Chilean-based Don Alberto emerging as a leading market force in the US

After selling a co-sale topping $1.5 million Curlin colt at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale, Don Alberto Corporation is entering Keeneland September with a larger than ever contingent that signals a new policy.

In general terms, the Chilean-based breeding behemoth that has established a major nursery in Lexington encompassing over 110 mares with a mix of European, North American and South American
bloodlines intends to become a market force by selling most of its yearling crop annually.

"We've put a much bigger number of yearlings in the September Sale this year," said Don Alberto executive director Fabricio Buffolo.

"We've kept just a handful of fillies that we're going to race, then
we put everything else in sales. We sold two at Saratoga and then the rest are here, other than four in October (at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Sale). That will be our whole crop, other than the handful of fillies.

"We'll have reserves and we'll see how it goes. If there are some that don't bring what they should, we can keep them. But the idea is to put everything in the sales and then we'll keep three or four fillies
for future broodmares. Generally, this will be the policy going forward."

View Keeneland September Yearling Sale catalogue

Don Alberto entered 17 yearlings who were accepted into the blue-blooded Book 1 of the Keeneland September Dale while split among six consignors. However, six of those yearlings had been withdrawn
the day before the sale was to begin on Monday at noon.

Still left in the sale were several yearlings with headline potential, including a pair bred in partnership with the Bridlewood Farm owned by John and Leslie Malone, who also own Ballylinch Stud in Ireland.

Both of those yearlings are consigned by Denali Stud.

Hip 247 is a gray Tapit colt who is a full-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Constitution, currently second among leading North American freshman sires by progeny earnings, and a half-brother to two
additional Graded winners. The colt was produced by Graded winner Baffled, by Distorted Humor, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Emcee.

The other Keeneland yearling co-bred by Don Alberto and Bridlewood is hip 301, a dark bay Pioneerof the Nile filly out of Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia, by Street Boss.

"The Cathryn Sophia foal is a first foal, but she is a big first foal with lots of leg to her, lots of substance and quality. She looks like a filly that's going to take you to the first Friday afternoon in May
(when the Kentucky Oaks is run) and that's what she's bred to do," said Denali vice president Conrad Bandoroff.

"The Baffled colt has a lot of Tapit to him - he's really well balanced with good size and substance. It's truly a stallion's pedigree and he's a nice individual."

One of the most eye-catching pedigrees among the Don Alberto-bred Keeneland Book 1 entries is hip 227 in the Paramount Sales consignment, a colt by Empire Maker who is the first foal of Grade 1
winner Angela Renee, by Bernardini.

Don Alberto paid $3m for Angela Renee, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner To Honor And Serve, when she topped the 2015 Fasig-Tipton November Sale as a broodmare prospect.

Among the more European-oriented Don Alberto-bred yearlings is hip 66 in the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment, a War Front filly out of the Montjeu mare Sarah Lynx, who was a Grade 1 winner
in Canada and a Group 2 winner in France.

A $2.6m purchase by Don Alberto, Sarah Lynx has produced French stakes-placed Segra and this year delivered a Golden Horn filly in Ireland.

Hip 417, a colt by Distorted Humor consigned by James B Keogh, also has international appeal as his dam is a sister to English Group 1-placed and Australian Group 1 winner Somewhat. The colt's second dam is a sister to Group 1 winners Ali-Royal and Sleepytime.

"We do have quite a few broodmares with European pedigrees and we'll see how it goes crossing them with the American horses. The market doesn't always seem to accept all of them that have this
mix very well," said Buffolo. "But I think that's the future - people are going to see more and more of these kinds of crosses."

With its Saratoga sale topper, Don Alberto partnered with Three Chimneys Farm to breed the Curlin colt from Chilean champion and Grade 1 winner Wapi, by Scat Daddy, a $1.05m acquisition in
November 2017.

Unfortunately, Wapi died of colic this summer, but her colt's success at Saratoga perhaps set a new standard for Don Alberto going forward in the commercial market.

"That was a good one. Hopefully, we can keep doing sales like that," said Buffolo.

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