If there was any doubt that Justify , one of the leading North American sires, is on the rise as a stallion of consequence in Europe, that was put to rest Oct. 7 on the second day of Book 1 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Spirited bidding ended with Coolmore's M.V. Magnier and Peter Brant's White Birch Farm standing tall with a final bid of 1.6 million guineas (US$2,224,488; 1 guinea=US$1.39) for the bay colt consigned as Lot 260.
"Yeah, he's fine," Magnier said of the sire. "He's won every classic (with his offspring), everything. He's a very good stallion."
The bloodlines of Justify's sire Scat Daddy have made an undeniable impact on European racing, and it appears to be set for new heights led by Justify. The 2018 American Triple Crown winner and two-time champion has had amazing success in a small period of time.
The ones he has are shining on the biggest stages, having collected each of the British classics thanks to City of Troy (2024 Derby, G1, at Epsom Downs Racecourse), Ruling Court (2025 Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, G1), and Scandinavia (2025 St. Leger Stakes, G1).
"Justify is flying now at the moment," Magnier said. "No Nay Never is going very well. Blackbeard's started off well; he's had a very good year. He's had a lot of winners and a very good filly a couple of weeks ago. It just seems to be working now. You have a lot of horses coming along on that line, so it's exciting."
Out of the Marlhill House Stud consignment, the colt was popular with buyers in the days leading up to his entering the Newmarket sales ring. A familiar takeaway was the similarities between father and son.
But the class this colt already possesses is also a credit to his dam Stars At Night. She has three winners from five foals who have started, including group 2 winner and group 1-placed Poker Face and grade 3-placed stakes winner Star Devine. It also doesn't hurt that Stars At Night is a daughter of Galileo, who was trained by Aidan O'Brien. Magnier said the colt will be headed to the legendary conditioner.
O'Brien also trains a full brother Hmas Perth, who broke his maiden Oct. 4
This colt is the third Justify yearling that Marlhill has sold this year, with two going for seven figures.
"We bought a mare here a couple of years ago here in foal to Justify," said Marlhill co-owner Eddie Irwin. "We had two (mares) out in America that we were going to as well. So this was our third. We were very lucky. They're very nice individuals. They've got great temperaments. Guys really love working with them at home, and it's been very fortunate for us, and we're delighted with them.
"We sent (mares) over to the States to go to Justify, and the one we had last year is a very nice horse, so he's invaluable, and he looks like he's good," Irwin said. "This guy is a more substantial individual, and we think a little bit better than last year's. And I know Aidan O'Brien has a good opinion of Hmas Perth—he likes him. So let's hope this boy is as good, if not better than him."
For the day, the Magnier-White Birch partnership purchased four lots for 6.65 million guineas.
Success In Numbers
One of the biggest spenders Wednesday among Americans was Klaravich Stables. Seth Klarman's operation was represented by Mike and Mary Ryan as well as trainer Chad Brown. Mike Ryan signed for five lots totaling 1.41 million guineas.
Their biggest-ticket purchase was Lot 270, a Modern Games colt out of the Golden Horn mare Surfseeker. Bought out of the Ballyvolane Stud consignment, the colt sold for 400,000 guineas. Ryan also signed for 300,000 guineas to secure a Modern Games filly (Lot 219) from the Newsells Park Stud consignment. The filly is the first foal out of the Muhaarar mare Rousay.
"We have a nice diverse group so far," Brown said. "We've certainly got outbid on some other ones that we liked, so it's a competitive market. Every year that we've been doing it, it seems to get just a touch harder every year. Nevertheless, we've come out with a lot of grade 1 winners, a lot of graded stake-winning horses. A lot of success out of here on a percentage basis. (This is) the sale we've probably been most successful at."
Additionally, Klaravich purchased Lot 203, a New Bay colt for 300,000 guineas; a Lope de Vega colt (Lot 226) for 220,000 guineas; and a Too Darn Hot filly (Lot 225) for 190,000 guineas.
Determined to Find Talent
Matt Dorman's Determined Stud added a pair of fillies to its two-day haul. First was a Kingman daughter, Lot 185, which was acquired for 525,000 guineas.
Dorman had said it was important to have a diversity of strong European bloodlines. But at the end of the day, getting a Kingman filly in the fold was the cherry on top of getting the hat trick of "the physical and the athlete and the family."
Less than two weeks ago, the filly's half brother Noble Exhibit won the Beresford Stakes (G2) at the Curragh, his second win in three starts.
"I look at it as if it's on the page, you know, and you know maybe some people don't pay attention, but the horses at this level, the people that are looking at them, they know about it, so I think it's an even playing field," Dorman said. "We would have liked that horse without the big update, but we'll take it."
Determined Stud's second purchase was Lot 289, a filly by Wootton Bassett that was bought in partnership with Linda Shanahan for 200,000 guineas. The filly is out of the Dansili mare The Fugue, who is a three-time champion older mare (twice in England and once in Ireland). The mare won six times and earned nearly £2 million.
"Her other foals weren't what people expected, but this, we think, is one of the best ones she's had, so we figured the marker would be down on her and we'd be up on her," Dorman said.
A Formula for Winning
Trainer Miguel Clement's stable grew by two Wednesday. He signed for Lot 239, a Lope de Vega filly out of the Ballylinch Stud consignment that had a price tag of 450,000 guineas.
He said the filly was purchased on behalf of yet-to-be-disclosed American owners for their breeding venture.
"They are long-term, amazing owner/breeders that have been very supportive of the stable for years, that are thrilled and over the moon to get this filly," Clement said.
The second purchase was for 190,000 guineas to secure the Mehmas colt consigned as Lot 256.
In both instances, Clement said there is a track record of both the sire and dam side of the family having success in the United States.
"It gives you more confidence to go for a successful sire line in the States. Especially if it's already been tried before and it succeeded. It's reassuring to know that that's not another gamble," Clement said. "Even if they're a successful stallion (in Europe), it's not always guaranteed that they quite pan out (in the U.S.). There are many top-class sires in Europe that don't quite work out in the States, and vice versa. So it's nice to see one that's already had success across the Atlantic."
Elsewhere...
Mike Repole's Repole Stable came away with three yearlings for a total of 855,000 guineas. Repole secured Lot 221, a colt by Lope de Vega for 375,000 guineas; a Blue Point filly consigned as Lot 280 for 260,000 guineas; and a Night of Thunder colt (Lot 299) for 220,000 guineas.
Phil Antonacci's Lindy Farm locked up Lot 238, a Frankel filly for 580,000 guineas, and BSW/Crow signed for Lot 178, a Kingman colt with a final price tag of 120,000 guineas, and Lot 172, a Lope de Vega colt for 290,000 guineas, as agent with Bakster Farm.
Keeping Score
In addition to the one Justify that sold Wednesday, eight No Nay Nevers were purchased for 2.01 million guineas.
The final day of Book 1 starts at 11 a.m. local time Oct. 8.
