Godolphin Shares Lasting Legacy With Bernardini Mares

Chances to buy a mare by the late Bernardini are dwindling with the passing seasons, but a quartet from Godolphin set to hit the market Jan. 13 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale will give breeders the opportunity to buy into the global operation's carefully crafted pedigrees. After losing Bernardini to laminitis at 18 in July of 2021, Godolphin has gradually brought either mares by the son of A.P. Indy or mares carrying his last crop to the sales scene to capitalize on demand. The four daughters of the record-setting broodmare sire cataloged to Keeneland Thursday have also all been covered by Darley stallions and are carrying their first foals. "People are coming down because Bernardini has been such a good broodmare sire starting off, that people are very keen—they want a Bernardini mare," said Michael Banahan, Godolphin's bloodstock director. "They're not the first Bernardini mares we've sold, and they won't be the last." First through the ring Thursday will be second-generation homebred Demeter. She is out of the Successful Appeal mare Jellicle (IRE), a half sister to grade 1 winner It's Tricky, who produced grade 2 winner and current Darley stallion Enticed. The 4-year-old is offered as Hip 925 on a cover to Astern (AUS). Next up is homebred Dottie, a 4-year-old out of the graded stakes-placed Street Sense mare Sweet Swingin. Her second dam is the grade 3-placed Tale of the Cat mare Honest Answer, a half sister to the grade 3-winning, grade 2-placed Truth of It All. She is offered as Hip 931 on a Cairo Prince cover. "She's a young mare, this is her first foal, there's no reason she won't do well for someone," Banahan said. Following through the ring will be Stage Fright, another second-generation homebred who is also a 4-year-old. Consigned as Hip 1127, she is out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Estelle and hails from the family of grade 1 winner Golden Ballet, who produced 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner and sire Drosselmeyer. Stage Fright is offered on a Street Boss cover. The final mare from Godolphin's group is 6-year-old Woven, a daughter of 2006 Frizette Stakes (G1) winner Sutra, by Meadowlake. Woven is also offered on a Street Boss cover. "Street Boss has done very well with A.P. Indy mares … it was a good mating for her," Banahan said. As for the future and Bernardini's lasting impact on the industry, Banahan says promising times lie ahead not only for Godolphin's broodmare band but for countless others as well. "It leaves a fabulous legacy—as he's done with some of the sons as well, but more with his broodmares," Banahan said. "We are fortunate that we have plenty of his mares and we're looking forward to continued success with them. "I think he's going to have an enormous legacy on the whole game. Not just for the Godolphin broodmare band but for everyone. He's just had an unbelievable record for a horse as young as he is. As a broodmare sire, they're usually in their 20s before you see that coming true, but it's coming true at a very early age."