Fusaichi Pegasus Colt Sets European Breeze-Up Record

The European record for a breeze-up sale was smashed during the opening session Wednesday of the Tattersalls breeze-up auction when Japanese owner Fusao Sekiguchi purchased a son of Fusaichi Pegasus, the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner that he raced, for 500,000 guineas (approximately $895,500 in U.S. funds). The previous record, set on the opening day of this sale, was 260,000 guineas ($466,830).

Noriyuki Arakawa, buying on behalf of Toshikatsu Fujita's Toyo Racing Club, took the bidding to 300,000 guineas ($538,650) before Irish bloodstock agent Bobby O'Ryan continued the frenetic pace. However, it was Yukari Sekiguchi who made the final successful bid of 500,000 guineas ($895,500) on behalf of her father in law.

The colt, who had breezed well the previous day represented a major pinhooking triumph for Bansha House Stables principal Con Marnane, who had purchased the colt for the equivalent of $91,568 as a yearling last year at Goffs. The colt is out of group I winner and champion Lyric Fantasy.

In all, 64 lots were sold for a gross of 3,242,000 guineas ($5,821,011), an average of 50,656 guineas ($90,953), and a median of 32,500 guineas ($58,354). The gross, average, and median represented increases of 37%, 52%, and 35%. The opening session saw a total of five lots break the six figure barrier.

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