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Sheikh Mohammed gains four stellar American mares

With a determination to build up Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s American breeding program, bloodstock advisor John Ferguson bought four Grade 1-winning fillies and mares Sunday at the Fasig-Tipton November mixed selected sale.

The quartet represents the very highest end of the market as the first, second, fourth and fifth most expensive offerings in the sale.

Leading the way was 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Gr.1) winner Round Pond, a five-year-old daughter of Awesome Again out of the Trempolino mare Gift of Dance, who is a half sister to Grade/Group 1 winners Pennekamp, Nasr el Arab and Black Minnaloushe. The winner of seven of 13 career starts with earnings of US$1,998,700, Round Pond also triumphed in the 2005 Acorn Stakes (Gr.1).

“We’re delighted to have her,” Ferguson said. “In past years, maybe we were concentrating more on mares that performed on the turf. But now, Darley America is a very important part of our future. Sheikh Mohammed feels very strongly that we should support our American breeding operation.”

Ferguson also bought two-time Grade 1 winner Octave, a three-year-old daughter of Unbridled’s Song who finished an onrushing third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Monmouth Park on October 27.

“It’s a real possibility she will remain in training,” Ferguson said of Octave, who had been campaigned by Starlight Stable and Donald Lucarelli. “She ran so well in the Breeders’ Cup, and Sheikh Mohammed was watching and commented on it. She was naturally a filly of great interest to us.”

Octave has won four of 13 starts and placed in all her other races while earning $1,660,934 under the supervision of trainer Todd Pletcher.

Ferguson also signed tickets for Indy Five Hundred, a Grade 1 winner on the turf by A.P. Indy who is in foal to Kingmambo, and Asi Siempre, a five-year-old daughter of El Prado who won stakes on turf and synthetic surfaces, including the 2006 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (Gr.1) over Keeneland’s Polytrack.