'He's going to a great home in Coolmore' - Magnier and Brant go to $1.4 million for Charlatan colt at Keeneland

The dominant partnership of MV Magnier and Peter Brant of White Birch Farm teamed up again to secure a colt by first-crop yearling sire Charlatan out of the great race mare Guarana for $1.4 million on the first day of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington. 

Hip 70 was bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Matt Dorman. He was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.

"They love the Charlatans, and Guarana was a supremely talented racehorse," said John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale. "He has a deep pedigree, the dam was a Grade 1 winner and a great individual. It's all the components you need to sell a $1 million [yearling]. After that, you just don't know because it depends on who bids at that point. 

"He's going to a great home in Coolmore and I hope he is a superstar for them."

Charlatan, trained by Bob Baffert, earned more than $4m, retiring with four wins from five starts. The son of Speightstown was undefeated in four North American starts at three, by a combined 26 and a half lengths, including the Arkansas Derby and Malibu Stakes. In the only race he didn't win he finished second in the $20m Saudi Cup, the world's richest race.

MV Magnier: "He just ticked a few boxes, and all the guys seemed to like him, so let's hope he's as good as his mother"Credit: Keeneland photo

He stood his first year at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa in 2022 for an advertised fee of $50,000.  

Sikura said: "He was a magnificent horse. He was powerful and a great mover. He was beautifully balanced with great musculature. He was a classy, athletic horse with a beautiful face, head, and eye. The physical horse is outstanding."

Coolmore's Magnier said: "Charlatan was a very good racehorse, and John Sikura and Jes [Sikura] and everyone did an exceptional job – raising horses, breeding horses, a very good track record."

The colt will head to Coolmore's Ashford Stud near Versailles, Kentucky, as his team finalises plans for his future.

"He is a nice horse," added Magnier. "His mother was a very good race filly. He just ticked a few boxes, and all the guys seemed to like him, so let's hope he's as good as his mother. 

"Peter [Brant], Brook Smith, and a couple of others [bought the colt]. Chad [Brown] liked the horse. Everybody did."

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