Day 1 of the prestigious Inglis Easter Yearling sale starts today.
No buying bench present. No horses.
These are terrible times and a large number of babies have already been withdrawn.
But Inglis, to their credit, is soldiering on and the auction will be conducted online.
So, here’s an exercise. Suppose you had $1million to spend and you were presented with this trio of yearlings. And…you were only allowed to buy one. Which would you choose and why?
The three I’ve singled out are: Lot 49 Sebring-Masstricht, Lot 65 I Am Invincible-Miss Atom Bomb, and Lot 121 Snitzel-Orinda.
Now, the reasons for this trio are because they represent three totally different trains of thoughts re baby buying.
CASE STUDY 1
Lot 121 Snitzel-Orinda for instance gives you a walk-up start to masses of money – if the colt can run.
Orinda (O’Reilly) won 2 races herself but her value is because she produced the Gr 1 winner JON SNOW. Orinda is a half-sister to MR UBIQUITOUS, a prolific winner who scored twice at Gr 3 level. And Orinda’s dam, ZAHRA (Zabeel) is a winner and daughter of Kiwi sensation and Champion Filly of The Year after winning 14 races including 3 x Gr 1 races in SOLVEIG.
So all that means, Lot 121 has a ready-made stallion-line pedigree and all he has to do is win a Group race, preferably as a 2 or 3YO and bam….your investment could blossom to be 20 times your original outlay.
CASE STUDY 2
Lot 65 I Am Invincible-Miss Atomb Bomb is a colt of substance.
Miss Atomb Bomb (Encosta de Lago) never raced and her only foal to race thus far is a winner of an average race. But what makes this colt appealing is the fact he would be worth $30million if he won a Gr 1 race as a juvenile. Because Miss Atomb Bomb is a half-sister to WINX. She’s also a half to stakes winner EL DIVINO. So, worst case scenario, if the colt retires an entire, with a win or two only on his resume but overall an average sort of racing record, he could still stand at a low-key farm and attract an average book of probably bush mares. You’d still make money but over a fair amount of time.
If he wins, as suggested a Gr 1 race….you’ve hit the jackpot immediately.
CASE STUDY 3
Lot 49 Sebring-Maastricht is a filly. A pretty filly with a white blaze.
What makes her oh so appealing is that she is a the baby half-sister to the multiple Gr 1 winning LOVING GABY. Their mum, Maastricht, won 2 races and was stakes placed and Maastricht is a half-sister to a Gr 1 winner in VELOCITEA and stakes winner WEAPONRY. Their mum, CAT SHMEA was a winner and stakes placegetter.
So another great family to breed from once racing is over. Downside though, no matter how good she becomes as a racehorse this filly will NEVER be worth as much as the boys should they become stars.
Saying that, she will be worth several millions if she happens to be a stakes performer as a 2 or 3YO.
So conundrum, folks.
Please respond below with your thoughts and why, in regards to which one you’d buy if you had the money and these were your options.
*If it were me, I’ve changed my mid 14 times, but I think I’d buy Case Study…..3.
