For the second day in a row a colt by Satono Aladdin proved to be the headline act at Book 2 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale Jan. 30, with John Foote going to NZ$150,000 (US$84,850, NZ$1=US$0.57) to secure the Highden Park-consigned youngster in the final minutes of the 2025 edition of the auction.
The colt comes from a renowned family built up by Glenn and Lisa Morton. He is out of High Esteem, who is herself a daughter of the winning mare Black Bijou, a half sister to the outstanding Prized Gem.
A group 1 winner on both sides of the Tasman, Prized Gem made just as much impact at stud as the dam of 2008 Australian Derby (G1) winner and sire Nom Du Jeu, plus group 2 winner Jeu de Cartes and the stakes performer Warp Speed.
Foote has been busy buying at Book 2 and he thought a lot of the session topper.
"I thought he was the nicest horse on the grounds," Foote said. "He had a fair bit of High Chaparral in him, which is always a great thing. So I was pretty happy to get him for that price, actually. He comes from that very good Prized Gem family.
"He was bought for David Price and will be going to Victoria and then potentially to Hong Kong. John Thompson has got a good stallion on his hands with Satono Aladdin. He's blessed, John. He's got Proisir and Satono and Ace High doing well too, so he's on fire."
All in all, Foote bought eight yearlings over the last two days of the sale for a total of NZ$750,000 (US$424,249).
"It's been a bit tough on the second day actually, we got beaten a few times earlier in the day and then we managed to buy two this afternoon," he said.
At the close of Book 2, New Zealand Bloodstock reported that 270 horses sold for NZ$9,759,000 (US$5,520,325) at a clearance rate of 76%, which is expected to climb in the coming days. The average closed at NZ$36,371 (US$20,574), while the median was recorded at NZ$27,500 (US$15,556). Last year's Book 2 closed with 265 yearlings selling for an aggregate of NZ$11,444,000 (US$6,473,470), finishing with a clearance of 70%.
Leading vendor of Book 2 was Westbury Stud with a 100% clearance rate and NZ$1,174,500 (US$664,374) in turnover, after earlier in the week announcing they would offer their yearlings unreserved.
"We are particularly pleased with the clearance rate of 75%, which will continue to climb and it's up significantly in the past two to three years of selling at Book 2," said NZB bloodstock sales manager Kane Jones. "The average and median are down slightly, but I think the clearance rate is what we need to focus on and be proud of."
Overall, 742 horses sold for a gross of NZ$86,061,500 (US$48,681,978), with an average of NZ$115,986 (US$65,609), and a median of NZ$80,000 (US$45,253).
"Vendors have come to meet the market, and the quality horses have really sold particularly well," Jones said. "While we are down slightly on 2024, we have to bear in mind that that was a record-breaking sale and it's basically come back in line with 2023, which I think is pretty pleasing in the current economic climate."
