Aussie star Bollinger moves here

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Australian Group 1-winning filly Bollinger is in California and will compete this winter in the United States.

A 4-year-old Dehere filly, Bollinger won the Group 1 Coolmore Classic in Australia this spring when she was in Gai Waterhouse's barn. Bollinger arrived in the United States about 10 days ago and is with Neil Drysdale at Hollywood, according to Bates Newton, general manager of Vinery, which owns Bollinger. But the filly probably won't make her first start until autumn.

"She'll take several months to get acclimated," he said. "Neil is very conservative and takes his time. I wouldn't look for her to start before November or December."

In addition to the Coolmore Classic, Bollinger also won the Australian Group 2 Surround Stakes this year.

Her pedigree isn't bad, either. She's out of former Australian juvenile filly champion Bint Marscay, and is a half-sister to a pair of Australian Group 3 winners Mannington and Sheraton.

Bringing a high-caliber Australian filly to race in the U.S. is part of Vinery's plan to develop a strong broodmare band for the global commercial market. Vinery also plans to bring a couple of its European-based fillies to the U.S. within the next year. Kivi, a stakes-placed daughter of King of Kings and Group 3 winner Vilikaia, will join trainer Christophe Clement next season at 4. And Spangled, a stakes winner by Kris S. out of Florida Oaks winner Anklet, will also come to the U.S. for her 4-year-old campaign next year.

These international forays are more than sporting gestures. They're part of Vinery's larger commercial plan. Vinery has farms in Lexington, Ky., and in Australia, allowing it to stand stallions and breed mares in both hemispheres. Bollinger's future demonstrates how flexible a global operation can be.

Newton said if Bollinger becomes a major stakes winner in the United States, she might retire to the Vinery band in Lexington, which currently numbers almost 50 mares. Otherwise, she could return to the 100-mare Vinery Australia band and visit a stallion there.

"Or she could be bred here on Southern Hemisphere time and then sent back to Australia," Newton added. "We have all three options."

"Fillies like these with nice pedigrees and black type will go directly into the broodmare band. All of the homebreds we're producing, other than those by our young stallions that we will keep, will be sent to the sales," he said.

If Bollinger does retire in the U.S., she will reunite with her dam, Bint Marscay, in Vinery's Lexington band of mares.