle Mo x Cara Marie filly realized USD625,000 at Fasig Tipton’s Saratoga Sale and when MV Magnier won the day with a €520,000 bid for a Siyouni x Sapa Inca colt on the opening day of France’s Arqana Sale.
Repole and Viola have been a constant in the thrust and parry of elite horse racing in the United States for more than a decade. Repole’s iconic orange and blue silks having adorned a succession of G1 winners, the most notable being Eclipse Champion Juvenile and now star sire Uncle Mo, G1 Travers Stakes winner and now sire Stay Thirsty, this year’s G1 Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal and current star filly Nest (G1). Viola raced 2017 G1 Florida Derby winner Known Agenda and together they co-owned in 2017 Kentucky Derby Always Dreaming and race recent G1 Hopeful Stakes winner Forte.
“It’s fantastic to have the support of Mike Repole, Vinnie Viola and their teams, they are wonderful for horse racing in the United States and hopefully they can continue their success with this colt,” said Mike Smith, China Horse Club’s USA Representative.
“The Quality Road x Yellow Agate colt has always been an individual of considerable substance and quality and he will join the Todd Pletcher stable where his half-brother Gasoline is showing considerable promise.”
The Quality Road x Yellow Agate colt was raised at Blue Water Sales, prepared for the auction at WinStar Farm and consigned by Highgate Sales. He was one of the select grouping of Quality Road’s that helped propel the Lane’s End based stallion to the lead on average prices realized at the end of the first day of trading.
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