Breeding & Racing Magazine

Keeneland Jan Day-1: US$950k Island Fashion

Naohiro Hosoda from Japan's Shadai Corporation (acting for Northern Farm owner Katsumi Yoshida) paid US$950,000 for US Gr1-winning 9YO mare Island Fashion (Petionville-A Native Danzig, by Danzig) sold in-foal to 2004 Horse-Of-The-Year Ghostzapper & consigned by Pope McLean's Crestwood Farm as part of a reduction of Jeff Nielsen's Everest Stables. Hosoda told bloodhorse.com: "She was a good race mare, she's still young & she's carrying a Ghostzapper. If she was going to bring not so much money, we were going to try for her. I made a phone call to Mr Yoshida & he said Go. We expected (a price) around US$1 million." On the track, Island Fashion earned US$2,037,970 with victories including the 2003 Gr1 Alabama Stakes, 2003 Gr1 La Brea Stakes, 2004 Gr1 Santa Monica Handicap, 2004 Gr2 Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup Handicap, 2003 Gr3 Delaware Oaks & 2003 WinStar/Sunland Park Oaks. McLean commented: "We're satisfied, but not elated. In today's market, that's probably a fair price. She's an extremely nice mare & I think they made a good buy. They'll come out on her. She's a good investment."