Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Gandharvi LLC’s Illustrated (Justify) was led out unsold when bidding stalled out at $290,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.
The blaze-faced bay made the decision to retain him look that much better when selling for $1.1 million at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat despite jumping the shadows of the sixteenth pole and of floodlights around the area of the finish line.
His GI Spinaway Stakes-winning dam Appealing Zophie (Successful Appeal) was purchased by My Meadowview for $1.1 million at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and went on to produce GI Belmont Stakes hero and young stallion Tapwrit (Tapit), MGSW & GISP Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg})–who carried the silks of Len Riggio’s operation–and Stakes Winner & ‘TDN Rising Star’ Inject (Frosted).
Carrying a full-sister to Tapwrit, Appealing Zophie was hammered down to Barronstown Stud for $1.2 million at FTKNOV in 2018.
Having amassed a worktab dotted with bullet drills, Illustrated was the 5-2 favorite from gate 10 on Saturday in the Maiden over seven furlongs on the Gulfstream Park dirt.
The Todd Pletcher-trained horse had the services of Luis Saez.
He was opposed by LNJ Foxwoods’ Scotland (Good Magic), a daughter of Grade III winner and Grade I-placed Gemswick Park (Speightstown), who was acquired for $675,000 on behalf of the Roth family at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. The chestnut gelding also had a series of strong works under his belt, including five furlongs from the gate at Payson Park in 1:01 2/5 (1/9) Feb. 17.
Scotland won the race in good style, but Illustrated, after being prominent early, was done by half-way and faded to be beaten a distance.
There are shades of The Green Monkey in the result, although Coolmore were the beneficiaries this time instead of the victims, and it is also too early to tell whether Illustrated will be an outright failure.
The Green Monkey became a global fascination at the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Calder Select 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale when a drawn-out bidding war between Demi O’Byrne of the Coolmore partnership and John Ferguson of the Darley operation ended with O’Byrne signing the historic ticket.
The Green Monkey had drawn the attention of the global powerhouses after breezing an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5 seconds during the under-tack show at Calder Race Course.
The US$16-million price tag remains the world record for a Thoroughbred at public auction.
It was the coup of a lifetime for Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, who had bought the colt for $425,000 at the previous year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Select Yearling Sale. The Green Monkey was bred in Florida by Padua Stables, out of the winning Unbridled mare Magical Masquerade.
The Green Monkey, who was ironically also trained by Todd Pletcher, had three starts for a third and two fourths. He retired with on-track earnings of $10,440.
Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds bought a half-interest in the horse upon his retirement, and stood him at its stallion operation, beginning in 2009. Per their agreement with Coolmore, The Green Monkey could have been moved to Ashford Stud if his foals excelled on the track.
The Green Monkey bred 40 mares in his initial book, but he never covered more than 12 in any season following his debut.
His biggest success at stud was Monkey Business, winner of the 2015 filly Triple Crown in Panama. Domestically, The Green Monkey’s top runners were stakes winners Kinz Funky Monkey and Green Doctor.
