California Danes make impressive debut

21 January 2010

The first yearlings by California Dane offered at public auction made an exceptionally encouraging impression when all four were successfully sold at the 2010 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale at the beginning of the month.

Comprising three colts and one filly all presented by Baerami Thoroughbreds as agent, the quartet realized a collective return of $320,000 and a highly acceptable average of $80,000.

Top-price was realized by Lot 203, a brown colt produced by the unraced Cape Cross (Ire) mare Equatorial (Ire). A competitive bidding duel was eventually won by the Victorian Bloodstock Agency who went to $150,000 to secure the impressive youngster.

Lot 203 was one of two colts by California Dane to be sold for a six-figure sum. During Session 5 of proceedings, a bay colt from the winning Distorted Humor (USA) mare Fun You Are brought $110,000 when purchased by leading Gold Coast trainer Alan Bailey.

Baerami Thoroughbreds principal Paul Higgins was understandably delighted with the manner in which the progeny of California Dane was received on the Gold Coast.

"It's all well and good for studmasters to tell everyone how good the first crop of a new stallion is looking, but it is not until those horses go to the first sale that his or her opinion is confirmed or otherwise.

"California Dane became one of the major talking points concerning the first season sires represented on the Gold Coast and all the good judges loved them."

Higgins confirmed that the $150,000 purchase made by Victorian Bloodstock Agency is to be placed with Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman and that leading Randwick-based mentor John O'Shea is to receive another.

In addition to Freedman, O'Shea and the aforementioned Alan Bailey, Gai Waterhouse and Alan Denham have also been confirmed as future trainers of California Dane 2-year-olds in season 2010/11.

The successful sale of the four California Dane yearlings at the Magic Millions capped off a very gratifying weekend for Baerami Thoroughbreds. The Hunter Valley outfit was one of a select number of concerns represented by not one but two of the top-21 qualifiers for the $2 million BMW Magic Millions 2YO Classic, with Triple Crown making the final field.

Fifteen members of California Dane's first crop are catalogued for the 2010 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to be staged on January 24-25, seven of which can be found in the Baerami Thoroughbreds draft.

For any further information on California Dane and/or the Baerami Thoroughbreds draft, please contact Paul Higgins on 0429 475 136.

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