Winx filly sells for Australian record $10 million

The first daughter of internationally popular four-time Australian Horse of the Year Winx sold for a record $10 million Australian (about $6.6 million in U.S. funds) at the Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale on Monday.

The price eclipses the Australian yearling record of $5 million in local funds paid for a half-brother to champion Black Caviar at the 2013 Inglis Easter sale.

The filly, by Pierro, was purchased by Debbie Kepitis of Woppitt Bloodstock, in what was essentially a partnership buyout. Kepitis is a co-owner of Winx, a daughter of Street Cry who won 33 consecutive races, including 25 Group 1 events. That included an unprecedented four editions of the prestigious Cox Plate.

“I didn’t come here to buy this horse originally,” Kepitis said in a press release from the auction house. “We put her up for auction, and then in the past few weeks, all of the family, we started to miss our ‘daughter/granddaughter,’ so we just decided as best we could, if we could get her, we would. I am privileged to have been able to secure this filly on behalf of my family.”

The direct underbidder on Winx’s filly was major new American player John Stewart, who did purchase other yearlings at the sale as he expands to an Australian arm of his fledgling Resolute Racing and Bloodstock.

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