A Galileo colt out of champion mare Elle Danzig topped the BBAG yearling sale in Baden Baden on Friday.  He was purchased for 170,000 euros by Dirk Eisele of BBA Germany.  It was the lowest top price since 2003, however, the average over the two-day sale was only marginally down at 26,748 euros.

“We were positively surprised by the extremely strong start on Friday,” BBAG managing director Carola Ortlieb said.  “And Saturday’s trade showed we are on the right track for the future – the silver lining is becoming apparent.”

A regally bred Manduro – Sacarina colt from Gestüt Karlshof was second best on the leader board when selling for 150,000 euros to agent Borje Olsson.  He was acting for a Swedish client and the colt will go into training in France with Alain de Royer Dupre.

Sacarina is the dam of Deutsches Derby winners Samum and Schiaparelli as well as Preis der Diana winner Salve Regina.  The classic-winning trio are by champion German stallion Monsun and he is also the sire of Manduro.

Two well-related fillies by blue-chip sires were passed-in for 140,000 euros.  A Shamardal filly from the family of G2 winner Konig Turf and a Monsun filly from the family of Azamour were both retained by their vendors.

Haras de la Cauviniere manager Sylvain Vidal was active throughout the Baden-Baden sale and among his more expensive buys was a Dylan Thomas colt for 120,000 euros.  The youngster is out of a half-sister to Predappio.

Sheikh Hamdan’s racing manager Angus Gold attended the sale but didn’t sign a sale sheet.  Blandford Bloodstock’s Tom Goff, who signed for one yearling on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed last year, also left empty-handed.

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