Widden Stud emphasised its belief in Group 1 winner Startantes when it went to $1.4 million for the Group 1 winner on Wednesday’s second and final day of this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
The famous Hunter Valley farm won the battle for the 2022 Tattersall’s Tiara winner, whom it also offered for sale.
The daughter of Star Turn was put up to dissolve a partnership and Widden’s Antony Thompson said he and bloodstock partner David Redvers were reluctant to let her go, in-foal to Anamoe.
“She’s a mare we know very well, obviously we’ve had her at the farm,” Thompson said.
“We did own a little bit of her, but there’s a few of the clients that were in who were looking to trade out, so we’re happy to increase our stake and take her home.
“She’s carrying just her first foal. I think she’s a perfect mare for Anamoe and she’ll suit Zoustar, so we’ve got lots of options for her.”
Startantes, a seven-year-old who is out of the Group 2 winner Funtantes, was the second highest-priced lot of Day 2, behind only Hellbent mare Miss Hellfire, who is bound for Yulong after selling in-foal to Extreme Choice for $2,050,000.
Yulong also paid $1.3 million for the other mare in-foal to Extreme Choice who sold at the sale, I Am Invincible mare Amen Corner, who was Wednesday’s other seven-figure lot.
Five-time Group 1 winner Legarto, who sold for $2.8m in Tuesday’s race fillies and mares section, remained the top lot of a sale that saw 10 horses sell for at least $1 million.
That was well down on last year’s 24 millionaires, when the sale grossed $88,319,000 which was well up on this year’s $66,371,500.
Seventy-four fewer horses were offered in 2026, but the clearance rate rose from 77 percent to 80 with the median jumping from $90,000 to $105,000, although the average was down from $248,088 last year to $219,048.
2026 National Broodmare Sale Top Lots
$2,800,000 – Legarto (Devil Night syndicate) – Day 1
$2,050,000 – Miss Hellfire (Sheng Geng) – Day 2
$1,800,000 – Snitzanova (Private Harry syndicate) – Day 1
$1,600,000 – Stretan Angel (Arrowfield Stud) – Day 1
$1,500,000 – Lilac (Kasumi Yoshida) – Day 1
$1,500,000 – O’ Ole (Katsumi Yoshida) – Day 1
$1,500,000 – Captured By Love (Sheng Geng) – Day 1
$1,400,000 – Startantes (David Redvers/Widden) – Day 2
$1,300,000 – Amen Corner (Sheng Geng) – Day 2
$1,100,000 – Memo (David Redvers/Widden) – Day 1
