John Antonelli, breeder of Songbird, to disperse California bloodstock at Barretts
John Antonelli, breeder of two-time Eclipse Award champion Songbird, will disperse his California-based breeding stock at the Barretts fall mixed sale on Oct. 17 in Pomona, Calif.
The dispersal, which will be handled by Greg Fanning, as agent, comprises six broodmares, including graded stakes producer Piedras Negras, three yearlings, and six weanlings.
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Antonelli, who worked as the president of ARS Legal, a document imaging company, entered the Thoroughbred business in 2001. Among his earlier purchases was the unraced Unbridled mare Piedras Negras, whom he boughtfor $95,000 out of the 2003 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. From her, Antonelli subsequently bred La Traviata, who sold to Coolmore for $1.1 million as a 2-year-old at the Fasig-Tipton February sale. A daughter of Johannesburg, La Traviata won 3 of 4 starts, including the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes at Saratoga. She is now fashioning a successful broodmare career, represented by multiple Group 1 winner Seventh Heaven, Group 1 winner Crusade, and Group 2-placed Cristoforo Colombo and Coat of Arms.
Piedras Negras, now 18, will be offered at Barretts in foal to Grazen. Her weanling filly by Square Eddie and her unraced daughter Passionate Cause, in foal to Boisterous, are also cataloged.
Antonelli privately purchased the stakes-winning West Acre mare Ivanavinalot in 2007. She produced three winners from four foals before delivering Songbird. Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm purchased Songbird for $400,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale, and she has won 13 of 15 starts, including nine Grade 1 events, to earn Eclipse Awards as outstanding 2-year-old filly of 2015 and 3-year-old filly of 2016.
Antonelli offered Ivanavinalot at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale, but she failed to meet her reserve with a high bid of $885,000. Coolmore later privately purchased the mare.