Stud plans have been finalised for glamour race mares Sarafina, Stacelita and Misty For Me.
Photo by Racing and Sports
* SARAFINA is set to be mated with Japanese champion Deep Impact following her private purchase from the Aga Khan by Teruya Yoshida's Shadai Farm.
The sale was confirmed by Pat Downes, the Aga Khan's stud manager in Ireland, who said the famous owner and breeder had "received an offer he could not turn down" from Yoshida.
No price has been revealed but Sarafina would be conservatively valued at £5 million.
The sale of the triple G1 winner was handled on behalf of the Yoshida family by US agent Eugenio Columbo, who also acted for Shadai when they purchased Prix Marcel Boussac winner Elusive Kate last November.
Columbo's alliance with the Yoshidas stretches back to the purchase of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Tony Bin, subsequently a leading sire in Japan, and has included the the purchase of Falbrav and White Muzzle.
Sarafina continues the plunder of the best European performers by the Yoshida family. Last year they secured record breaking King George winner Harbinger and this year Derby winner Workforce joined their purchases.
Deep Impact, a son of the great Sunday Silence, won seven G1 events in Japan and finished third in the 2006 Arc after being demoted from second.
One of his yearlings sold last year for over £3 million and his first crops already include the G1 winners of the Yasuda Kinen and Japanese 1000 Guineas.
* STACELITA, a six time G1 winner also owned by Teruya Yoshida, has been retired and will be covered by leading stallion Smart Strike, the sire of US champions Curlin, English Channel and Lookin At Lucky.
The six-year-old daughter of Monsun had four starts in US last year, winning two G1 races.
US owner Martin Schwartz bought an interest in the 2009 Prix de Diane winner from her breeder Jean-Pierre Dubois in 2009 before she was purchased by Yoshida last year.
* MISTY FOR ME, a multiple G1 winner Misty For Me, has been retired and will be covered by Fastnet Rock in her first season at stud in Ireland.
The daughter of Galileo boasts four victories at the top level for Aidan O'Brien, namely the Irish 1000 Guineas, Pretty Polly Stakes, Prix Marcel Boussac and Moyglare Stud Stakes.
The proposed mating with Fastnet Rock will represent a reversal of the highly successful Galileo–Danehill cross, which was made famous last year by superstars Frankel and Maybe.
Fastnet Rock, the boom sire of the current Australian season, is shuttling to Coolmore Stud in Ireland for a private fee in 2012.
From four crops of racing age, the G1-winning son of Danehill has sired eight G1 winners.
