American thoroughbred tycoon John Stewart has laid down the gauntlet to rival bidders on his commitment to buy Winx’s first foal, saying he is willing to pay over $9 million when it goes through the ring at Inglis Easter on Monday.

Stewart has been vocal about his determination to secure the prized Pierro filly in recent weeks and, in a message posted to Twitter/X on Friday, he said he cannot see his company Resolute Thoroughbreds being outbid for the yearling, even with the international attention on her.

“Will the Winx filly be the first horse that @rresoluteracing is out bid on? I don’t think so,” he said.

“Given the pedigree page and inspecting the filly in person twice, I can say without a doubt that at the end of the day it will take some deep pockets to keep this filly from joining our band.

“I am committed to do whatever it takes to buy this filly unless I get the impression I am being bid up, and in that case, someone could get stuck with paying a big number.

“People are calling her a collectors' item and I am a collector, so it is a natural fit … this filly represents everything that Resolute Racing stands for.”

Will the Winx filly be the first horse that @rresoluteracing is out bid on?….

I don’t think so.

Given the pedigree page and inspecting the filly in person twice, I can say without a doubt that at the end of the day it will take some deep pockets to keep this filly from…

— Jstewartrr (@jstewartrr) April 5, 2024

In a reply to a comment under the tweet, Stewart confirmed he would likely keep Winx’s progeny to race in Australia but didn’t rule out any globetrotting further down the line should the yearling live up to the immense hype surrounding her.

“I think this filly is very special to the Australian people and I understand that, and when I buy her, I plan on keeping her in Australia to race,” he said.

“It would be great to have her in America, and that may happen depending on what happens and how well it is received.”

He is willing to break the company’s purchase record in his pursuit of the filly, currently set at the AUD $9.1 million he paid for Breeders Cup winner Goodnight Olive.

“Regardless of what happens, it is going to be something people will be happy they were following,” he said.

Stewart is a part owner of Coolmore’s high-profile colt Storm Boy, and has been in Australia in recent weeks to watch his Golden Slipper (third) and Sires’ (fourth) runs.

https://www.racing.com/news/2024-04-07/news-sales-winx-filly-2-070424