Better Than Honour
August 12th 2008 06:02
The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed auction will be offering some exceptional broodmares as part of a dispersal of the joint holdings of Southern Equine and Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms. Among those on offer will be Madcap Escapade, a $6 million purchase for the vendors at Keeneland in November 2006. Madcap Escapade’s first foal by Pulpit was the highest priced North American weanling of 2007 at $1.7 million.
(photo: Z)
But the highlight of the dispersal and sale will be the 12 year old daughter of Deputy Minister: Better Than Honour.
Better Than Honour was a reasonably expensive (terms of expense are all relative - especially in horse racing where money is sometimes less important than prestige) $US750,000 purchase at the 1997 Keeneland July yearling sale.
Better Than Honour proved to be a very good racehorse and never missed a place in her eight starts, with a win in the (Gr.2) Demoiselle Stakes and placings in the (Gr.1) Acorn Stakes and (Gr.3) Comely Stakes. But it was to be upon retirement that Better Than Honour would truly excel.
The highlights of her produce record are:
Jazil, a son of Seeking The Gold, who won the (Gr.1) Belmont Stakes after being runner-up in the (Gr.1) Wood Memorial and 4th in the (Gr.1) Kentucky Derby. He is now standing at stud.
The A.P. Indy filly Rags To Riches who scored a brilliant win in the Belmont Stakes defeating subsequent Horse Of The Year Curlin. She achieved four Gr.1 victories and was named Champion 3 year Old Filly of 2007.
And finally the Japanese owned and trained Casino Drive who was sent to the US after winning his maiden in Japan, then easily winning the 2008 Peter Pan Stakes. Casino Drive was expected to be the main (only it was thought) danger to Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes, but was scratched on the morning of the race. Considering the outcome of the Belmont it is not unreasonable to believe that if he had started he would have given his dam a hat-trick of Belmont winners.
In 2007 Better Than Honour was awarded the honour of Broodmare Of The Year.
This year Better Than Honour aborted an A.P. Indy colt (which would have been a brother to Rags To Riches) late in her term.
The last time Better Than Honour was offered at public auction she was sold for $2 million to Coolmore at the 2004 Keeneland November Sale. Subsequently she was purchased privately by the current owner.
With her race record, distinguished pedigree (her grandam Best In Show was Broodmare Of The Year in 1982) and outstanding (phenomenal) produce record, it is expected that she could fetch a world-record price for broodmare (or broodmare prospect) at the forthcoming auction. The previous record is $10.5 million for Playful Act. This mark is very likely to be surpassed, and there is some suggestion that she could even challenge the highest price of all time of $16 million for the infamous The Green Monkey.
Better Than Honour: a world record price?
(photo: Z)
But the highlight of the dispersal and sale will be the 12 year old daughter of Deputy Minister: Better Than Honour.
Better Than Honour was a reasonably expensive (terms of expense are all relative - especially in horse racing where money is sometimes less important than prestige) $US750,000 purchase at the 1997 Keeneland July yearling sale.
Better Than Honour proved to be a very good racehorse and never missed a place in her eight starts, with a win in the (Gr.2) Demoiselle Stakes and placings in the (Gr.1) Acorn Stakes and (Gr.3) Comely Stakes. But it was to be upon retirement that Better Than Honour would truly excel.
The highlights of her produce record are:
Jazil, a son of Seeking The Gold, who won the (Gr.1) Belmont Stakes after being runner-up in the (Gr.1) Wood Memorial and 4th in the (Gr.1) Kentucky Derby. He is now standing at stud.
The A.P. Indy filly Rags To Riches who scored a brilliant win in the Belmont Stakes defeating subsequent Horse Of The Year Curlin. She achieved four Gr.1 victories and was named Champion 3 year Old Filly of 2007.
And finally the Japanese owned and trained Casino Drive who was sent to the US after winning his maiden in Japan, then easily winning the 2008 Peter Pan Stakes. Casino Drive was expected to be the main (only it was thought) danger to Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes, but was scratched on the morning of the race. Considering the outcome of the Belmont it is not unreasonable to believe that if he had started he would have given his dam a hat-trick of Belmont winners.
In 2007 Better Than Honour was awarded the honour of Broodmare Of The Year.
This year Better Than Honour aborted an A.P. Indy colt (which would have been a brother to Rags To Riches) late in her term.
The last time Better Than Honour was offered at public auction she was sold for $2 million to Coolmore at the 2004 Keeneland November Sale. Subsequently she was purchased privately by the current owner.
With her race record, distinguished pedigree (her grandam Best In Show was Broodmare Of The Year in 1982) and outstanding (phenomenal) produce record, it is expected that she could fetch a world-record price for broodmare (or broodmare prospect) at the forthcoming auction. The previous record is $10.5 million for Playful Act. This mark is very likely to be surpassed, and there is some suggestion that she could even challenge the highest price of all time of $16 million for the infamous The Green Monkey.
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Comment by TimmyH
Tech News
Can you HACK it?
Genyration
Comment by Leonard Marlborough
Racing Write
Hi Timmy,
Way too much money. Very few of the horses that fetch astronomical prices go on to be racetrack successes.
Better Than Honour is a broodmare and has finished racing: problem with her purchase is getting her in foal. Remembering that her last foal was aborted. But if she produces any foals they will sell for a fortune. Always a gamble, from breeding barn to finish post.
You can read about The Green Monkey (his $16 million purchase) and his racetrack career in one of my spotlight posts. Even a video to his racing days. You should hear the racecaller.