Ciaran Dunne | Horse Racing Free Tips

Racetrack Success Leads Back to Timonium as Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale Opens Monday

TIMONIUM, MD – The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, whose graduates have been hitting on all cylinders on the racetrack recently, begins Monday morning at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. A total of 603 juveniles have been catalogue for the two-day auction and bidding begins at 11 a.m sessions Monday and Tuesday.

“There has been a lot of interest and we have the right people here–either they have been here or their agents have been here to watch the horses breeze,” Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said at the sales barns Sunday morning. “So we are cautiously optimistic.”

In addition to GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic), who sold for $290,000 in Timonium last May, the Midlantic auction was represented by a pair of graded stakes winners at Pimlico this past weekend, with Straight No Chaser (Speightster) winning the GIII Maryland Sprint S. and Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) taking the GIII Miss Preakness S. Another 2022 graduate of the sale, multiple graded-stakes winner Faiza (Girvin) was third in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S.

“It just tells you, you can get any kind of horse out of this sale,” Bennett said of the auction's impressive roster of graduates. “It's just huge. It's so rewarding to have this sale finally get the attention that it deserves.”

The Midlantic sale has become the only major 2-year-old auction to conduct its under-tack show over a dirt track, which could be an added attraction to buyers, according to Bennett.

“They want to see them on dirt and then they can figure out how that relates to where they go next,” she said. “From start to finish, they see them on the surface that they are going to run on.”

A common refrain from consignors Sunday, however, was a question mark about how buyers would react to the times of the works from last week's three-day under-tack show.

“My main worry is what the buyers are taking away from the breeze show because it wasn't the usual 2-year-old breeze show where the track is fast,” said consignor Cary Frommer. “It was just a normal track. And those were good times on a normal track. I am afraid the buyers aren't going to make the correlation. But the smart ones will.

She continued, “The first day there was certainly more moisture in the track, it was a little bit sticky. The second day there was a great tailwind and the third day there was a headwind. That's mother nature. If you take those things into consideration, you're fine. But if you're strictly a numbers person, you are going to miss some really good horses.”

Carlos Manresa of Sequel Bloodstock agreed buyers should take conditions from day to day of the under-tack show into consideration.

“They did a very good job maintaining the track,” Manresa said. “I think the weather conditions were very inconsistent. But I think the buyers have a good read on those kinds of things. I think they are very aware of what day horses were breezing and what time they were breezing. If you went on the second day, they look at those numbers a little bit differently than they do on the first day and third day horses.”

Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables sent out 17 horses to work over the track in Timonium last week. Without the super-fast works that have become common at the juvenile sales, Dunne hopes buyers will spread their interest out over a wider swath of horses.

“The racetrack wasn't like any of us had expected in terms of how fast it was,” Dunne said. “But the fact that everyone went the same, I think it's making the buyers work harder. And maybe that will spread them out more.”

Sequel Bloodstock had a notable 2022 Midlantic consignment, which featured the $3.55-million sale topper Hejazi (Bernardini), as well as Derby winner Mage. The operation returns with 11 juveniles this year.

Manresa is expecting a strong top market this week in Maryland, while hoping for a broader middle market.

“I've seen significant buyers here who are wanting to spend a lot of money,” Manresa said. “I think the top end, as usual, will be very strong. The middle market, we will have to wait and see if something develops there. That's always been the more difficult area to sell horses and I don't think this sale is going to be any different.”

The Midlantic sale's setting at the confluence of a number of different tracks–from Maryland to Pennsylvania and New York–makes it easily accessible to regional buyers and could help boost that middle market.

“I think we get a lot of New York trainers turning out for this sale,” Manresa said. “There are a lot of people who come to our consignment specifically looking for New York-breds, which is helpful for us. So I think regional-breds tend to do very well here at this sale.”

With six Maryland-breds and a handful of New York-breds, Frommer is also looking to take advantage of the regional market.

“I know Maryland is in a little bit of turmoil right now and I have a lot of Maryland-breds–and some really nice Maryland-breds, so it remains to be seen [how strong the regional market will be],” Frommer said. “There is always a nice string of people from New York coming down this way. And that's always good. But we will see. I am hoping it will be strong.”

Jorge Villagomez's JVC Training and Sales, which debuted its consignment in Timonium in 2018, returns with a seven-horse consignment this year.

Villagomez was finding activity brisk at the sales barns Sunday morning.

“It's been steady,” he said. “We've been busy all morning. All the big buyers are here and the good horses are showing. We have seven horses and we've been busy with all of them.”

Of his under-tack show results, Villagomez said, “They all performed well. And the good ones showed up. The ones that were fast on the farm, went fast here.”

Villagomez, who preps horses for Gary and Mary West at his Ocala base, worked with Eisaman Equine for 15 years before going out on his own six years ago.

“It was our first consignment here in 2018,” Villagomez said. “We came in with three horses and we sold all three of them. We have been coming every year since.”

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London Calling Weaver Pair

When the market determines the value of something, they call it “the going rate.” In the case of George Weaver's two juvenile winners at Gulfstream last Saturday, however, a recent pricing had meant that neither was going anywhere. No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) was staying in the same ownership; and Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) was staying in the same barn. And now both, from going nowhere, are on their way to Royal Ascot next month.

No Nay Mets, in particular, has had an extraordinary month. On Apr. 17, he posted the fastest two-furlong work at the OBS Spring Sale, blitzing :20 4/5 for Ciaran Dunne. It looked very much as though a pinhooking experiment for Houston Astros third-baseman Alex Bregman, looking to finance his nascent program with a few colt sales, was going to prove a rewarding experience. The Bregman family, through agent Mike Akers, had exported this one for €180,000 from Arqana last August, as the first foal of Group-winning juvenile Etoile (War Front), herself out of a Classic-placed sibling to G1 Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire). In the event, however, bidding in Ocala stalled at $335,000. Dunne called Weaver and asked whether he could turn the horse round in time for the Royal Palm Juvenile S., a Royal Ascot qualifier carrying a $25,000 travel bursary.

Crimson Advocate | Ryan Thompson

Wavertree Stables had also overseen the education of Crimson Advocate, after her acquisition by a pinhooking partnership for $100,000 at the OBS October Yearling Sale. Weaver was asked to put her in the shop window on the racetrack, and she duly shaped with abundant promise when a green third in a dirt sprint at the Keeneland spring meet. At the price they were asking, however, Weaver put together a syndicate of his own patrons-for whom she then switched to turf, for the fillies' equivalent stake at Gulfstream.

Both horses broke fast and never looked back. Wesley Ward had the odds-on favorite in each race, and now Weaver is hoping to emulate his colleague's pathfinding success at Ascot.

“Ciaran called after the colt didn't make his reserve and asked if I thought I could get him ready for the stake,” Weaver recalls. “I quickly glanced at the calendar and saw I had about 15 days to get it done, but I said yes. It wasn't going to be a matter of physical fitness. Those 2-year-olds at the sales, they work the quarter in 20-and-change and gallop out strong. It was mostly just a matter of getting him educated at the gate.

“And he adapted very well. Every horse has their own personality and make-up, and he's just very classy and smart and willing. Every time we asked him to do something, he did it. The gate can be a little stressful for a lot of racehorses and many of them wouldn't handle an accelerated program. But I took him five or six times, and he never batted an eye.”

That reflects well both on this particular colt but also on Dunne, who like all 2-year-old consignors must strike that difficult balance between satisfying the market's addiction to a “bullet” and keeping a horse confident and progressive.

“But Ciaran's just an all-round horseman,” Weaver says. “He could train at the track if he wanted to. He's one of many that do a great job over there. I'm sure some people perhaps don't pay as much attention to the horse's mental wellbeing, and do the crazier stuff, but Ciaran's horses are well educated and ready to go on when he's done with them.”

Crimson Advocate has been in the barn rather longer, since around March 20. She was part of a package assembled with an eye on precocity and private resale, with the Horses of Racing Age Sale in July as safety barrier.

“She trained like she had some early speed and kind of shocked me at Keeneland, where I really expected her to be up on the pace,” Weaver says. “But in a 12-horse field, going four and half furlongs, she just got a bit scared and backed off the bridle for a moment. A couple of offers came in, and from my standpoint I thought, 'Hell, at that price I'd like to buy her for my own people.'

“I hadn't really seen the bottom of her in the morning, and hadn't breezed her on turf, so there was some guessing involved. But she'd shown me enough that, if they were going to sell, I'd rather keep her in the barn than not. It was a good deal for both sides. Luckily, these guys stepped up and got paid back pretty quickly.”

Weaver has made one previous foray to Ascot, sophomore sprinter Cyclogenesis (Stormy Atlantic) finishing down the field in 2015. While that horse proved not to be the right fit, the experience certainly left his trainer eager to try again.

“He was undefeated at the time,” Weaver reflects. “But just looking back-and hindsight's always 20-20-he was a big, heavy horse that was hard to keep fit. He needed company to breeze, and not really sound enough to take the kind of training he needed anyway. But I did think, 'Man, wouldn't it be cool to come back over here with something that had a good chance!' We went to Dubai early in my career, when I won the [G1] Golden Shaheen [with Saratoga County (Valid Expectations)] in 2005, and obviously had fun on that trip. But I'd never been to England and, while I'd heard about Ascot, there's just no way to explain it unless you can be there and take in the pageantry, the whole experience.”

Ward's best Ascot raiders have tended to leave the home defense standing at the gate, which obviously augurs well for the dash shown by Weaver's pair at Gulfstream. But he is under no illusions that any single dimension will suffice on its own.

George Weaver | Ryan Thompson

“They do have a great first gear and that gives them a little bit of an advantage, particularly with the 2-year-olds,” Weaver acknowledges. “But look, you need to bring a good horse there, whether they're quick out of the gate or not. A lot will also depend on the conditions, but we're hoping they get a fair chance to show what they can do because I think they've both earned a shot.”

The whole enterprise promises to be a stimulating new chapter for the respective owners-whether for Bregman, whose Turf adventure began only a year ago, or for the Crimson Adventure partnership, which features several barn stalwarts.

Some of those, in fact, are also involved in Pass The Champagne (Flatter), who finally nailed her graded stakes in the GII Ruffian S. two years after running Malathaat (Curlin) to a head in the GI Ashland S.

“She really deserved that,” Weaver says. “I'm ashamed it's taken me this long to get her to win one of those races, but after the [GI Kentucky] Oaks she needed time and then she only got back for one race last year before going back to the shelf. Now she's finally been able to put some races together in a row, and learned how to use her acceleration at the right time. I think that's the key. She's got a burst of speed that has to be timed correctly. But she's always been a really talented filly and we'll put her in a position to win some big races this year.”

The obvious next assignment is a return to Belmont for the GI Ogden Phipps S. With luck, perhaps, Pass The Champagne can take up the baton of Vekoma, who has naturally been greatly missed since his departure for Spendthrift. For now, however, it remains too early to know whether these Ascot raiders can build sufficiently on their promising foundations to help fill the void left by the GI Carter H. and GI Met Mile winner.

“At the very least, they're going to be nice 2-year-olds,” Weaver says. “Whether they go on, after five-eighths of a mile, we'll have to see. Not many horses that are so speedy and precocious do you see running a mile and a quarter the next year. But every horse is different. More Than Ready won at Keeneland as a 2-year-old and went on to a very prolific career.”

That was a horse Weaver saw develop at close quarters during six years as assistant to Todd Pletcher. Both men, of course, had previously been with D. Wayne Lukas. That Hall of Fame grounding means that Weaver was always going to feel comfortable with the kind of opportunity he seized, among 929 winners since 2002, with Vekoma.

“It does help to have that experience,” he accepts. “Being in Wayne's barn, initially, and then with Todd was certainly a blueprint. You recognize those horses when you get them, and know what to do. I'm forever grateful for the education I had, from [walking hots for] John Hennig right through to when I went out on my own.”

Like so many other graduates of the Lukas academy, Weaver has exulted in the rejuvenation of the old master at 87.

“I pull for him every time he runs that good mare,” he says of Secret Oath (Arrogate). “Wayne was a great coach and role model and obviously a lot of great trainers worked underneath him. I look back on those days fondly and I'm amazed and so proud that he's still doing it like he always has.”

The elixir, plainly, never loses its hold. So Vekoma has gone? You just go out and seek another one.

“You want horses in your barn that take you to those great races,” Weaver says. “As a trainer, when you get your hands on an elite racehorse, it's a whole different feel you get. They start to amaze you. It almost feels like it doesn't matter what you do: breeze once or twice, half-mile or mile. That's the type of horse Vekoma was. He was so determined, I'm not sure I know a horse that would beat him around one turn as a 4-year-old, when he was right.”

Yet there are times when even this all-consuming obsession is placed in chastening perspective; when even training a Vekoma is no more than getting one quadruped to run a circle faster than another. Last summer at Saratoga, a meet full of great memories for the couple, Weaver's wife and assistant Cindy suffered a serious brain injury in a training accident. Her ongoing rehabilitation has demanded immense fortitude and patience. There have been times when everything else has seemed trivial; but there have been times, too, when the horses have offered not just distraction but purpose.

“Initially, when she was unconscious-for a little over three weeks-it was hard to get through [the meet],” Weaver admits. “But at the same time I needed to focus on keeping the business going, keeping the pace going. And she moved on from there, she emerged, and she's slowly but surely getting better and better as time goes by. She's put a lot of work into it and, yes, the whole experience has put a lot of perspective on everything. You just can't help but be a changed person, both of us.

“We're sad that she can't go out to the barn and do what she's always done, which is love those horses and teach them their job and make them happy. She's just a terrific horse person. Luckily, a lot of her inspiration and lessons had rubbed off, on me and all our staff, and we try to carry that on while she's not there. And we always hope for the best. You never know what's going to happen in life, so you try to take whatever silver lining you can.”

And those consolations can abide, whether you win a maiden claimer or, indeed, find a couple of horses for Royal Ascot.

“I don't know,” Weaver says. “It's so hard to get to that winner's circle, sometimes it feels like at any level. And I think that that's part of the satisfaction. Because, man, you know how much goes into it, how much can go wrong. In that moment, watching your horse, there's just such majesty in the way they go out there and do what they know to do. It's something really rare to be a part of. Obviously I made a life out of that, and I can't imagine doing anything else.”

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Into Mischief Colt Brings $1.3M at OBS Friday

A colt by Into Mischief became the third seven-figure juvenile of the week when selling for $1.3 million early in Friday's final session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo signed for the colt, who was consigned by Wavertree Stables, on behalf of a new partnership of owners led by Miami music mogul Rich Mendez.

Hip 967 is out of Singing Kitty (Minister WIld Cat) and worked a furlong last week in a co-fastest :9 3/5. He was purchased by Paul Reddam and Ciaran Dunne's Red Wing Enterprises pinhooking partnership for $300,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

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Zedan Continues Buying Spree as OBS Spring Sale Marches On

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis

OCALA, FL-The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training reached its halfway mark Wednesday with a familiar name at the top of the sheets as Amr Zedan paid a session-topping $900,000 for a son of Frosted as figures kept largely on par with the auction's record-setting 2022 renewal.

Through two sessions of the four-day auction, 351 juveniles have sold for $45,886,000. The average is down 6.3% from the end-of-day figure from a year ago and the median is down 6.7% to $70,000. The buy-back rate was 18.9%. It was 19.5% at the same point a year ago.

When post-sale transactions are included in the 2022 figures, the median is unchanged at $70,000 and average is almost identical at $131,826.

The Spring sale a year ago had a million-dollar juvenile on each of the auction's four days and the absence of a break-out horse left Wednesday's session feeling a little threadbare.

“We had some fireworks yesterday and maybe there was a disappointment that we didn't have similar fireworks today, but you can't pick how the catalogue goes,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “But I thought it was steady all day. I thought we got a lot of horses traded and I though the action was steady.”

With a pair of $700,000 juveniles leading the way, Wavertree Stables was the session's leading consignor, selling eight lots for $2.4 million.

“It doesn't feel like the easiest market,” Wavertree's Ciaran Dunne said. “We sold two really nice horses really well. It's been sticky in spots, but we are really happy with what we've sold and a little disappointed in what we didn't get done.”

Making two purchases on behalf of Repole Stable, West Bloodstock was the session's leading buyer.

The OBS Spring Sale continues through Friday. Bidding begins each day at 10:30 a.m.

Frosted Colt Another for Zedan

A day after going to a session-topping $1.45 million for a son of Arrogate, trainer Bob Baffert and bloodstock agent Donato Lanni were back in action for Amr Zedan Wednesday at OBS, going to $900,000 to acquire a colt by Frosted (hip 449) from Longoria Training & Sales. The juvenile worked a furlong last week in :9 3/5.

“He was ridiculously fast,” Baffert said of the colt. “He worked beautifully and came out of it well. That's half the battle.”

The colt is out of Handwoven (Indian Charlie), a full-sister to multiple stakes-placed Auspicious.

“This was one of the best horses in the sale, I thought,” Lanni said. “He deserved to bring that kind of money.”

Of the juvenile's sire Frosted, Lanni added, “I believe in the sire. He's still very young and he doesn't have that many crops out there.”

Jesse Longoria and Paul Neatherlin | Jessica Martini

The colt was consigned by Jesse Longoria, who partnered with Paul Neatherlin, the vice president of sales for the Texas-based Platinum Pipe Rentals, to acquire him for $50,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Asked about the colt's appeal last fall, Longoria said, “The first thing I want to say, because I've been very blessed, I want to thank my Lord and Savior. It's because of him that I am able to do this.”

He continued, “When we saw that horse, I just knew I had to have him. And he has been nothing but a blessing. He was kind of late in the sale. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. And here we are. He's been so easy to train. Everything he did was effortless.”

Longoria said he had spent the spring trying to slow the colt down, so he didn't know what to expect of his work last week.

“We've never been able to turn him loose at home,” Longoria said. “He was always so fast, I was afraid he would get hurt. He was too fast for what he was fit for. So I always had to be really easy with him because he would give you too much.”

Of the $900,000 price tag, Longoria said, “We knew it was going to be good, but we didn't know how good. I am tickled to death by that result.”

Longoria and Neatherlin have been friends for three decades, but this is the first year they have partnered up on pinhooking prospects. The partners, all smiles in the back walking ring Wednesday, readily agreed it wouldn't be their last partnership. “He's been great to work with,” Longoria said of Neatherlin. @JessMartiniTDN

Justify Colt Sparkles at OBS Spring

Well into Wednesday's second session, a colt by Horse of the Year Justify realized a $750,000 final bid from Mick Wallace, bidding via phone on behalf of Kuldeep Singh Rajput's Gandharvi Racing Stables. Stationed in the back ring, Ben McElroy handled the bidding duties. Consigned by Paul Sharp, Hip 510 breezed an eighth in :10 flat last Tuesday.

“We had appraised him right before the sale and that was right on the money,” said Sharp. “We came in here with quiet confidence. He was a horse on the farm that we really liked. And until you go through the battle, you never know. But we really expected him to do well.”

Paul Sharp | Photos by Z

Outlining several of the May 8 foal's main attributes, Sharp explained, “He's just a really well put together horse. The appeal obviously was his sire. I have quite a few [by Justify] at the farm, and they all train great, so that was the key. In addition to the fact that he worked really well. It was a really spectacular work and the gallop out was one of the best that we have seen.”

“He is no nonsense, just a good horse and people recognize that.”

The bay is out of Iadorakid (Lemon Drop Kid), a half-sister to Canadian champion turf horse El Tormenta (Stormy Atlantic) and graded stakes winner Zero Tolerance (Mizzen Mast). The colt was bred by Idaho native Jason Hall in partnership with BCS Thoroughbreds.

Wallace, formerly Chief Operating Officer with China Horse Club, is very well acquainted with the Ashford Stud stallion, who swept the 2018 American Triple Crown while remaining undefeated. Trained by Bob Baffert, Justify was campaigned by a partnership including China Horse Club.

“He took the eye, physically,” said Wallace of the colt. “Back on the shank, everything appealed to us. Obviously, we had some familiarity with Justify. He was a colt we were keen to acquire. We had to pay a little bit for him, but that's the way things go.”

Confirming where the colt would go next, he added, “He's going to stay in the States. He'll go out to California to Bob Baffert and we'll take our chances out there.”–@CBossTDN

A Homerun for Hall

The reward in the ring of the Justify colt (Hip 510) on Wednesday also provided a broader success for his co-breeder Jason Hall, who has connections with several key members of the immediate female family.

Hall first tasted success with the family when purchasing Iadorakid's dam, Torreadora (El Prado {Ire}), for $8,200 out of the Sam-Son Farm consignment at the Keeneland January sale in 2017. For her breeder, the bargain mare went on to produce El Tormenta, who most notably won the 2019 renewal of the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile en route to a year-end championship. Hall was not left out in the cold, however, since Torreadora would go on to drop a filly by Mizzen Mast in 2018. Campaigned by Hall in partnership, Zero Tolerance would become the longtime breeder's first graded stakes winner as an owner. According to Hall, that grey mare is in foal to Justify.

“We sold Torreadora after [El Tormenta] won the Grade I in Canada, but we still have Zero Tolerance,” confirmed Hall.

Jason and Silvia Hall | Courtesy Jason Hall

Iadorakid herself was a $130,000 KEENOV purchase in 2019 carrying a colt by Creative Cause, subsequently named Welton. The 3-year-old broke his maiden first time out at Golden Gate in March for trainer Jonathan Wong and Hall in partnership with Custom Truck Accessories and MJVET Stables, and is set to return in a second-level allowance at Golden Gate shortly. RNAing for $80,000 at Keeneland November last fall, Iadorakid is back in foal to Midnight Lute.

Asked about co-breeder BCS Thorougbred with whom he partnered to sell Wednesday's second-highest priced colt, Hall explained, “Scott Carbone is a longtime friend and partner from Louisiana. He was one of my original clients back in the day. We've partnered with several horses over the years.”

He continued, “Our total operation is at over 90 horses right now and I have partners on every single one. It allows me to diversify and to spread out over 90 rather than own only 20.”

Over the past two days of selling, Hall was also represented in the breeding lines by Hip 239, a colt by Jimmy Creed, who sold for $240,000 and Hip 470, a colt by Munnings who brought $170,000. Bred in partnership, Hall also offers Hip 776, a colt by Tapwrit, who sells Thursday. All of the members of Hall's other offerings at this year's OBS Spring sale are consigned by Marcial Galan.–@CBossTDN

Omaha Beach Filly to Join Cox Barn

A filly by Omaha Beach (hip 532), who worked a furlong in :9 4/5 during last week's under-tack preview, will be joining the barn of trainer Brad Cox after selling for $700,000 to bloodstock agent Clay Scherer, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client, Wednesday in Ocala.

“She had a great work,” Scherer said of the filly. “It was really fast, she leveled off, changed leads. She did everything you like to see.”

Clay Scherer | Photos by Z

The bay filly is out of Intelyhente (Smart Strike)–a full-sister to graded winner Bel Air Beauty–and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Count Alexander (Scat Daddy).

The filly was consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables and was purchased for $200,000 at Keeneland September last year for the Red Wings Enterprises pinhooking partnership of Dunne and Paul Reddam.

Red Wings had pinhooking success at the beginning of Wednesday's session, selling a colt by Bolt d'Oro (hip 320) for $700,000 to Kerri Radcliffe, as agent for Lady Sheila Stable and Partners. That gray had been purchased for $210,000 at Keeneland last fall.

“They were two really nice horses who worked really well,” said Dunne. “They were well-received at the barn and I think they sold well.”

Freshman sire Omaha Beach was represented by a host of speedy juveniles over the OBS track last week and they began delivering in the sales ring Wednesday. In addition to hip 532, the sire had a colt (hip 466) who worked in :9 4/5 who sold for $650,000 to Spendthrift Farm and Nice Guys Stables from the Mayberry Farm consignment.

“The Omaha Beaches are incredibly athletic,” Scherer said. “They do everything the right way. He's a good son of War Front and he comes from a huge family. He's a horse who won the GI Arkansas Derby and another Grade I at seven furlongs. I think, like every other son of War Front, he's going to get you a good horse.” @JessMartiniTDN

Colt Proves Lucky for Arellano, Cortez

Javier Arellano, who has been pinhooking for just three years and admits he buys only three or four yearlings a year while working on budget, hit a home run in the OBS sales ring Wednesday, selling a colt by Lookin At Lucky (hip 570) for $700,000 to Jacob West, bidding on behalf of Repole Stable. Arellano and Alex Cortez purchased the bay for $50,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

“Dr. Gustavo Vautier helped me to look at horses,” Arellano, still basking in the glow of the sales success, said. “I liked the colt, I liked the pedigree. Lookin At Lucky is a nice stallion who was doing really well in Chile and I am from Chile. I liked him physically and I was looking at how I thought he would develop in a couple of years. I was looking to see if he would develop into what he looks like right now.”

Javier Arellano | Photos by Z

The bay colt is out of stakes-winner Joffe's Run (Giant's Causeway) and worked a furlong last week in :10 flat.

“We are extremely happy to sell him for that much,” Arellano said. “We were expecting a good result, but not this much, to be honest with you. So we are extremely blessed.”

Arellano was first exposed to racing in his native Chile. Now an insurance inspector in South Florida, he has been involved in racing for just a few years.

“I started racing some and pinhooking seriously two or three years ago,” Arellano said. “And I've been blessed with some good horses, but this is my biggest score so far. It feels great. I can't put it into words. I am just extremely happy.”

He continued, “Alex Cortez is the consignor and my partner on the horse. He does really well. He's a horseman. We are a small operation. I normally try to pinhook three or four horses a year. But we just want to do the right amount–we don't want to pay too much on the pinhooking. It's kind of tough if you buy too expensive to do well down the line.”

Arellano concluded, “This is my passion. I race as well and I love both aspects of the business. Racing is a lot of fun, too, but you see me here, I got a good rush out of this.” @JessMartiniTDN

Arrogate Colt a Highwater Mark for Weiss

When the hammer came down at $1.45 million for a son of Arrogate (hip 253) Tuesday at OBS, it marked a new high sale for his breeder, Jeff Weiss's Rosedown Racing.

“I sold one for $1.1 million [at the 2018 OBS Spring Sale], a beautiful Medaglia d'Oro filly,” Weiss said Wednesday morning. “I didn't think I would beat that, but I did. So I am happy about that.”

Hip 253 | Photos by Z

Still, Weiss admitted it was a bittersweet decision to part with the colt, who was purchased by Amr Zedan and will be joining the Southern California barn of trainer Bob Baffert.

“It was a bit emotional,” he said. “I really liked this horse. He was big, 16.2, and he's fast. I love that combination. And it turns out that Baffert does, too.”

Based in South Florida, Weiss is involved in commercial real estate, with properties throughout the southeast. He has been involved in racing for over a decade.

“I went to my cousin's wedding in Louisville,” Weiss explained of his introduction to the sport. “I met someone who hooked me up with Three Chimneys and I got involved with syndications. And then I went out on my own from there. I really enjoy it. It is my best hobby.”

Weiss currently has six horses in his broodmare band.

“These mares are top of the line,” he said of the group. “Scat Daddys, War Front, Medaglias. They are the best of the best. I bought them to race and most of them got injured, that's how they ended up as broodmares. They are all quality, unbelievable pedigrees.”

The unraced Destine (War Front), who produced the Arrogate colt, went through the sales ring while in foal to Improbable at last year's Keeneland November sale. Rosedown Racing purchased out a partner on the mare for $30,000.

“She just foaled a bay filly on Saturday,” Weiss said. “I am looking at stallions for her. I am looking at Uncle Mo and Justify.” Weiss both races and sells his foals as 2-year-olds. His current racing stable is led by Champions Dream (Justify), who won last year's GIII Nashua S.

Weiss admitted he kept celebrations over the seven-figure sale to a minimum.

“I didn't really do anything,” he said. “I had some fried chicken. Which I never eat because it's too fattening.” @JessMartiniTDN

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