What Was Your Favorite Moment Of 2023: Clay Scherer

As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to suefinley@thetdn.com

Echo Zulu winning the GI Ballerina S. She put on an impressive performance. I've always been a fan of hers. She's a hell of a horse. Exceptionally fast and a generational defining talent.
–Clay Scherer, Bloodstock Agent

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Restrepo And Partners Buy Horse To Run At St. Moritz White Turf Meet

For the last three or four years, bloodstock agents Ramiro Restrepo, Bo Bramagen, and Clay Scherer had talked about attending the White Turf races in St. Moritz, Switzerland as fans. The races are among the most unique in the world. They're held every February and run over a frozen lake that is packed down with snow, creating a spectacle unlike anything, anywhere in the world of horse racing. The races have been held since 1907.

“We always thought that the St. Moritz white turf races were so cool, so appealing,” Restrepo said.

In a few months, the three will be in St. Moritz, but not as fans but as owners. At this week's Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale 2023 they bought a horse named Cumulonimbus (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) with the specific goal of sending him to Switzerland to compete in the biggest race of the meet, the Feb. 18 Grosser Preis von St Moritz. The horse cost 150,000 guineas.

The race will be contested at a mile-and-a-quarter and the purse is 100,000 Swiss Francs, which equals about $110,000 U.S.

“Last year, we decided to forget about going in there as fans,” said Restrepo, part owner of 2023 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic). “We decided why don't we try to win this thing. We spent the year putting our heads together and tried to figure out the best way to approach it.”

Part of that approach is to involve a large contingent of friends and colleagues. The three decided to sell 50 shares in the horses and Restrepo said that about 40 have already been sold.

“We wanted to put forth a strong investment to acquire a prospect who we could have some fun with running in Switzerland and, also, going forward, run in a couple of other international races and just have fun,” Restrepo said. “We want to put 40-50 horsemen together and put aside the competition and the egos. We want this to be more a brotherhood and sisterhood of horsemen, whether its consignors, owners, breeders, someone who works for a sales company. We just want to make this a fun thing. We spend all year fighting each other in sales ring and on racetrack. Here is a chance for all of us to come together under one banner as equal shareholders and have a great time competing in a unique international race.”

But how do you find the right horse for a race that is not run on dirt, grass or a synthetic surface, but on snow? What is there to go on?

The group put European bloodstock expert Martin Buick, the brother of jockey William Buick, in charge.

“Martin Buick helped us out through the process,” Restrepo said. “We were going through potential horses in this horses of racing age sale and looked at previous horses that won this race and their ratings. We did our homework and Martin was our eyes and ears on ground.”

Restrepo said winners of the Grosser Preis von St Moritz tend to be close to the pace early because those in the back can be hindered by what can be a heavy kickback of snow. Considering the conditions, you also need a horse with proven stamina. Restrepo believes that Cumulonimbus is a perfect fit for the race.

“This one fell in our lap,” Restrepo said. “He has the style for it. He's won handicaps with Frankie Dettori and Hollie Doyle up, so you know he has some class. He just kind of fit the bill.”

Cumulonimbus has been turned over to U.K. based trainer George Baker, no stranger to the White Turf races. He won the 2020 Grosser Preis von St. Moritz with Wargrave (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

“This is something fresh, something new that we wanted to try,” Restrepo said. “What could be better than to spend a weekend of racing with a good group of people? This race is a bucket list item for a lot of people. It's easy to see why and we'd love to win it.”

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Blame Colt on Top as Numbers Dip at OBS June

OCALA, FL – The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training continued its measured pace Wednesday with figures falling off the auction's record-setting 2022 renewal, while a colt by Blame brought the day's highest bid of $485,000 when selling to bloodstock agent Clay Scherer. The session-topping colt, who was consigned by Wavertree Stables, was one of four to sell for $200,000 or more during the day, bringing the total to reach that mark so far at the sale to seven. Eleven had reached that mark at the same point in the 2022 auction.

Through two sessions of the three-day sale, 410 juveniles have sold for $14,922,600. The average of $36,397 is down 5.1% from the 2022 figure of $38,358–which includes post-sale transactions–and is down 8.9% from the $39,961 close-of-day average from a year ago. The median of $20,000 dipped 13% from last year's final figure and 20% from the end-of-day figure.

The cumulative buy-back rate stood at 21.9% after the fall of the last hammer Wednesday.

At this same point a year ago, with 125 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 22.9%. With 32 additional post-sales transactions, 452 horses had sold for $17,337,600 and the two-day final buy-back rate was 17.1%.

Wavertree Stables, which sold two of Wednesday's top five lots, was the session's leading consignor.

Following a season of polarized results at the 2-year-old sales, the June figures were no surprise to Wavertree's Ciaran Dunne.

“It's not anything we didn't expect,” Dunne said. “For what are perceived to be the top-end horses, there are plenty of people there. For everything else, we are just fighting over scraps. The attendance is probably a little disappointing, but I think that is reflective of small fields and super trainers. It's harder for the smaller trainers to drum up clients, so it makes it even harder for them to come here and buy. A thousand horses is a lot of horses in the June sale. I think they are doing very well to have the clearance rate they have.”

The OBS June sale concludes with a final session beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Scherer Takes the Blame

A colt by Blame (hip 430), who worked a co-bullet quarter-mile in :20 3/5 during last week's under-tack show, will be joining the barn of trainer Brad Cox after bloodstock agent Clay Scherer signed the $485,000 ticket to acquire the youngster on behalf of an undisclosed client Wednesday at OBS.

“He was a big, strong colt who worked fast, did everything like you want to see here and he acted fresh every day,” Scherer said of the juvenile's appeal.

The dark bay colt is out of Soul Spirit (Quality Road), a daughter of multiple Grade I-placed Soul Search and a half-sister to graded winner Journey Home (War Front). He was purchased by Ciaran Dunne for $210,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale and was making his first trip through the sales ring this year with Dunne's Wavertree Stables consignment.

“He's big, tall and long legged,” Dunne said following the colt's bullet breeze last week. “He looks like a horse who will go two turns easily. So the fact that he has that speed makes you think he's going to be very dangerous going long.”

Of the colt's yearling price tag, Dunne admitted, “It did seem like a lot, but he was a beautiful yearling. The trend at the 2-year-old market is that they want big, two-turn horses and if you can get a horse like him who looks like he'll go long to show the kind of speed he showed, then you're going to get paid, more so than with the ready-made spring 2-year-old types. So it was a lot of money for him, but he was a beautiful horse.”

Scherer said the June sale has become an increasingly reliable source of good horses, pointing to 2021 graduate and multiple graded winner Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) who won Saturday's GII Santa Margarita S. at Santa Anita.

“Every year, people have been putting good horses in June and good horses have come out of June every year,” he said. “Adare Manor just ran off the screen. There is always a good one here.”

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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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