Champion mare Arcadia Queen will go under the hammer as an elite breeding prospect at this month’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast.
The triple Group One winner will be offered by Holbrook Thoroughbreds as agent for her breeders and owners Bob and Sandra Peters.
The daughter of Pierro, rated the Champion Female Sprinter in Australia last season, won eight of her 16 starts and earned almost $4 million during an incredible career.
The decision to sell Arcadia Queen was “very tough” according to Bob Peters.
“Not much of her family has ever gone to auction and I’m not very popular with much of my family for the decision to sell her.”
Peters said the triple Group One winner was right up there with the best he’s raced.
“There’s only one other horse I compare her to and that is Old Comrade who won four Group Ones before a tendon injury.”
“It’s hard to say, but I think she’s better than him and that’s something and he was pretty good.”
“She was a world class racehorse with huge ratings and really could have been anything.”
Arcadia Queen burst onto the scene as a three-year-old and won four of her first five starts before a stunning four and a half length win in the Group One Magic Millions Kingston Town Classic.
“That was probably her best run,” Peters noted. “What she did as a three-year-old filly against the older horses, that just doesn’t happen – and it’s the way she did it.”
After her breathtaking Kingston Town Classic win as a three-year-old, Arcadia Queen trained on to win a Caulfield Stakes and Mackinnon Stakes against the best.
“Her record is outstanding and she didn’t have a lot of luck in a few others races including the Cox Plate and Golden Eagle.”
“She’s a big, strong mare and is probably the strongest in the family. Pierro goes really well with Redoute’s Choice and this family in particular.”
“Going forward I have got a yearling full sister on the ground and there’s three other full sisters (to dam Antique) going to Pierro this year and others in foal – there’s a lot of the blood to come for the family.”
Arcadia Queen is a full sister to group winner Arcadia Prince, sister in blood to Group One winner Regal Power and half sister to Derby winning filly Arcadia Dream and stakes winner Arcadia Rose.
Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said Arcadia Queen’s addition to the supplementary catalogue for the National Broodmare Sale was significant for the industry.
“We are incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to present Arcadia Queen on behalf of Bob and Sandra Peters at the Gold Coast,” Bowditch said.
“Arcadia Queen performed at the highest level across her career and was easily one of the best of her generation anywhere.”
“She would be an absolute standout for any broodmare band in the world,” Bowditch added.
Arcadia Queen joins a star studded supplementary catalogue for the 2021 National Broodmare Sale which is being finalised and will be released soon.
She will be offered late on Day One of the sale, comprising racefillies and maiden mares, on May 25.