$2.9M mare at Tattersalls

The Tattersalls December filly and mare sale in Newmarket, England, proved Tuesday that the market for broodmares is strong internationally, not just in America.

That's because the buyers of the world's most expensive bloodstock are essentially the same, whether in Kentucky or England. At Tattersalls on Tuesday, the familiar name of Coolmore was on a pair of million-dollar sales receipts. The global breeding operation purchased the day's session-topper, the 1,650,000-guineas ($2,962,575) broodmare Moments of Joy. The mare's dam, My Emma, preceded her in the ring and went to BBA (Ireland) for 1.3 million guineas, or about $2,334,150. Lanwades Stud, as agent, consigned both mares.

Moments of Joy, now 5 and offered in foal to Refuse to Bend, was England's highweighted 3-year-old filly at 14 furlongs and beyond in 2003. She is by Darshaan. Her dam, My Emma, was France's champion older mare in 1997 and is also the dam of English stakes-placed Light of Morn. My Emma, by Marju, was cataloged in foal to Pivotal.

Overall, the second session grossed about $37,814,128 for 219 lots sold, resulting in an average of about $172,668. Considered in the local auction currency of guineas, those figures represented gains of 47 percent and 19 percent, respectively. Last year's second session sold 177 horses.

The December mare auction was to continue through Thursday.