June 6, 7, 8, 10, 15
A total of 341 yearlings have been catalogued for thisyear=s Copa Bullrich Sales. Originally scheduled for its
traditional May dates, it was postponed due to an EVA
outbreak in the area, and now will take place at San
Isidro June 6-8, 10 and 15. The TDN spoke with
Antonio Bullrich, the company=s director general, aheadof the upcoming auction.
When was the sale established?
The Copa Bullrich Sales were established in 2006.
The idea came about after a suggestion from Elaine
ALegs@ Lawlor. The Copa Bullrich follows the basis ofthe Goffs Millions Sale.
May was the month we set aside for the Copa
Bullrich, and all of theyearlings soldautomatically qualify
for the Copa Bullrichrace series. We havethree qualifying
races, split between
fillies and colts, andthe first four in each
Antonio Bullrich at Workgo through to thefinal in April. TheCopa Bullrich race series offers the richest two-year-old
race in South America.
Who are some of the better horses to have sold at thissale in the past?
We have been lucky enough to sell some great horses
over the last four years. The Group 1 winners listed
below are just some of the graduates of the Copa
Bullrich:
Anaerobio (Arg) (Catcher in the Rye {Ire})
City Thunder (Arg) (Thunder Gulch)
Evocado (Arg) (Southern Halo)
Interaction (Arg) (Easing Along)
Ishitaki (Arg) (Interprete {Arg})
Krysia (Arg) (Matty G)
Lingote de Oro (Arg) (Orpen)
Peristaltica (Arg) (Interprete {Arg})
Phone Time (Arg) (Gilded Time)
Sembra Fe (Arg) (Manipulator)

How has the sale changed/grown since it was started?
It has grown at a remarkable rate. We sold 126yearlings the first year. This figure had doubled by
2007, and last year we had over 600 catalogued,
forcing us to create separate Copa Bullrich sales within
the year. We have also had to add extra days to theCopa Bullrich May sale, which runs over five days inorder to accommodate all of the yearlings. There is adefinite increase in the number of international buyers,
from all parts of the world.
How many yearling sales are there in Argentina?
We have five yearling sales, the main one being theCopa Bullrich. The five also include two specific salesfor Haras Vacacion (held May 6 this year) and Haras La
Quebrada (set for Sept. 7).
South Africa and Dubai have had a lot of success with
Argentine horses. Has there been a concerted
marketing effort to attract buyers
from those regions?
I think this year we have madea more concerted effort to grab
the attention of buyers
worldwide, not specifically fromone country or one type of buyer.
The new markets such as India
and Turkey have come to thefore, and we will always retaininterest in Dubai and South
Africa, as the Argentine horses
have been successful there.
Do you run the sale in conjunction with any otherinternational auction companies, such as Tattersalls,
Keeneland or Fasig-Tipton?
We don't run anything in conjunction with any otherinternational auction companies. This year, however,
we did have Tom Thornbury, director of Keeneland
Sales, as the selector for the Copa Bullrich. Tom is a
respected man who holds a wealth of knowledge andexperience. It was fantastic to have him here in
Argentina.
How is the Argentine economy progressing incomparison to the international community, and whatsort of impact do you think it will have on this year'ssale?
In this current downfall, buyers are looking to enter
new markets, and I do think that there has been anotable increase in interest this year.
Argentina is still operating an affordable market. We
have top stallions standing here at a reduced stud fee,
therefore enabling buyers to enter the top of the market
far easier than many countries. Argentina also has oneof the most rewarding training costs to prize-money
ratios.

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Bullrich Q & A cont.

Bullrich Q & A cont.

The U.S. breeding industry has a huge commercialcomponent. The perception here of the Argentine
industry is that is centered on breeding to race, rather
than selling young stock. Is that accurate?
I think that's just a perception--we sell the youngstock. The top breeders here may retain some of their
young stock to keep a particular family=s line, but mostof the top stock will be sold at auction.
What is the average foal crop in Argentina, and whatpercentage is offered at public auction?
The foal crop has increased almost twofold in the lasteight or nine years. In 2008, there were 8,154 foals
born, with around 25 percent going to the sales.
The growth is due to the introduction of the slots in
2001, brought in by Palermo Racetrack. Palermo has
supported this industry so much over the last eightyears. There has been a significant increase inprizemoney, which has led to yearlings selling for more.
What sort of sales preparation do the yearlings gothrough?
The yearling preparations will start from February for
the May Sale. Breeders here usually allow around 12
weeks to prepare the horse. They are brought in fromthe fields, and by March they are walking in hand andbeing groomed.
Ponying then starts in April up until the time of sale.
The stud managers and the breeders make a huge effort
and take great pride in ensuring their yearlings are readyfor the sale and look in peak condition.
What are your expectations for this year's sale?
We, like every sales company, expect to progresseach year with a better quality of horse, increased
international interest and a more competitive market.
To add to that, interestin Argentine horses has
been phenomenal overthe last few years andcontinues to rise. The
commerciality of thestallions standing here
gives reason for this.
Within our sale this year
we have yearlings bysome great stallions: Distorted Humor, Tiznow,Southern Halo, Malibu Moon, Successful Appeal,
Orpen, Bluegrass Cat, King=s Best, Mutakddim, Not For
Sale (Arg) and Pure Prize, amongst many others.
The only thing that we can safely say at the moment
is that we have never had so many horses of thequality found in the two selected days of this year=s
Copa Bullrich. That will open the doors to the future.
For more information, visit www.abullrichsa.com.