At the 2017 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Widden Stud launched the career of exiting young stallion Zoustar and their draft featured two of his fillies that sold for $300,000 and $310,000, the first turned out to be the great champion Sunlight and the second was Madam Rouge, whose first foal fetched $1.7million for Widden on Friday when purchased by Jes Sikura/Hill 'n' Dale Farm/Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA)/Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
Madam Rouge was purchased as a yearling by Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock and developed into a top class mare winning multiple Group races and finishing second in the Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap to collect over $1.4million in prizemoney.
She was raced by a syndicate of Waller stable clients with Widden retaining an interest and when her racing days were done, Antony Thompson decided to buy the mare back for the farm when she was offered in the Widden draft at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
She was in foal to I Am Invincible and it took $2.4million to return Madam Rouge to the valley of champions and the foal she was carrying has now justified the bold gamble by Widden Stud and partners attracting the attention of US breeder Jes Sikura of Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm.
“We really didn’t have too much intention to get involved in anything when we came over here but I have to give complete credit to Will Johnson,” said Jes Sikura.
“He’s always at the top of his game, he finds the nicest horses in every sale and it wouldn’t have happened without him, especially without Gai and Adrian putting together such a good group.
“Being by I Am Invincible out of a Graded Stakes-winning mare by Zoustar, she really ticked all the boxes and we thought if there was some point to get involved she was the one to do it with.
“We’re beyond excited for the future to come.”
Will Johnson was delighted that a well laid plan came together.
“It’s great to have Jes in Australia and it’s great to have that international investment from downtown Kentucky,” he said,
“A massive thank you to John Sikura and his family. Exciting times ahead.
“Everything about her was special. She paraded herself beautifully all week, she’s got the size and strength of those good fillies.
“She’s in the mould of her mother, you think of a Sunlight or a Loving Gaby, she really fills the frame.
“John Sikura, Jes’s dad said, ‘if there’s something really special let me know’. I quickly texted Jes earlier in the week and said just look at (Lot) 900 and we’ll see what Gai thinks.
“Adrian and Gai have put together a great partnership with some of the stable clients to come in alongside Hill ‘N’ Dale and hopefully she can grace the turf of the Gold Coast over the next couple of seasons and hopefully go onto bigger things at G1 level.
“With that residual value she’s going to have beautiful progeny, so she’s the complete package.”
The filly was always hyped as being the big horse in the fourth session of the sale and did not disappoint.
“As Clint Donovan hushed the crowd before she sold, it almost heightened the sense of anticipation as to how much she might bring,” Johnson reflected.
“We were close to the limit. Massive congratulations to the breeders and the Thompson for presenting her so well.
“The JT over 2 is a very famous brand, it’s been on a lot of good horses, so hopefully she can run as fast as them and we can have a bit of fun down the track.”
Madam Rouge produced a colt last spring by Snitzel and is now back in foal to him.
I Am Invincible is the leading sire by aggregate with 29 yearlings selling for $19,550,000 at an average $674,138 and has had six yearlings sell for $1million or more.
