Million Dollar Yearling for American Pharoah

Coolmore’s MV Magnier paid $1 million for a yearling colt by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah during the second session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Age Sale on Tuesday.

The colt is a half-brother to Coolmore’s multiple Group 1 winning sprinter Caravaggio and the amount paid made him the third-highest priced yearling colt sold at a January Sale in history.

American Pharoah also sired Monday’s session-topping yearling, a colt from Air France purchased by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong for $400,000.

“American Pharoah doesn’t need any explaining and (trainer) Aidan O’Brien always believed Caravaggio to be the best sprinter he ever trained, so when our team considered this colt the best individual in the sale it was an easy decision for us to make,” Magnier, who is attending sales in Australia, said in a statement issued after the purchase.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have two great partners in Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith who are fully committed to finding the next Caravaggio. We’ll leave it until later in the year before we discuss where this colt will be trained.”

Consigned by Paramount Sales as agent, the colt is also a half-brother to Grade 2 winner My Jen from the good producing Holy Bull mare Mekko Hokte.

“He deserved that price,” Paramount’s Pat Costello said. “He’s a beautiful horse and Caravaggio was such an incredible racehorse. This horse is so athletic and he moves so beautifully. Every top buyer on the grounds seemed to be on him and he had a ton of (pre-purchase examination) vet work done on him. All the top people in the business were interested.”

American Pharoah has just returned to Kentucky from a successful season at stud in Australia where he covered 150 of the best mares in Australasia.