La Gueriere brings $610,000
PARIS, Ky. - La Gueriere, dam of Grade 2 winner Lasting Approval, brought $610,000 as the probable sale topper at Wimborne Farm's dispersal in Paris, Ky., on Saturday.
David Plummer opened the bidding at $100,000, then beat back aggressive bidding by British bloodstock agent Joss Collins to acquire La Gueriere, a 14-year-old Lord at War mare.
La Gueriere is a half-sister to three stakes winners, including Grade 1 winner and millionaire Al Mamoon and graded-stakes-placed Lost Soldier. She also is a full sister to Hong Kong stakes winner Lord of Warriors.
La Gueriere sold in foal to Louis Quatorze. Her most recent foal, a 2002 colt by Unbridled's Song, was scratched from the auction.
Plummer bought a farm near Versailles, Ky., in January with the intention of building a commercial breeding operation there. The operation, Classic Star, has about 45 mares.
As of 4 p.m., the auction was still under way with about 30 more horses to sell. The second-highest price by that point was the $285,000 that Seth Hancock paid to acquire the Lord at War mare Cuando Puede for Stuart Janney. Janney had been leasing the mare from Wimborne owner Diane Perkins and most recently bred her to Coronado's Quest, Hancock said.
Perkins announced this spring that she would disperse her breeding stock and focus on training her racing stable. Bruce Hundley's Saxony Management oversaw the dispersal, which took place at Wimborne Farm.
On Friday, Lexington auctioneer Tom Biederman sold the 535-acre farm property in five parcels for a total of $1,706,688.