Debbie Kepitis Secures Winx Filly for Record-Breaking Price

by TTR Aus/NZ

Drama. Emotion. History. Arguably the most highly anticipated offering ever seen at public auction delivered all that and more as the Pierro (Aus) filly out of wondermare Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) brought a jaw-dropping AU$10-million (US$6.6-million) in front of a packed Inglis auditorium.

There had been much speculation about how much the blue-blooded, Coolmore-consigned youngster would make, and an opening bid of $2-million duly foretold an utterly unprecedented price. The bid board struggled to keep pace with the scale and speed with which the increases came in. The bidding leapt from $3-million to $5-million in one fell swoop and continued to bound upward in seven-figure increments as an offer of $6-million was superseded by a play of $7.5-million.

As proceedings reached the business end Inglis's managing director Mark Webster, taking instructions on the phone from ebullient American owner John Stewart, signalled a bid of $9-million. However, within mere seconds that hand was gazumped when the Woppitt Bloodstock team around Debbie Kepitis, one of Winx's co-owners, delivered the $10-million knockout blow.

In the weeks leading up to the sale, Stewart had been promising on X to buy the horse. “We're 100% buying the Winx filly,” he said. After the sale, he Tweeted, “I am so happy for Debbie. Well played. Lots of respect.”

“These opportunities do not come along very often,” said auctioneer Jonathan D'Arcy as he tried to coax another increase from the assembled crowd. “Once in a lifetime.” But with no further bids forthcoming, a visibly emotional Kepitis had seized the moment.

Kepitis raced Winx in partnership with Peter and Patty Tighe's Magic Bloodstock and the late Richard Treweeke. In continuing her association with the star mare by buying out her partners in the filly, Coolmore's Tom Magnier said Kepitis had helped to write “the perfect story”. Kepitis explained that she had not set out to secure the filly when the decision was made to bring her to market, but said she had a change of heart as the date with destiny neared.

“I didn't come here to buy this horse originally,” she said. “We put her up for auction and then in the last few weeks, all of the family, we started to miss our daughter, granddaughter, so we just decided as best we could, if we could get her we would. I'm privileged to be able to secure this filly on behalf of my family to be able to see if she can get to the racetrack. If she can't get to the racetrack she'll be an amazing mum.

“She's Australian forever. She's going to be just fabulous. Hopefully she'll do a Winx, but it doesn't matter if she doesn't. Thank you to everybody around the world who has taken this on board. It's been thrilling to watch it and we're lucky enough that we came out winners.”

Kepitis confirmed that Winx's trainer Chris Waller would oversee the racing career of her daughter. She also expanded on the rationale behind bringing the filly to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, saying: “Inglis were amazing. Along with Magic Millions, they are two amazing companies that do a fabulous job of presenting horses for sale in the Australian market. The ownership group had a big decision to decide when and where to sell her. She was always going to be a little bit of a later horse so leaving her until the April sale was really the major thing in our consideration.”

 

Winx rates as arguably the greatest racehorse to grace the Australian turf. Her completely unparalleled race record features no less than 37 victories, the last 33 of which were gained in consecutive fashion. Those successes include a world record tally of 25 Group 1s and saw her career earnings exceed AU$26-million in prize-money.

She is perhaps best remembered for being the only horse in history to win four runnings of the prestigious Cox Plate, while she also claimed the Horse of The Year title on four occasions.

Unsurprisingly the filly's price totally eclipsed the sum her celebrity dam fetched when she came under the hammer, as Winx was signed for by Guy Mulcaster at 'just' AU$230,000 at the 2013 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Winx has endured a challenging start to her breeding career having lost her first foal, by I Am Invincible (Aus), in October 2020. Magnier not only heaped praise on those who helped nurse Winx back to full health, but reiterated how close the story came to ending in complete tragedy.

“It's no secret that Winx lost her first foal and she nearly died,” he said. “To be fair to Paddy Sheehan (foaling manager) and all the team at Scone Equine (Hospital) they did an unbelievable job in saving the mare. To think that we have this mare today, who's had a foal, now a yearling, by Pierro, and such a good-looking filly, the behind the scenes of what we went through to get here today, it couldn't happen without the most understanding owners. They've been so patient and so understanding and the team at the farm have done an unbelievable job.”

Reflecting on the pressure of selling such a high-profile yearling, a relieved-looking Magnier said: “I think I have a little bit of an idea about the pressure Chris might've felt in some of those races!”

He continued: “The Kepitis family grew up beside us because our farms are next to each other in the Hunter Valley so I've known Debbie since I was young. They've been so good to us and they keep their horses at Coolmore. They won the Derby last week and I thought 'God, how do we beat that?!' and then we've come here today and done this. It's really fitting that this filly is going to the Kepitis family and it's just the perfect story. That was the most important result for me today so I'm just thrilled. I just want to say thanks to Paddy Sheehan and all the staff at Coolmore. To save the mare and get the foal, it's just a dream story.”

Coolmore Australia's Tom Magnier | Coolmore Australia

When asked whether the record-breaking price matched his expectations, Magnier said: “John Stewart was in Australia a couple of weeks ago and he was very confident of getting the filly, but when you come up against Debbie you want to have will and determination! I knew she was going to make a very high figure because someone is buying history. This is like a classic and a collector's item.”

“There's only one person who deserved today and that was Debbie and Paul and the whole family. I don't think you can put a value on a filly like that, especially to someone like Debbie who really wanted this filly. We've been through so much on this journey to get here today. It's just incredible.”

The filly's price was exactly double the previous record for an Australian yearling, with BC3 Thoroughbreds giving AU$5-million for the ill-fated Redoute's Choice (Aus) half-brother to Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}) at the 2013 Easter Sale.

Among those on hand to witness the record-breaking transaction was another of Winx's co-owners, Peter Tighe.

“It was pretty exciting for everybody, not just me!” he said. “It's good for racing, good for breeding, there's no losers here. It's something you couldn't imagine. People want something and they're prepared to pay for it. If they can afford it, then good luck to them. It's great for Debbie Kepitis and great for the ownership group who'll benefit from the sale, we're really happy.”

He continued: “Winx is pregnant again so we're keen to get a nice healthy foal at the end of the year and see where that takes us. There's no guarantees that we'll sell or keep (that foal), we'll just take it as it comes. We do it because we love the sport and we love our horses. It's a funny thing to say but we didn't come here today for the money, we came here for a purpose and I think we've achieved that with getting the horse out into the breeding world. I'm looking forward to many more years of great stories that all stem from Winx.”

Inglis's CEO Sebastian Hutch also shared the sales company's view on proceedings, saying: “It's fantastic and a real privilege for our company to have the opportunity to offer a horse of this magnitude. Obviously Winx is an iconic figure in Australian sport, not just in racing. To have had the opportunity to bring her daughter to market was fantastic. For it to play out the way it has, and to facilitate the scale of interest we've had, has been incredible.”

Winx was bred by John Camilleri under the banner of Fairway Thoroughbreds from the Listed-winning Al Akbar mare Vegas Showgirl. This makes the mighty mare a half-sister to El Divino (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who did his bit to uphold family honour by dead-heating with Astern (Aus) in the Group 3 Kindergarten S.

The presence of Winx's daughter wasn't Camilleri's only involvement in the Easter Sale as he was the client behind James Harron when the agent secured day one's top lot, the Zoustar (Aus) filly out of Prompt Response (Aus), at AU$2.2-million. Sunday's session-topper held the record of most expensive yearling filly sold at Inglis for less than 24 hours.

The Winx filly becomes Pierro's most expensive yearling to date by some margin. The stallion's previous best came at last year's Easter Sale when Mick Wallace and Gandharvi signed at AU$1.75-million for the half-sister to Learning To Fly (Aus) (Justify {USA}).

Pierro, who was crowned leading first- and second-season sire during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns, stood the most recent breeding season at a fee of $82,500 (inc GST). The son of Lonhro (Aus) is the sire of six Group 1 winners.

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Breeders’ Cup Release 2024 Dirt Dozen Schedule

The 2024 schedule for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive-based participation bonus program for horsemen pointing runners to the dirt races in the Breeders' Cup World Championships, was released Monday. Launched in 2022, the 12-race program is comprised of existing graded stakes races scheduled from May through October at six tracks throughout the United States.

“We are happy to once again offer our lucrative Dirt Dozen program,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders' Cup Limited. “Each year $525,000 is offered in awards, and many horsemen benefit from the credits offered towards entry fees for our Championship dirt races. We look forward to extending this incentive once again to connections preparing for a dirt division race at Del Mar this November.”

The Dirt Dozen program will again award bonus credits funded by the Breeders' Cup for first through third finishes in the 12-race schedule. Horsemen may use those credits toward entry fees for one of six Breeders' Cup World Championships dirt races: the $2 million GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, $2 million GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, $2 million GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile, $2 million GI NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, $1 million GI PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and the $1 million GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

In Dirt Dozen races in the $2 million Breeders' Cup race divisions, the bonus tier is allocated at $30,000 for first, $15,000 for second, and $7,500 for third. In Dirt Dozen races in the $1 million Breeders' Cup race divisions, the bonus tier will award $15,000 for first, $7,500 for second, and $3,750 for third. Horses may bankroll multiple awards earned and apply toward their Championship entry fees.

For more information, click here.

 

2024 DIRT DOZEN SCHEDULE BY DIVISION
DIRT MILE – GII San Diego H. July 27, GIII Philip H. Iselin S. Aug. 17

 

DISTAFF – GII Fleur de Lis S. June 29, GII Zenyatta S. Sept. 29

 

FILLY & MARE SPRINT – GI Derby City Distaff May 4, GIII Rancho Bernardo H. Aug. 25

 

JUVENILE – GI Del Mar Futurity Sept. 8, GIII Iroquois S. Sept. 14

 

JUVENILE FILLIES – GI Spinaway S. Aug. 31, GIII Pocahontas S. Sept. 14

 

SPRINT – GIII Maryland Sprint S. May 18, GII Santa Anita Championship Sept. 28.

 

 

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Asmussen, Elliott and L and G Racing Take 2024 Sam Houston Titles

Sam Houston Race Park concluded its 43-day Thoroughbred live racing season Sunday, Apr. 7. Heading the training ranks this season, Steve Asmussen notched his 16th title after receiving the honor in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005; 2014 -2024. Asmussen started 249 runners, finishing with a record of 48 wins, 36 seconds, 31 thirds and earnings of $1,260,342.

R. Caldwell was second in the standings with 28 victories. Trainer Ronnie Cravens won 22 races and Sarah Davidson rounded out the top four conditioners with 19 winners.

Jockey Stewart Elliott held off a stiff bid from several jockeys to claim his fourth title at Sam Houston. The 59-year-old rode 39 winners from 215 mounts, earning $1,123,500 and finishing in the money at 41%.

For the past four years, Asmussen and Elliott have won titles together here, Lone Star Park and Remington Park.

Floyd Wethey, Jr. won 32 races to finish second in the standings while Fernando Jara was third with 31 victories. Rene Diaz finished fourth with 30 trips to the winner's circle

For the second year in a row, L and G Racing Stables wrapped up owner of the meet honors. The ownership group, with principal owner Genesis Castillo, competes in Texas as well as Louisiana. The group also took leading owner honors at Fair Grounds in 2023. L and G finished with a record of 17 winners from 195 starts and purses of  $376,723. Cesar Govea is their primary trainer. Steve Asmussen finished second in the standings with 14 wins, followed by Henry Witt, Jr. (13) and Carl Moore Management, LLC (11).

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Denim and Pearls Dominates Beaumont in Graded Company Debut

In a tour de force befitting the excitement of opening weekend at Keeneland, Denim and Pearls (Into Mischief) all but ran off the screen en route to her career-first Graded victory in the GII Middleground Capital Beaumont S.

A winner by a nose at this venue on first asking Oct. 21, she parlayed that effort into a 3 1/2-length score at Churchill Downs in November against allowance optional claiming company. From there, her connections asked a bit more of their developing star when she moved to Oaklawn Park and tried two-turns, finishing second in the aptly named Years End S. on the last day of her juvenile season, and then making her 2024 bow Feb. 3 in a sloppy edition of the Martha Washington S. Cutting back to seven panels from 1 1/16-miles in that stakes try where she again played bridesmaid, it would be her time to shine here.

Content to watch after the jump as Vicountess (Lord Nelson) stepped up to set the early pace, Denim and Pearls traveled well from her spot in third as even-money betting choice Youalmosthadme (Oxbow) pressed that one along. Ranging closer as :22.99 and :46.41 splits sailed by, she was still well in hand entering the lane after inhaling a tiring leader and her stablemate with an eye-catching spurt. Kicking away, she was 9 1/4 lengths ahead of a clearly second-best Harbor Springs (Lookin At Lucky), who came into the race off a six-length maiden romp and stumbled coming out of the gate. Youalmosthadme held on for third despite it being her 2024 opener.

“It was a very good performance today. She was traveling well all the way around,” said Flavien Prat. “I didn't want to move too soon but she just did it on her own, so I thought to let her run from there. She did the rest. It was a great move by [trainer] Brad [Cox] to cut back in distance as well.”

When asked about it, Cox stated that the filly just didn't want to go that far and that her ownership group was content to let her do what she did best. “We were hoping she'd be a mile-and-an-eighth filly and we could march toward the [GI Kentucky Oaks], but [owner] Randy Gullat [of Red, White and Blue Racing] and the whole team are all about trying to do what's best for her and not make her do something she isn't capable of doing, and she rewarded them today.”

 

Pedigree Note
Most notably a full-sister to 'TDN Rising Star' Newgate, whose recent exploits include a gutsy victory in the GI Santa Anita H. and a ninth-place effort in the G1 Dubai World Cup, Denim and Pearls hails from a racey female family as dam Majestic Presence is herself a Graded-placed half-sister to GSW Victress (Include), a stakes-placed nine-time winner in Korea, and to the dam of GSW My Majestic Rose (Majestic Warrior). The dominating Beaumont victress is her fourth to the races, and second to pick up a victory at the black-type level. Majestic Presence has also produced a 2-year-old Adeera (Authentic) as well as a 2024 filly by Life Is Good.

Sire Into Mischief continued his successes at the upper levels of racing having had runners claim the GII Wood Memorial and the GI Ashland, just miss in the GI Santa Anita Derby, and enjoyed the crowning of two new 'TDN Rising Stars' over the weekend.

Sunday, Keeneland
MIDDLEGROUND CAPITAL BEAUMONT S.-GII, $395,063, Keeneland, 4-7, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:26.54, ft.
1–DENIM AND PEARLS, 118, f, 3, by Into Mischief
  1st Dam: Majestic Presence (GSP-USA, MSP-Can, $227,896), by Majestic Warrior
  2nd Dam: Shining Victory, by Victory Gallop
  3rd Dam: Phoenix Sunshine, by Encino
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($500,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-Red White and Blue Racing LLC; B-Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $244,900. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $457,435. *Full to Newgate, GISW, $535,775. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Harbor Springs, 118, f, 3, Lookin At Lucky–Northern Michigan, by Broken Vow. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Donamire Farm (KY); T-Gregory D. Foley. $79,000.
3–Youalmosthadme, 118, f, 3, Oxbow–Good Gator, by Good and Tough. ($12,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Resolute Racing; B-Pope McLean, Marc McLean & Pope McLean Jr. (KY); T-Brad Cox. $39,500.
Margins: 9 1/4, 3, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.79, 8.71, 1.07.
Also Ran: Chi Chi, Tipsy Tammy, Vicountess.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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