The half brother to Eliza Park’s Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver was the star turn at this week’s Fasig Tipton Saratoga yearling sale.

“He’s just an outstanding athlete who showed himself off time and time again,” Sheikh Mohammed’s agent John Ferguson said after parting with $1.20 million for the sale-topper.

“It’s incredibly difficult to breed a horse who looks like that,’ Ferguson continued.  “Obviously the mare has produced a Kentucky Derby winner but not only that, we also have a Group 1 winner in Girolamo, who is one of our most exciting stallion prospects.  He’s in the yearling’s pedigree, too.  It’s a fantastic family!”

Clearly Ferguson will have fingers crossed that his latest acquisition can match the deeds of his half brother Super Saver.

Described by trainer Todd Pletcher as his fastest 2YO, Super Saver won the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes by five lengths in stakes record time before going on at three to take out the 136th edition of the Kentucky Derby.

“We have fielded considerable interest in Super Saver since it was announced he would be standing at Eliza Park this spring,” Eliza Park’s Nominations Manager Mark Lindsay points out.  “It’s hardly surprising when you consider the success of Kentucky Derby winners in this country.

“Within the past three decades, Kentucky Derby winners boast a greater percentage of stakes winners to runners in the southern hemisphere than Golden Slipper winners!

“Super Saver was also very popular in his first season at WinStar Farm in Kentucky, covering 140 mares – 100 of those either stakes performed or the dams of stakes performers and 10 of those being Group 1 winners.

“Super Saver’s not only a cracking type …he really does hail from the first family of American thoroughbred breeding with seven strains of La Troienne!  

“And his first four dams are by AP Indy, Mr Prospector, Northern Dancer and Buckpasser.  We’re not talking ancient history either:  Super Saver won the Derby last year, his half brother Brethren was a Group winner this year and Girolamo won a G1 at Belmont last November.
“It just goes to show that even though the stock market is wreaking havoc, people are prepared to pay for class.”

Super Saver will stand at Eliza Park at an introductory fee of $16,500.  For further information, phone Mark Lindsay on 0416 334 338.