Keeneland September: Fastnet Rock filly makes splash at $1 million

A filly by leading Australian sire Fastnet Rock and from an outstanding female family was purchased for $1 million by Spendthrift Farm late in Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland September yearling sale.

The filly was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales, as agent.

The filly is out of the Group 1-placed Sadler's Wells mare Maryinsky, dam of European champion Peeping Fawn and Group 1 winner Thewayyouare. As a broodmare, Peeping Fawn has gone on to produce multiple group stakes placed Sir John Hawkins.

Out of Kentucky Oaks winner Blush With Pride, Maryinsky is a half sister to graded/group stakes winners Better Than Honour, Smolensk, and Turnberry Isle. Better Than Honour is the dam of Kentucky Oaks and Belmont Stakes winner and champion Rags to Riches, Belmont Stakes winner Jazil, Breeders' Cup Marathon winner Man of Iron, Grade 2 winner Casino Drive, and Grade 1 producer Teeming.

"That's as good as pedigrees get," Ned Toffey of Spendthrift said. "We're obviously doing stuff in Australia, so we think the sire will work anywhere, and it's as good a family as there is in the world. We've got a stallion, Can the Man, who's from that family and an older mare that's just gone out of production who's from that family, and we're very happy to replace her with a filly that we think is going to be a great athlete. She doesn't have to run a step to be worth a whole lot of money."

Spendthrift announced in April that it had acquired Yallambee Stud in Victoria, Australia as the home of its new Australian Thoroughbred operation. The farm, Spendthrift Australia, will be involved in breeding, racing, the stallion market, and local sales. Spendthrift is shuttling several stallions from its Lexington, Ky., base to stand the currently-ongoing Southern Hemisphere breeding season.