Coolmore teams up with Bridlewood on $2M Tapit colt

The Coolmore partnership has tag-teamed the auction market with a variety of high-profile operations and expanded a fledgling relationship with John Malone’s Bridlewood Farm on Wednesday, going in together on a $2 million Tapit colt.

Though the plan to buy the half-brother to 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man was planned in advance, Bridlewood Farm general manager George Isaacs said the initial pairing with the global powerhouse came rather suddenly. Their first buy together came at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale, joining forces on a $650,000 Malibu Moon filly.

“They kind of huddle up at the last minute, so I asked them at the last minute if they would potentially partner on a nice filly with us,” Isaacs said. “They had actually asked us about colts prior to that, so I just flipped that around and said, ‘We could start with a nice filly as well as we could start with a nice colt.’ To me, in this business, it’s all about relationships and like-minded business, and that’s what we’re trying to create.”

The Tapit colt, consigned as agent by Eaton Sales, was the second-most-expensive offering of Keeneland September’s first book.

“In my opinion, he was certainly the nicest Tapit of the sale, and he’s got a stallion’s pedigree,” Isaacs said. “Coolmore asked us to consider partnering with them on a nice colt to try to potentially be a stallion. That’s the old adage – if you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em. We’re happy to be a part of that.

“Mr. Malone has his farm in Ireland, and we’re trying to build Bridlewood back horse by horse to have a very nice program and potentially a stallion, so hopefully this is the right one.”