Canadian Bound
Canadian Bound was the first Thoroughbred yearling racehorse ever to be sold for more than 1 million USD. He was part of the first crop of foals born to Secretariat. He proved to be of little use as a racehorse, achieving a single second-place finish in three starts in France and running unplaced in his only race in the United States.
Background
Canadian Bound was bred by Texas oilman Nelson Bunker Hunt. His dam was Charming Alibi, who was also the dam of Hunt's great Hall of Fame filly, Dahlia.There was a lot of enthusiasm regarding the unnamed colt when he was sent to the 1976 Keeneland July sale and the opening bid of $716,000 broke the previous record set a year prior. The bidding for the yearling broke the $1 million barrier for the first time, and he ended up being sold for $1.5 million to Canadians Ted Burnett and Hill 'n' Dale Farms' John Sikura, Jr. He was sent to race in France with trainer Maurice Zilber.