American Pharoah colt, half to Caravaggio, fetches $1 million

Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier paid $1 million for a yearling colt by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah who is a half-brother to Coolmore’s Group 1 winner Caravaggio during Tuesday’s second session of Keeneland’s January Horses of All Ages Sale. The amount is the third-highest recorded for a yearling colt in January Sale history.

“American Pharoah doesn’t need any explaining and Aidan O’Brien always believed Caravaggio to be the best sprinter he ever trained, so when our team considered this colt the best individual in the sale it was an easy decision for us to make,” Magnier, who is attending sales in Australia, said in a statement issued after the purchase. “We’re incredibly lucky to have two great partners in Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith who are fully committed to finding the next Caravaggio. We’ll leave it until later in the year before we discuss where this colt will be trained.” 

Paramount Sales, agent, consigned the colt, whose dam is the Holy Bull mare Mekko Hokte. He also is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner My Jen.

“He deserved that price,” Paramount’s Pat Costello said. “He’s a beautiful horse and Caravaggio was such an incredible racehorse. This horse is so athletic and he moves so beautifully. Every top buyer on the grounds seemed to be on him and he had a ton of (pre-purchase examination) vet work done on him. All the top people in the business were interested.”

The January Sale runs through Thursday.

SOURCE: Keeneland