LEXINGTON, Ky. – John Stewart, who made his first Thoroughbred purchase last year, was among the top-spending buyers at the Keeneland September yearling sale. He has continued to buy through the fall, purchasing a number of yearlings and weanlings who will one day carry his colors. But while scouting young prospects in the draft, so to speak, Stewart, who will soon acquire a farm near Lexington, also wanted a race-ready prospect for the near future.
Stewart and bloodstock agent Gavin O’Connor went to $6 million on Tuesday to acquire Goodnight Olive as the co-sale topper at the Fasig-Tipton November sale.
“We bought a lot of yearlings, and so we wanted some horses that have potential to run,” Stewart said. “She fits the bill of that.”
Goodnight Olive, who repeated in last Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, was consigned as a racing or broodmare prospect by Elite Sales, as agent for the racing-focused group of First Row Partners and Team Hanley. Chad Brown has trained her throughout her career.
“I think we could have a lot of fun with her this year, and getting to know Chad through this next year,” Stewart said. “And hopefully have her defend her title at the Breeders’ Cup. I think there’s an opportunity for her to run at Del Mar and do that. Really excited about it.”
Goodnight Olive, a 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper, has won 9 of 12 starts to date, earning more than $2.1 million. In addition to the 2022 Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland and last Saturday’s renewal at Santa Anita, she won the Grade 1 Ballerina last year and the Grade 1 Madison this year.
“There’s no price to keeping that horse in this country; it’s one of the reasons I’m getting into the sport,” said Stewart, echoing the refrain of many who lament that top U.S. bloodlines are snapped up by international interests. The new owner was characteristically tough in his bidding to prevail against a number of underbidders.
“Once I decide I’m buying it, I’m buying it,” said Stewart, the founder and managing partner of MiddleGround Capital, a private-equity firm. “They can bid whatever they wanted, she was coming home with me.”
Stewart’s dogged bidding gave him 13 yearlings for gross receipts of $8,425,000 at this year’s Keeneland September sale, ranking fifth among buyers by gross. He was again among the leading buyers at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale.
On Tuesday night, Stewart made seven purchases for a total of $13,350,000, with Goodnight Olive joined by a pair of weanlings and four broodmares in foal. Those included a pair of $3 million mares – Queen Caroline, dam of champion Forte and in foal to Horse of the Year Flightline, and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca, in foal to leading sire Into Mischief.
Stewart intends to retain those foals, focusing on building a breed-to-race program. His center of operations will be an 800-acre former Shadwell property in Midway, Ky., which he is under contract on. The farm has 142 stalls, and he is still working on filling them.
“We’re just getting started,” Stewart said.
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