“He’s the most valuable stallion in history! This is such good news for the industry and encouraging for all of our breeders!” The reaction of leading South African bloodstock veteran John Freeman on the news that a 2,5% share in the world’s best horse Flightline was hammered down for an incredible $4,6 million at Keeneland on Monday.
The successful bidder was Fred Seitz of Brookdale Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, who said he was acting on behalf of an undisclosed buyer.
Fred Seitz – mum’s the word for now on the buyer (Pic – Keeneland)
The fractional interest, offered by West Point Thoroughbreds, sold during a special auction prior to the start of the premier Book 1 session of Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale.
“(The buyer) just called and said, ‘I really want to make a big splash and get involved a little more in the business,’ ” said Seitz, who was on the phone with the buyer during the bidding.
“I did not expect (the price) to go that high. It was pretty exciting. When you’re dealing with top quality, you’ve got to pay. (The buyer) did not give me that kind of figure going in. I could tell once (the bidding) started maybe we were going to keep going. I was a little more nervous than he was. He and his family were watching. I think they were having a really good time.
“With a special horse like (Flightline) all you can do is get involved and then just hope for the best,” Seitz added. “There has never been a horse that has done what he has done for however many years, back to Secretariat. You just have to pay up and get involved, and this is kind of what he’s thinking. He has a broodmare band and I think he is going to have a nicer broodmare band now. He does have some nice mares – six or eight mares at any time. He will probably be shopping now from what I understood.”
Watch the sale here:
The Racing Post reports that speaking on the eve of the sale, Bill Farish of Lane’s End Farm, to where the unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Classic winner has retired to stud, issued a cautionary note in taking the stake offered at Keeneland at face value.
“We’ll find out what one share is worth, but I don’t think it would be fair to say it would be worth 40 times that because of the scarcity value of just one share being available,” he said.
The $4,6m share puts Flightline’s worth at $184m. But while that may be inflated, there is no doubt he is one of the most valuable horses in the world.
His introductory stud fee will be announced shortly.
Keeneland November Sales 2022 (Pic – Keenelland)
Flightline retired the winner of six races, capped by an eight-and-a-quarter-length romp in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday, and had an official rating of 139 – 1lb behind Frankel and 2lb shy of Dancing Brave – going into the race.
Bidding, which started at $500,000 on Monday and went up in increments of $100,000, took place onsite, by phone, online and, in a first-of-its-kind, a metaverse experience, which gave viewers an up-close look at the auction from a virtual sales ring modelled on Keeneland’s setting.
- www.racingpost.com / additional reporting by SP editorial staff.
