Mares in foal to Justify 'exciting' Fasig-Tipton sale packages
Similar to projected leading 2019 first-crop sire American Pharoah, his Triple Crown counterpart, Justify on Tuesday night showed the beginnings of commercial success as a stallion.
Mares in foal to last year’s champion had already sold for sums of up to $900,000 before Diva Delite, dam of the top older filly Midnight Bisou, walked into the Fasig-Tipton November Sale ring pregnant with a Justify foal.
Auctioned as Hip 173, she put the big chestnut, who resides at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, into seven figures for the first time, hammering for $1.2 million with Kentucky’s Hunter Valley Farm the high bidder.
“Certainly, you’re always looking for a broodmare that’s going to suit a stallion physically,” said David Redvers, representing Hunter Valley. “As soon as we saw her, we thought she had the quality and size that’s going to work well with (Justify).
“It’s an exciting package. The package is what you’re after.”
When American Pharoah went to stud, buyers could still seek out progeny of his sire, the since-deceased Pioneerof the Nile. Justify is the top son of the late Scat Daddy available to breed.
Another rookie stallion by Scat Daddy standing at Ashford Stud, Mendelssohn, covered 252 mares in his first season. That’s the same total as Justify, and according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred the number leads all North American sires.
Justify, who stood for an advertised fee of $150,000 last season, could be similar to American Pharoah in another right. With the 2015 Triple Crown winner throwing talented turf horses -- he counts Breeders' Cup winner Four Wheel Drive among them -- the Galileo mare Easter Lilly was purchased for $850,000 in foal to Justify by China Horse Club.
Big monetary figures could continue Wednesday at Keeneland, where Grade 1 winner Take Charge Brandi will be offer in foal to Justify, among other well-bred mares.
Redvers hinted that at $1.2 million, his team may have a steal in Midnight Bisou’s mom, with her top daughter a winner of 6 of 7 starts in 2019 and a surefire Eclipse Award winner. On top of that, there’s the Justify factor.
“It would be unfair to say how much higher we were prepared to go,” Redvers said. “We’re very happy to we got her.”