By Sue Finley
Next week, when the international sales scene shifts to France for the Arqana August Yearling Sale, a good chunk of American agents, owners, and trainers will head on over for the party.
No one ever needs an excuse to go to Deauville, but if you're looking to justify your trip to your principals or partners, look no further. We've got you covered.
The selected sessions of the Arqana sale run from the 16th to the 18th, Friday to Sunday, and are followed by the V2 sale on Monday.
“This is the sale that, pound for pound, produces the most Group 1 winners in the world,” said Michel Zerolo, whose Haras des Capucines will have the largest yearling consignment in the first three select days of the sale-45-and another 17 in the V2.
Only three American sires-Kitten's Joy, Justify, and Maximum Security-are represented at the sale, but Americans don't come to Arqana to buy what they could buy at home, says Freddy Powell, Arqana's CEO, who sums up the appeal of the sale succinctly.
“We have the best sires in Europe represented at the sale,” he said. “It's a really good way to have a feel for what's going on in Europe. As well as having a good time, in Deauville you will see-in quite a short time without too much hard looking at 600-700 horses–a very good representation of what is done the best in Europe. You will quickly see a very good diversity of stallions, a way of breeding, and pedigrees. If anyone wants an introduction to European racing, it is a wonderful one in Deauville.”
In just the past few years, the sale has produced the French Derby and Arc winner Ace Impact (Ire), the French Derby winner Look de Vega (Fr), the French 2000 Guineas winner Metropolitan (Fr). Two 2023 graduates won races at Royal Ascot this year–Rashabar (Ire), who won the G2 Coventry Stakes, and Highbury (Fr), the winner of the G2 Queen's Vase.
“Obviously, the success of the sale is a very good reason to come and buy horses in Deauville,” Powell stressed, “but when you go to some sales in Europe at the end of the year, you have to look at a lot of horses to see what's best and the diversity of product is not as wide as it is in Deauville for only 325 horses catalogued.”
Young sires have been making headlines in Europe lately, Powell said, and most of the exciting young sires will be on offer next week.
“In Europe in general we have a very good generation of new sires coming out, with sires like Blue Point (Ire) (seven on offer), and Too Darn Hot (GB) (six),” whose Oversubscribed (GB) was second in the GIII Lake George at Saratoga last week. “Zarak (Fr) (16 in the sale) is doing well, and we're pretty happy with the Zaraks we have.”
Powell mentioned three sires with first two-year-olds that he said Americans would find interesting.
“Some stallions to look at would be Hello Youmzain (Fr), a strong, powerful, well-balanced type of horse who throws horses with big hips. They are good models. Sottsass (Fr) had two very good runners here in France for Peter Brant two weeks ago–a winner and a second, both very impressive. And don't forget that his sister, Sistercharlie, won five Group 1s in the U.S. He produces those well-balanced horses who can adapt. I'm getting quite excited about that sire. And then there are a couple of Kamekos. He's a son of Kitten's Joy who is off to a good start at stud, and I think people will be interested in seeing them.”
Among first-crop yearling sires, there is St Mark's Basilica (Fr), who Powell said was throwing well-balanced yearlings, and Victor Ludorum (GB). “He's by Shamardal, who has always worked on both sides of the Atlantic.” Among established sires, there are 30 Wootton Bassetts (GB), “who is working everywhere,” he said, 22 yearlings by perennial leading French sire Siyouni (Fr), and five from leading European sire Dubawi (GB), including the half-brother to last year's sales topper.
Haras des Capucines offers three yearlings by American sires this year, a filly by Maximum Security and two fillies by Justify. The latter two were purchased as weanlings for $200,000 apiece at the Keeneland November sale.
Lot 200, says Zerolo, “is out of a good Argentinian filly, Lucevan, who has already produced a good grass filly by Street Sense,” he says, referring to GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Champagne Anyone. “Here,” says Zerolo, “we have the Mr Prospector cross again, and she's a nice, big, strong filly and a good mover.”
Lot 294 is a Justify filly out of San Saria (Ire). “I have an affinity for that pedigree because we used to own the second dam, San Sicharia (Ire), who became a nice filly, a Grade III winner, and this filly is lovely, with a old Lagardere pedigree that has been revived. If I recall, Vadsa (the fifth dam) and Vadsa Honor came out of the Newstead Farm dispersal in 1985.”
“They are pretty similar,” said Zerolo of the two Justify fillies. “(Lot 294) has a little more white, two white socks, a very attractive head. She's a nice, attractive chestnut filly with an attractive walk.
“I'm not an expert on Justify, but to me they look like what Justifys should look like,” Zerolo continued. “Having said that, City of Troy and the Nassau winner, Opera Singer, are light bays. These two are chestnuts–big, strong, athletic American-looking horses. The success of Justify is amazing, which is why he stands for what he does. The appeal is going to be across the board. The Europeans, Americans, Japanese and Australians will be interested in them.”
Not that Americans need to cross the pond to buy Justifys, he said. “I would imagine Americans coming to Europe are looking to buy European horses. Otherwise, what's the point?” And to that end, he said, “the sire that I really, really like here this year is St Mark's Basilica. They remind me-and only the old guys like me will remember this-of the good Nureyevs, five generations back. He is producing lovely, lovely fillies. I'm quite taken by what I've seen. A lot of class.”
Arqana charters a plane every year on the Wednesday after the Saratoga sale, flying from Albany straight to Deauville. “It's nearly full, so that's exciting,” said Powell. “Every year, we've got more people showing interest, people who came the previous year and sent back good reports. Some who came on their own are now bringing friends.”
The Saratoga Sale and the Arqana August sale pair back-to-back events with great quality in a great environment. What's not to love?
“Deauville is a wonderful way to discover Europe,” he said, “and we love showing the way. I'm pretty confident the French breeders and consignors have done a great job with their prep work because the horses we saw in the spring were quite exciting. There are a lot of good vibes and people are in good spirits.”
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