Arqana May’s American Appeal: A Concentrated Quality of Sire Power

[Wandering Eyes]

With the entirety of the American two-year-old sales calendar now concentrated in Ocala and Maryland, the Arqana Breeze Up Sale has become an increasingly popular stop for Americans on the spring sales calendar. This year, falling on May 10, it lands between the OBS April sale (April 15-18) and Fasig-Tipton Midlantic (May 19-20), giving buyers ample time to travel back and forth.

The catalogue was released last Thursday, and offers the usual blend of European and American sire power.

“It's a concentrated quality of stallions, many of whom are selected by Irish pinhookers, who are very good judges,” said Hubert Guy of the sale's appeal. “The horses are very well-prepared.”

In this year's catalogue, fully one-quarter of the two-year-olds are by American sires, most of which have been pinhooked from American fall sales. In addition to the usual lineup of European superstar sires like Dubawi (Ire), Wootton Bassett (GB), Too Darn Hot (GB) and exciting newcomes like Hello Youmzain (Fr), there are 46 juveniles by American-based sires. That includes seven by Justify, three by Practical Joke, and two each by Blame, Knicks Go, Maxfield, Medaglia d'Oro, Mitole, Munnings, and Tapit.

American-based sires represented by one offering apiece include American Pharoah, Bolt d'Oro, City of Light, Connect, Constitution, Daredevil, Essental Quality, Good Magic, Gun Runner, Kitten's Joy, Maclean's Music, Maximum Security, McKinzie, More Than Ready, Not This Time, Omaha Beach, Street Boss, Street Sense, Vino Rosso, War Front, and War of Will, who sold at this sale in 2018 and went on to win the 2019 GI Preakness Stakes and the 2020 GI Maker's Mark Mile.

Arqana's CEO Freddy Powell said he felt this year's sale includes a particularly strong crop of juveniles, with some quality pinhooks from America, the numbers of which continue to grow.

“The impression during the inspections was that it was going to be a very good vintage,” said Powell. “The individuals we saw in Ireland, England and France were very pleasing. It seems that on the figures, that impression is confirmed. In 2025, for example, we have 43 yearlings purchased at the yearling sales in the U.S. for an average of $106,000, when the numbers were 41 for $89,000 for 2024, and 29 for $81,000 for 2023. We are blessed to have such a collection of horsemen selecting and buying those yearlings to present on the Deauville turf.”

Unlike in America, while no official times are provided, you're welcome to time the breezes on your own. Several buyers said that felt that the horses' preparation on a more forgiving surface over the winter and spring leads to longer-term soundness than horses prepared in America.

“There are plenty of opportunities for horses that were bought by very good judges, taken over there and which have been trained and prepared for sale on a more forgiving surface that we find here in America,” said Kip Elser.

Justin Casse, who purchased War of Will at the sale in 2018, agreed. “They tend to have a nice, good surface and ground to breeze on that time of year and it's ample amount of time for horses to get ready as far as the situation chronologically in the breeze-up calendar.”

Tampa Bay Derby winner Owen Almighty's half-brother by Constitution (pictured here as a yearling) sells as lot 174 | Taylor Made Sales

Powell said that theory about the ground goes on to be proven on the track. “The great bunch of breeze-up two-year-old graduates every year prove their skills, and the longevity on the racecourse of most prove that their system of training on a healthy surface to gradually take them to a sale where there is no official clock is working well and suits most horses.”

Elser has had success at the sale in the past, and said he goes with an open mind.

“We look at everything,” he said, noting that the 193 entered make that possible. “It's a small sale and there are nice horses there. It has been a productive sale for me.”

Elser said that he also appreciated the fact that the sale allowed for a more intellectual approach than relying on the stopwatch alone. “The conditions aren't always the same. The ground and weather aren't always as absolutely consistent like they are here, so there aren't as many absolutes. The conditions and surfaces vary enough that there's a little bit of a puzzle to put together.”

But Americans don't just come to buy American pedigrees.

“We have a some beautiful pedigrees coming from the U.S.,” said Powell, “but also some European stock by sires who tend to do well in the U.S., like Blue Point (Ire), Dubawi, Lope de Vega (Ire), Night Of Thunder (Ire), Siyouni (Fr), Wootton Bassett. There are some very well-bred fillies with proper international pedigrees.”

Of note by American sires:

* Lot 174 is a Constitution half-brother to GIII Tampa Bay Derby winner Owen Almighty (Speightstown), purchased for $185,000 at Keeneland September by Blandford Bloodstock.

* Lot 12 is a Vino Rosso half-brother to Instagrand (Into Mischief) who RNAd at Keeneland September and sells here for M.C. Thoroughbreds.

* Lot 49 is an American Pharoah filly whose dam is a full-sister to Group 1 winners Roly Poly and US Navy Flag, and a half to U.S. graded stakes winner Cover Song (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).

* Lot 55 is a Tapit colt whose dam is a full-sister to Mastercraftsman.

* Lot 185 is a Mitole filly who is a half-sister to G2 Norfolk winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Valiant Force, who sold at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale for $525,000.

Lot 185 (shown here as a yearling) is a Mitole half-sister to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint runner-up Valiant Force | courtesy St. George Sales

In recent years, in addition to War of Will, sales graduates coming back to America have included the GI and multiple graded stakes-winning Rock Emperor (Ire), who sold for €12,000 and went on to win $1.2 million in America; Romagna Mia, a €29,000 purchase who won the GIII Dowager Stakes and was GI-placed in the Beverly D; and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies second Malavath (Ire), who won the GII Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte in France, after being purchased for €139,200 in 2021, when Covid forced the sale to be held in Doncaster.

But as Powell pointed out, the appeal of the sale is the blend of European and American offerings.

“There's no doubt that the American end user is really being forced to consider grass horses more than they ever have,” said West Point Thoroughbreds CEO Terry Finley, who said that “without a doubt” the stable would be represented at the sale.

“In the past, I have had Christophe Clement, David Ingordo, and Kip Elser on the ground for me over there,” he said. “One, it brings a new angle to partners, and look, we're a game of results and it's pretty easy to see the kind of results people have had going to that sale and I'm sure it's going to accelerate. People who are serious and want to really compete at the highest levels over here are going to have to stand up and take notice this year, if they haven't already.”

Many American agents also come representing U.S. and international buyers for markets around the world.

Casse said he would be back this year shopping for clients around the globe, including America, because of the quality of the individuals represented.

“I know it's a focal point for the European breeze-up consignors as far as quality goes in terms of what they bring there,” he said. “It has also been very prosperous for me as a buyer and as a seller.” Casse says he doesn't go over there with a focus on any particular type of individual. “I go over there with a very open mind,” he said. “It has been a lifetime of learning. I never thought War of Will would end up a dirt horse. I'm buying for trainers in France, Ireland, England, and America. I would consider a horse out of that sale for any of the above and as we have learned, the two-year-old sales are about performance and physical, and pedigree is just a part of the formula for deciding how much the horse is going to cost.”

Elser also will be representing an international buying bench. “I like to be in a position to look for a varied group of prospects for a variety of clients,” he said. “I go to the Craven Sale in Newmarket while most people are busy here at OBS March. It's good to be off the beaten path. I'm a little more familiar with the process because I sold at the Craven sale a few years ago.”

There are also those intangibles, Casse said.

“Arqana is one of the gold standards for hospitality for agents attending from abroad. For a long time, they have looked after us very well, and when you go there, you can find an Ascot two-year-old, or you can find an American Triple Crown horse. If you look hard enough, there's something for everyone.”

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