OCALA, FL – With a $1-million Authentic colt early in the session and a $1.8-million Win Win Win filly late in the day, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds matched its 2023 number of five seven-figure juveniles and the auction concluded its three-day run Thursday with another strong renewal.

“Overall, it was a terrific sale and we are looking forward to April,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski.

Through three sessions, 446 horses sold for $66,437,600. The average of $148,963 dipped 5.0% from 2023 and the median of $75,000 was down 6.3%. The buy-back rate was 25.3%. It was 23.2% at the close of bidding last year.

In its ninth renewal as an open sale, the March auction has now produced back-to-back competitive editions and multiple seven-figure offerings for the third straight year.

“I think consignors are probably more comfortable and feel more confident that they can put a horse in either March or April and do well,” Wojciechowski said. “It doesn't have to be either/or. It can be both. And the way we set these sales up, if you have a horse that is ready now, he is March-type of horse and if he needs just a little more time, he is an April horse, and if he needs even more time than that, he is a June horse. I think when we opened this sale up there were probably some reservations and concerns and there was a little bit of a sit-back-and-watch attitude, but I think that comfort level is there now. The consignors who have brought those type of horses the last couple of years have been rewarded and the rest of the consignors have seen that.”

Bloodstock agent Marette Farrell saw the results of that increased confidence in the March market on the OBS sales grounds this week.

“I thought the sale was deep with good horses and there were a lot of very athletic horses to choose from,” Farrell said. “I think the consignors did a good job bringing early, athletic horses here. Horses who were forward, they weren't afraid and didn't feel like they had to wait for the April sale. One consignor said to me, 'If it's a good horse, it will be found.' If it's showing a little more precocity, they are happy to bring it to this sale because they are going to find the real athletes.”

A Florida-bred filly by first-crop sire Win Win Win became the sale's highest-priced offering when selling to Amr Zedan for $1.8 million. The filly was the highest-priced horse ever sold by the O'Farrell family's historic Ocala Stud.

“They are a legacy consignor here at OBS,” said Wojciechowski. “Their history and reputation within the industry is important to both OBS and to the industry. So to see them do well was very gratifying.”

Ocala Stud's sale-topping Win Win Win filly | Photos by Z

The sale topper provided an exclamation point on a strong showing for the Florida breeding and racing industry, with a pair of seven-figure juveniles set to join the barns of trainers based in the state.

“I think what it shows is that Florida is still loaded with quality horses and quality horsemen,” Wojciechowski said.

It was the second year in a row that Zedan has walked away with the top-priced horse at the March sale. The Saudi businessman purchased subsequent Grade I winner Muth (Good Magic) for $2 million last year.

The end results of the March sale continued to show a polarization in the market.

“This year, we had a lot of horses in that middle market over the first couple of days and it's been a little tough,” admitted consignor David Scanlon. “Overall, the market has been a little bit challenging. When everything lines up, you get rewarded. Really rewarded. But the other ones that you need $100,000 for, it's been a struggle. You have to be realistic and set your reserves right. It keeps you humble.”

Farrell speculated buyers in the middle market may be taking a wait-and-see approach to the juvenile sales season.

“It's becoming increasingly the same,” she said. “The top horses are definitely gathering momentum and there is a little bit of a dearth in the rest of the market. But I think it's also because it is the first sale of the season, so some people are sitting on their hands a little bit for a lower-level horse now. They are saying, 'Well, April is coming up and there are 1,200 horses, maybe we could find the same for less.' But maybe they won't. I think that is the dilemma that everyone is facing.”

De Meric Sales was the leading consignor at the March sale, with 40 sold for $6,595,100, followed by Wavertree Stables with 14 sold for $4,960,000.

Hideyuki Mori was the sale's leading buyer. The Japanese trainer signed for 10 horses for $2,695,000.

Homebred Success for Ocala Stud

“I am absolutely speechless,” Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell said after watching the operation's homebred filly (hip 788) from the first crop of Win Win Win sell for a sale-topping $1.8 million to Amr Zedan Thursday at OBS. “I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It's incredible.”

O'Farrell knew the filly was special even before the striking bay turned in her track-record equaling :20 1/5 work during last week's under-tack preview.

“We weren't totally surprised,” O'Farrell said after watching the filly sell. “She prepped extremely well, all completely on her own. I didn't tell people what the prep time was because I don't think they would believe me. But I was super excited coming into the breeze show because I knew she was special and we were expecting that kind of breeze from her.”

David O'Farrell | Photos by Z

O'Farrell continued, “She is just a special filly. The fastest that we've had and we've been doing these 2-year-old sales a long time. She has just been a spectacular filly. She performed every time that we sent her out to the racetrack and she came back beautifully and the sky is the limit for her.”

Bred and campaigned by Live Oak Plantation, Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) won the 2020 GI Forego S. He stands at Ocala Stud for $5,000.

“We are super excited about the stallion,” O'Farrell said. “We love what we are seeing. We have more to come in the later sales and later crops and we think he has a huge future.”

Ocala Stud has grown a reputation as launching pad for stallions to begin their careers in Central Florida before making the trek north to Kentucky. Recent stallions to take that path include Girvin and Kantharos.

“To recruit the stallion [Win Win Win] and bring on great partners in Live Oak, who bred and raced the horse, and also Airdrie Stud is a partner and to support him heavily and to carry him all the way to the 2-year-old sales for our own crop, is super rewarding,” O'Farrell said. “And to get him off to a great start, we couldn't be happier about his prospects.”

Asked what he was seeing in the stallion's first crops, O'Farrell said, “Just a ton of athleticism, super versatile, good-looking horses with big rear ends. Very smart, very quick and very athletic.”

The topping Win Win Win filly | Photos by Z/Joe DiOrio

The $1.8-million juvenile is from the same family that has put her breeder on the GI Kentucky Derby trail this year with GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew). Ocala Stud purchased the filly's second dam, Lady Discreet (Boundary), for $45,000 from the E. P. Robsham dispersal at the 2004 OBS October sale.

Lady Discreet produced The Shady Lady (Quality Road) in 2013 and that unraced mare is the dam of Hades. Two years later, the mare produced Unanimity (Union Rags), the dam of hip 788, who RNA'd for $65,000 at the 2017 OBS March sale and was winless in three starts for the O'Farrells.

Unanimity produced a colt by Gretzky the Great this year. She also has a yearling colt by Win Win Win. @JessMartiniTDN

Wow Wow Wow

Moments before Hip 788 was to stroll into the OBS sales ring, the buzz began to intensify. Ocala Stud's daughter of Win Win Win was certainly no secret following a sparkling quarter-mile display in :20.1 last Saturday. With the bids coming hard and fast from several points in the pavilion, the price quickly surpassed the seven-figure mark and the volleys didn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. When the dust had settled, it was Donato Lanni–bidding on behalf of Amr Zedan–who held the hot draw, securing the filly for $1.8 million.

“Nothing surprises me at these sales anymore,” said Lanni. “Everyone knew she was the best. I'm just happy we got her.”

Donato Lanni | Photos by Z

He continued, “You come to a sale like this every year and you never know what you are going to see. That's what's great about the 2-year-old sales, there are some horses that just do things that are out of the ordinary. Everyone witnessed that she had a breeze that was unbelievable. And she did the same thing the week before.”

According to Lanni, the Florida-bred filly will head west to join Zedan's regular trainer, Bob Baffert.

'She is a cool filly,” Lanni said. “Every time I saw her, she was out of her stall. She just took it all in stride. She was easy to like.”

A member of the first crop of the Ocala Stud-based sire Win Win Win, the Mar. 9 foal is a daughter of the unplaced mare Unanimity (Union Rags), herself out of Lady Discreet (Boundary)–a half-sister to Grade I winners Discreet Cat and Discreetly Mine. The juvenile's 9-year-old dam, who is a half-sister to SW and GSP Courtesan (Street Sense) and SW Chary (Montbrook), RNA'd for $65,000 at this venue in 2017.

“We always come to the sales and look at horses by sires that are a bit obscure or haven't had a runner yet,” explained Lanni. “What's great is that you never know where the good ones will come from.”

With Ocala Stud's influence running through the March sale's topper top and bottom, Lanni was clearly impressed with the operation.

“She comes from a great outfit and they are honest people and I trust them,” he underscored. “And when they breeze one, you never really see one like that. She was special.”

When asked if this was his first Win Win Win purchase, Lanni quipped, “I hope she's a win win win.”  @CBossTDN

Authentic Colt Brings a Cool Million

A colt from the first crop of GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (hip 601) provided a jolt to the early stages of Thursday's final session of the OBS March sale when selling for $1 million to an online bid from John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock. Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, the chestnut worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5. Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo's operation purchased the colt for $260,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“Absolutely stunning physical,” Resolute's Gavin O'Connor said. “His breeze was so fluent and he looked fantastic going a fast time.”

Hip 601 | Photos by Z

The juvenile is out of stakes-placed Ruby Trust (Smart Strike), a daughter of graded winner Queen of the Catsle (Tale of the Cat).

“The cross through Authentic with Into Mischief over Smart Strike and his overall physical would make him a standout in any stallion barn in Kentucky,” O'Connor said.

Resolute Bloodstock purchased five juveniles during the OBS March sale, including a $525,000 daughter of American Pharoah (hip 370) and a $500,000 filly by Munnings (hip 453).

The result was the first million-dollar sale for Authentic, winner of the 2020 Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The Spendthrift stallion was represented by a $900,000 colt at last year's Keeneland September sale, as well two $875,000 sons at that sale and a third at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.

Hartley and DeRenzo, who sold the $1.5-million Not This Time colt during Wednesday's session of the March sale, came back later Thursday to sell a filly by Uncle Mo (hip 681) for $600,000 to Seth Morris, as agent for Hit the Bid Stables. The bay was a $290,000 Fasig-Tipton July purchase last summer.  @JessMartiniTDN

Bernardini Filly to Speedway

A filly by Bernardini (hip 613) will be joining Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway Stables after bloodstock agent Marette Farrell went to $875,000 to acquire the juvenile from the de Meric Sales consignment early in Thursday's final session of the OBS March sale.

Marette Farrell | Photos by Z

“She's a beautiful filly,” Farrell said. “Both Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner were here themselves and they really liked her. And we love the fact she is by Bernardini. She traces to a really good family.”

The juvenile is out of graded-placed Salamera (Successful Appeal) and from the family of Grade I runners Piedi Bianchi and Outadore. She was bred by the Eisamans' Eico Ventures, which purchased the mare for $300,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale.

“She looks super athletic and we think she will come around quickly and they will have a lot of fun with her,” Farrell said of the filly who worked a furlong last week in :10 flat.

During Wednesday's second session of the auction, Farrell purchased a colt by Mitole for $725,000 on behalf of Speedway. Both juveniles will be trained by Bob Baffert. @JessMartiniTDN

Mori Extends to $800k for Son of Constitution

Ever present at North America's major sales in his trademark red jacket, Hideyuki Mori landed a son of Constitution for $800,000 early in Thursday's session at OBS. Consigned by Scanlon Training and Sales, Hip 617 breezed an eighth of a mile in :9.4 last week.

“He liked the build of the horse and of course, the most important factor was his performance on the track,” said Hideyuki Mori through an interpreter. “You get good value for the horses here. They are nice and inexpensive. In Japan, the horses are nice too, but expensive. They are also very nice here, but more affordable. That's why he keeps coming back.”

Hideyuki Mori | Photos by Z

Bred by Don Alberto, the chestnut is out of Argentine multiple group winner Sand Puce (Arg) (Footstepsinthesand).

“The intention is to get these horses to the races as early as possible. His horses usually make their debuts early, which is why they can go on to be successful. They're ready to return at three and then target group company. That's how he likes to train the horses he buys here.”

The Mar. 23 foal RNA'd for $385,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale last summer. A full-brother to the colt, Burden of Proof, sold for $700,000 in Saratoga in 2022.

“He was training really well coming in here,” said David Scanlon. “Constitution has also been doing really well, his horses have been doing well. He has proven to show horses getting ready for Classic races. Based on the pedigree and the strength of his work, he was rewarded.

“He walked well, he breezed well and is out of a hard-knocking mare. There was a lot of interest in him from all the right parties, so everything lined up.”

Also during Thursday's session, Scanlon sold Hip 641, a colt by Liam's Map, for $500,000 to MyRacehorse. @CBossTDN

The post $1.8M Win Win Win Filly Leads the Way as Top of the Market Drives Strong March Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The Ocala horseman, who reflected on a colorful past in yesterday's TDN, now turns his attention to the future. For the evolution of a successor program, parallel to his own, makes the de Meric family a particularly pertinent case study for our series on how horse people handle the challenges of dynastic transition.

And, really, Nick couldn't have used a more apposite analogy. The “umbilical cord” to which he refers, of course, is the one extending four decades to the foundation of the pinhooking and pre-training business he operates with his wife Jaqui. Albeit not by much, it even predates the advent of their son Tristan and daughter Ali. But while that literally umbilical connection between parents and their children is never truly severed, the handover of a family business requires long habits of filial duty and parental authority to be gently renounced. And that's a process that demands imagination, flexibility, generosity.

As so often in these situations, Nick and Jaqui first had to establish whether, through nature or nurture, they had passed on a sense of vocation around horses-not to mention the accompanying skills.

“The guys I grew up with in the business, they're mostly around my age,” Nick remarks. “Some have kids who are looking like they're ready to assume the mantle; others don't. And when you've devoted your whole career to building a business, it's gratifying to have someone who can carry the torch forward for you, rather than just having to end it.”

Brandon and Ali Rice | Photos by Z

Ali married another who was born to the game, in Brandon Rice, and in 2009 they started their own program very much in the same manner as Nick and Jaqui around 25 years previously. They scraped together enough for a couple of cheap yearlings, notably a $7,000 colt who made $200,000 at OBS the following April before going on to become a graded stakes winner. Building on that remarkable start, Ricehorse Stables has proceeded to become a respected presence on the national sales scene.

Tristan and his wife Val, meanwhile, have become integral to the home operation, while maintaining a degree of independence that has evidently worked well on both sides. That they, too, know what they are about is evident from the fact that they and prepared subsequent champion juvenile Corniche (Quality Road) to make $1.5 million at OBS.

But perhaps an even bigger turning point, for Tristan and Val, had come when Gabriel Dixon put back on the market a 60-acre tract he had previously bought from Nick and Jaqui, with access to their Eclipse Training Center complex.

“Tris and Val were looking for something to invest in, so they jumped at that chance,” Nick explains. “And since then two more barns have been built, which they're able to lease out and so make the real estate itself turn into a good investment.”

(Again, this has strong echoes of Nick and Jaqui's own story: we saw yesterday how they once paid off their own mortgage in much the same way.)

“So their business runs adjacent and parallel to mine,” Nick explains. “They use our racetrack. We pinhook together, but they also do plenty independently and so do I. And I hope that eventually this way of doing things will make for a fairly seamless transition.”

So was this incremental model a deliberate strategy, or did it just evolve organically?

“I would say a little bit of both,” says Nick. “In life generally, but particularly in our business, we all know that the best-laid plans can go sideways in a heartbeat. So I would not so much say that it was my plan, but that it was my hope. Because while you can't project anything in cast-iron, at the same time you at least need some drift and direction.”

With both their children, Nick and Jaqui imparted their horse lore more by osmosis than by formal instruction.

“Ali was always obsessed,” Nick recalls. “If I left for the barn in the morning without taking her, and I'm talking like 5:30, she would have a meltdown. She used to come with me to the Keeneland 2-Year-Old Sale, I'd let her out of school for a few days. And later she worked sales in Korea, Europe, all over the States.

“Tris was always more of a homebody, and not so much engaged in the horses as a kid: it was baseball, dirt bikes, boy stuff. So when he did decide that this really was his thing, it surprised us how much he had absorbed, just from being around us, from conversations at the dinner table and that kind of thing.

“Certainly he didn't come round to it through any pressure from us. This business is tough on a good day, and I would never press anybody to enter it unless they're passionate. But ever since then, he's taken it and run with it.”

Evidence of Tristan's inherited flair emerged during what are perhaps the two most critical weeks for all these programs, in scouting the September Sale at Keeneland.

Tristan de Meric | Photos by Z

“We all know how that's as much an exercise in logistics and stamina as in horsemanship,” Nick says. “You've just got to keep plugging on, and Tris was right there doing a very good job. And from early on I found, more and more, that I could absolutely rely on his eye. I could send him ahead to do this or that barn, and we could compare notes later. I was always super impressed with how analytical and critical an eye he had for horses, at such a young age. Some things you can teach, some you can't, and he just had that knack.”

And that trust has become the foundation of their teamwork ever since.

“It's a totally subjective thing,” Nick stresses. “It's about judgment, intuition, instinct. So you don't always agree on everything. But he not only could pick athletes, but also had a very good fix on the economics of what we do. Picking the right horse is not always the hardest part. Actually, getting them brought at a price you can make sense of, that's a big part of the equation too. And knowing what you can and can't live with, in terms of vetting and conformation. He's done incredibly well with all of that, way beyond anything I can take credit for.”

So much for the innate skills. In terms of structuring their professional responsibilities, however, the together-but- separate model appeals as one that other families might usefully emulate.

“On a normal training day at home, when we're just doing our thing in the winter, we're right next to each other,” Nick explains. “I'm usually on a pony, and Tris is right there, either on a pony himself or in the viewing stand with Valerie. So we're actually talking all the time. We're watching each other's horses.

We help each other out, whenever we can, or need to. But those over there are his horses, his riders; and these over here are my horses, my riders.

Tristan, Nick and Jaqui | Christie DeBernardis

“We have clients in common, a lot of friends in common. But they have a following all of their own, which to their credit they have acquired quite independently of Jaqui and me. Conversely, most of my clients are now very familiar with them, and understand that we overlap a lot in our businesses. During a sale, they know they can talk to any of us and get all the information they may need.”

Nick is absolutely not going to pretend that it has been plain sailing all the way. At the best of times, it's never easy for one generation to know when and how much rein should be permitted to the next; and that's harder yet when the decision-making doesn't just affect personal development but the prosperity (or otherwise) of the whole family.

“I don't know if 'baggage' is quite the right word, but there's all the history that led you to this point,” Nick agrees. “As they say, the child is father of the man. So for someone in my position, who with his wife and partner has been making all the decisions, for better or worse-financial decisions, training decisions, client decisions-there comes a point when I have to say, 'Okay, you're in charge, it's your baby; I'm taking a sabbatical, I'm stepping back.' So far I've been easing back, but not pulling back.

“Sometimes you will see things a little differently. And that's where you have to learn to bite your lip and say, 'Okay, I might have done it this way instead-but I understand where he's coming from, let it go.' But most of us in this business, almost by definition, are control freaks to some extent. Because we have to be on top of everything. So that's a transition, too.”

That, however, is a price he considers well worth paying in order to see a life's work taken forward by his own flesh and blood. He cites friends whose children have no interest in doing that, and who will just have to call in a realtor someday.

“Neither Jacqui or I have any interest whatsoever in cashing in our chips and moving to a gated community,” Nick admits. “We are farm people. We have more dogs, cats, peacocks, goats, chickens, cows than you could count. Same for all the pets buried in the woods behind the house. We'd never move off the farm unless we absolutely had to. Behind every rock and tree, there's some little memory. And we're always going to ride, as long as we're physically capable.

“But that doesn't mean we have to keep going hammer and tongs. We've had so little time to really enjoy the farm for what it is. Just to get up in the morning, take a stretch, tack up our horse and just go wandering around. We've always been pedaling the bike.

“And we can see Tris and Val are doing a great job. It's great what they have done, working independently of me and alongside me. I can see the buyers are completely comfortable interacting with them. And that's allowing me to take a little step back. Maybe not quite as fast as Jaqui wants me to, but I'm working on that! I do worry, for both our kids and their families, about the collective legacy we're handing them in this sport. But I couldn't be prouder of what they have accomplished.”

The post ‘Succession’ Presented By Neuman Equine Insurance: De Meric Sales appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

An Apr. 9 foal, the Kentucky-bred filly is a great granddaughter of Kitten's First (Learn Fan), dam of champion turf horse and leading sire Kitten's Joy, Grade I winner Precious Kitten and SW Justenuffheart, most notably the dam of champion juvenile filly Dreaming of Anna.

Heading the colts Tuesday were a pair of yearlings who realized co-session leading $100,000 final bids. First through the ring was Hip 193, by Omaha Beach, and later in the session, Hip 279, who is by Gormley, also hit the six-figure mark. The top three yearlings of the session were by Spendthrift stallions.

Consigned by agent Stuart Morris, Hip 193, a Florida-bred son of Courageous Cajun (Treasure Beach {GB}), was secured by Brown Water Stables. The Feb. 22 foal's dam is a half-sister to Sws Cajun Delta Dawn (Kantharos) and Mom'z Laugh (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). Selling later Tuesday, Hip 279 is out of 10-year-old Garnet (Smart Strike), a granddaughter of dual Grade I winner and millionaire Dream Supreme, who in turn is responsible for GI Hopeful scorer Majestic Warrior. Sold by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck, agent for Spendthrift Farm, the colt was purchased by Shepherd Equine Advisors, Agent for Larry Hirsch.

For the session, 175 horses sold for a total of $3,308,500. The average price was $18,906 while the median was $12,000. The buyback percentage was 41.5%. Leading all consignors during the first session, Beth Bayer sold 17 head for a total of $374,700, highlighted by Hip 157, a colt by Volatile who realized $75,000.

The sale continues Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Hip 401 – 739 plus supplements 740 to 755 will be offered for sale. The sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as the TDN.

The post Daughter of Bolt d’Oro Tops Day 1 at OBS October Yearling Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. To follow are the horses entered for Saturday at Ellis and Del Mar:

Saturday, August 5, 2023
Ellis 2, $70k, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:17 p.m. ET
Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze
Fundamentally (Liam's Map), OBSAPR, 285,000, :20.4
Consignor: Top Line Sales LLC, agent
Buyer: Klaravich Stable Inc

Retail Therapy (Blame), OBSMAR, 120,000, :10.2
Consignor: Pick View LLC, agent
Buyer: WSS Racing LLC

Singsational (Audible), OBSAPR, 90,000, :10.1
Consignor: de Meric Sales, agent
Buyer: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC

Ellis 4, $70k, 2yo, 1m, 2:22 p.m. ET
First of His Name (Catalina Cruiser), OBSAPR, 400,000, :10
Consignor: de Meric Sales, agent
Buyer: R Brisset, agent for September Farm & Storrytener

Moneyshot (Frosted), OBSAPR, 50,000, :10.3
Consignor: Lucan Bloodstock (Karl Keegan), agent
Buyer: Christina R Jelm for Pegasus Training Center

Del Mar 1, $82k, 2yo, 6f, 5:00 p.m. ET
Ambiguous (Arrogate), OBSAPR, 180,000, :10.3
Consignor: Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, agent
Buyer: Mike Ryan, agent for Peter Redekop BC Ltd

Ocala Kid (Girvin), OBSAPR, 120,000, :21.3
Consignor: Ocala Stud
Buyer: Peter Miller, agent

The post Summer Breezes: Joint-Priciest Catalina Cruiser Juvenile Gets Going appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Hip 41 turned in his :20 3/5 quarter-mile breeze shortly after the day's 7:30 a.m. start time for consignor Omar Ramirez.

“He prepped really, really good for me,” Ramirez said. “I didn't know it was going to be :20 3/5, but I thought he'd definitely be :20 4/5 or :21 flat.”

The New Jersey-bred colt is out of Lady Overboard (Mishipman) and from the family of Star of Goshen, the dam of Pioneerof the Nile.

Ramirez and a partner purchased the chestnut for $18,000 as a short yearling at the OBS Winter sale last year. He RNA'd for $29,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October sale.

“He was a really well-balanced colt, a really pretty walker,” Ramirez said of his early impressions of the youngster. “And I love Midshipman as a stallion on the mother's side.”

Of the trip to Timonium last fall, Ramirez said, “I didn't get him sold, but I love the horse and I wanted to give him another chance. So we decided to let him grow up more. He's not a huge colt–he's average-sized, but he still has that beautiful walk.”

Solomini was second in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, as well as that year's GI FrontRunner S. and GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity. He was third in the 2018 GI Arkansas Derby.

The 8-year-old stallion, who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for $6,500, had three six-figure juveniles at the OBS April sale–led by a colt who sold for $700,000–and another three at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale last month.

Ramirez sold two fillies by the stallion in April and May and returns with a pair of colts at the June sale.

“I did really well with Solomini in April, I had a filly [hip 605] sell for $100,000. She was a really pretty filly and I really liked her. I had another one with Top Line in Timonium [hip 285] and she sold for $150,000. She was another nice filly. And I've got two colts over here. I have one more tomorrow [hip 282]. They were all pretty nice horses, easy to train.”

Tom McCrocklin sent out hip 39 to work her :20 3/5 quarter-mile shortly before 10 a.m. Monday. Bred by Vegso Racing Stable, the chestnut filly is out of Lady Marjorie (Curlin). The mare is a daughter of stakes-winner Light Bringer (Northern Afleet), a full-sister to graded winner Aegean and a half-sister to the dam of Grade I winner Eda.

Six juveniles shared the day's fastest furlong time of :9 4/5: a filly by Bucchero (hip 9, video) consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm; a filly by Jimmy Creed (hip 25, video) consigned by J. J. Thoroughbreds; a filly by Into Mischief (hip 46, video) consigned by de Meric Sales; a colt by Courageous Cat (hip 51, video) consigned by G.A. Thoroughbred Sales; a colt by Bucchero (hip 92, video) consigned by Hector Barajas; and a colt by Hard Spun (hip 130, video).

Ramirez, who comes into the June sale with a hefty consignment of 52 juveniles, was happy with conditions at OBS Monday.

“I had five today and they all worked really, really good,” he said.

Of his June contingent, Ramirez admitted, “This is my first time that I had so many here. My brother got a bunch of horses and we have some new clients who have a couple of horses. Sometimes I just want to give the horses more time, more chances to grow, so I love this June sale. It's been a really nice sale for me.”

The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 7:30 a.m. The June sale will be held next Tuesday through Thursday. Bidding commences each day at 10 a.m.

The post Solomini Colt, Noble Mission Filly Share Quarter-Mile Bullet at OBS Monday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

“It was a great two days in Maryland,” Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said Tuesday evening. “There was plenty of competition for the horses people wanted. The ones they want, they all go to battle on.”

At the end of Tuesday's session, 375 head sold for $34,795,500. The average was $92,788–down just 2.7% from last year's record figure of $95,391. The median was up 6.4% to $50,000.

The difference in figures was almost entirely attributable to last year's sale-record-setting $3.55-million topper, which pushed the auction to its highest-ever gross of $37,297,700.

“We almost matched the [record] gross, but last year, we had a $3.55-million horse,” Bennett said. “That was kind of what we were missing this year. So we are very happy with the results.”

From a catalogue of 603, 437 horses went through the ring. With 62 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 14.2%. It was 18.9% a year ago.

Bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client, landed the auction's top-priced offering, a $1-million daughter of the late champion Arrogate. The sale-topper was consigned by Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds. Clay Shearer was the underbidder.

Radcliffe was at the top of a broad buying bench, with the top 10 lots purchased by eight different buyers at the auction which last year produced GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic).

“The buyers came from all over,” Bennett said. “Every year, we see new buyers and that's very rewarding. People know they can get runners here and we proved that the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs. It's very exciting for this sale to have the success on the track that we are seeing.”

Arrogate Filly Sets Off Midlantic Fireworks

A filly by Arrogate (hip 552), the most hyped horse on the sales grounds all week, delivered in the sales ring Tuesday when selling for $1 million to the bid of bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe, acting on behalf of an undisclosed London-based client. Radcliffe, who did her bidding while seated in the pavilion, secured the chestnut from the consignment of Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds.

“She is for my new client,” Radcliffe said of the million-dollar filly. “It's JDL Capital SARL. I am not going to name the guy, but we've got horses now in England and America, mostly in America. I think I've bought eight since March. He is based in London. This is more for investment purposes and to have a bit of fun as well. This is his first foray into racing. So let's hope it's lucky for him.”

Of plans for the filly, Radcliffe said, “I'm not sure where she will go yet. So, any trainers who want to call me, they can.”

Hip 552 is out of Twixy (Mutakddim) and is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Twixy Roll (Roll Hennessy Roll) and from the family of GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Caleb's Posse (Posse).

“To me, she was the star of the sale,” said Radcliffe. “I saw her in January and I saw her in March and April. And I waited for her. I didn't know I was going to pay that much for her, but it's a strong sale and the good horses are making the money.”

The sale-topper worked a furlong in a co-bullet :10 flat during last week's under-tack show.

“She went in :10 and went out in :23 and change,” Radcliffe said of the work. “It doesn't get much better than that. And obviously, she is the last of the Arrogates, so it's good to get her.”

Bred by Dale Taylor, Sr., she was purchased by Randy Hartley and Dean de Renzo for $255,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“We bought her in Book 1,” Hartley recalled. “She looked just like she looked today. She's the same filly, just bigger. The reason I think we got her is because Book 1 is a hard book at Keeneland. It's all about the top pedigrees. The mare was a nice mare, but she hadn't produced a Grade I winner or anything yet. And I think the big pedigree people weren't interested. But when we saw her, she was just a filly that we had to have.”

Hartley said he had hoped to focus on buying fillies at last season's yearling sales, but that plan did not work out.

“I said at the beginning of the year, that we were basically going to be buying fillies because we felt like that was a safer market,” Hartley said. “We ended up buying just one filly because they were hard to buy. But she was the right one. From the time we bought her, we were ecstatic.”

Among Hartley and DeRenzo's partners on the filly was Rich Mendez, who owns the Miami-based music label Rich Music.

Represented by Hartley and de Renzo at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring sale, Mendez purchased a colt by Into Mischief for $1.3 million.

Now that he had both bought and sold a seven-figure juvenile, the racing newcomer was asked which was more fun.

“I think selling a million-dollar horse, I'm not going to lie,” Mendez said. “It's just the adrenaline is different. I've known this filly for seven months. I watched her grow and I got close to her. She's an amazing filly.”

Mendez admitted he had given the filly a pep talk before she went into the ring Tuesday.

“I went in her stall and I gave her my pep talk,” he said. “I told her, 'You've done good so far. Now let's go be the sale topper.' And I just sat in there [in the pavilion] and I was talking to her [as she was selling]. So that's kind of why I think selling is a little more adrenaline for me.”

Once it was pointed out that his Into Mischief colt could go on to win a Kentucky Derby in his colors, Mendez said with a smile, “Then that will be different.”

Radcliffe made three purchases for her new client at the two-day Midlantic sale. She went to $350,000 for a colt by Liam's Map (hip 127) and to $170,000 for a colt by Take Charge Indy (hip 80).

King Adds a Pair of Bullets to His Stable

Gus King, bidding alongside trainer Ron Moquett and agent Jeff Mackor, went to $510,000 to acquire a filly by Take Charge Indy (hip 361) from the De Meric Sales consignment early in Tuesday's second session of the Midlantic May sale.

“She had a good pedigree and we liked her physical, so we decided to take a shot at it,” King said after signing the ticket on the filly.

The bay juvenile is out of Perfect Paula (Songandaprayer) and is a full-sister to GIII Forward Gal S. winner Take Charge Paula. Purchased as a weanling for $100,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November sale by Tami Bobo's First Finds, she worked a furlong last week in a co-bullet :10 flat.

King admitted he had gone past his expected budget on the filly Tuesday.

“No,” he said emphatically when asked if he had planned to spend that $510,000 on the filly. “These guys talked me into it,” he said, while gesturing towards Moquett.

Later in the session, King added another colt to his racing stable when going to $325,000 for a son of Catalina Cruiser (hip 568). Consigned by LG, agent, the juvenile worked a quarter-mile last week in a co-bullet :21 2/5.

King, the owner of the Alabama-based packaging company ColorMasters LLC, has been in racing for about 15 years and currently has seven horses in training. He has been upgrading his program and recent purchases include a son of Into Mischief (hip 292) acquired at Keeneland last September for $600,000. Now named Maravich, the 2-year-old recorded a three-furlong work at Churchill Downs last Friday.

“We have some good 2-year-olds,” King said.

Asked why he has made the decision to up his buying at the horse sales, King laughed and said, “I want to win some big races.”

Seemar's World Tour Stops in Maryland

Bhupat Seemar, trainer for the Dubai-based Zabeel Stables, has been hitting the 2-year-old sales across the globe in recent months and landed this week in Maryland for the Midlantic May sale.

“We've bought through agents, but this is the first time I'm here,” said Seemar, who saddled Summer is Tomorrow (Summer Front) in the 2022 GI Kentucky Derby. “We usually go to Europe and I'm basically chasing all of these sales. I have just come from France, from Arqana, and before that I was in Newmarket for the Guineas sale. And then I am going to Ireland for another sale. I don't know what time zone I am in at the minute.”

Of the decision to make the trip to Timonium, Seemar explained, “We've got a lot of dirt racing and last year, we had a horse who qualified for the Kentucky Derby, which was amazing. This year, there is a filly for another trainer who qualified for the GI Kentucky Oaks. There is a lot of demand for 2-year-olds and a lot of demand for good dirt horses, so where else to come than to this sale because it's the only sale for 2-year-olds on the dirt.”

Seemar made his first purchase of the two-day auction when going to $150,000 to acquire a colt by Speightstown (hip 254) from the Top Line Sales consignment Monday.

“We have done exceptionally well with Speightstown,” Seemar said of the colt's appeal. “I trained [2022 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen S. winner] Switzerland and before that, my Uncle [Satish Seemar] trained [2013 Golden Shaheen winner] Reynoldothewizard–two very, very good horses and they were both by Speightstown. When I was at Taylor Made, Speightstown himself was a yearling there. So I have a lot of affinity with him and we've had a lot of success. He's a good model, a good-looking horse. I think he fits every specification we've got.”

During Tuesday's session of the Midlantic sale, Seemar went to $85,000 for a son of Mendelssohn (hip 397) from Cary Frommer.

“We bought the Mendelssohn colt and he's out of a Curlin mare,” he said. “He's got beautiful action. He's a stamp horse, he's a very good-looking horse.”

Seemar worked as an intern at Taylor Made Farm and served a stint as an assistant to trainer Bob Baffert. He took over training duties at Zabeel Stables from his uncle last summer.

Seemar's stable of international 2-year-olds, includes a group sourced locally in Dubai at the Goffs Breeze-Up Sale in March, where client Dr. Jim Hay acquired the auction's top two lots and four of the top seven. Hay paid €543,210 for a son of Gun Runner (hip 18) and €518,519 for a son of Justify (hip 2).

“Typically we end up getting about 25 2-year-olds,” Seemar said. “I've got some really good owners and they bought a few in the Dubai sale–we bought nine over there. Dr. Jim Hay is a big international owner and he bought a few there. I've got one coming from Japan. It's going to be a big international mix of horses.”

Seemar said he was finding good opportunities at all the sales he has attended.

“To me, a good horse will sell anywhere,” he said. “If you have enough horses–I think they have 600 horses here–so you can always find value and some good diamonds in the rough from them.”

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said that Donato Lanni was the underbidder on the Arrogate filly. He was not. We regret the error. 

The post Radcliffe Buys $1-Million Arrogate Filly To Pace Strong Midlantic Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

OCALA, FL – For the third straight day, the team of Bob Baffert and Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, made the highest bid of the session, this time going to $2.2 million–top price of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training sale so far–to acquire a colt by Gun Runner from the de Meric Sales consignment as the Spring sale continued to produce figures largely in line with its record-setting 2022 renewal.

Through three of four sessions, OBS has sold 519 juveniles for a total of $67,661,000. The cumulative average of $130,368 is down 3.7% from the corresponding end-of-day figure from 2022 and is down just 1.8% from the average of $132,821, which includes post-sale transactions from a year ago. The median of $65,000 is down 7.1% from a year ago.

“We were very pleased with the March sale and it seems like that momentum has carried on through April,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “We set records last year and here we are bumping up against those records this year. It feels good and it is a testament to the strength in the marketplace.”

Zedan topped the sale's opening session with a $1.45-million son of Arrogate and added a $900,000 son of Frosted Wednesday.

“He's come with a big budget and that's helpful to the consignors,” Wojciechowski said of Zedan. “It probably pushes horses that he gets and hopefully, it moves buyers to other horses and they look for other top prospects that they can settle on as well.”

With 128 juveniles reported not sold after the final horse went through the ring Thursday, the buy-back rate was 19.8%. it was 16.5% at the same point a year ago.

While the figures remained stronger, consignors continued to see a polarization in the marketplace.

“I had so many people on that horse who just had to have him,” Jesse Hoppel of Coastal Equine said after selling a colt by Blame for $700,000. “But if you don't have the flavor of the week, they don't want to have anything to do with you.”

Hoppel said the absence of a select sale like the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale has buyers scrambling to make sense of the new sales landscape.

“I think the buyers are confused,” he said. “They don't know where to go. The 2-year-old sales market now lacks a select sale. It doesn't give you direction–where are these middle market horses going to be, where are the expensive horses going to be. Right now, they are scattered. The public doesn't have an idea of where to go for the right horses.”

Still buyers found plenty of competition for the top lots.

“People are saying it's a little bit spotty, but at the same time anything we followed up seemed like it's made plenty of money,” said Hunter Valley's Fergus Galvin after signing for a $575,000 daughter of Into Mischief. “I don't think it's overly strong.”

Donato Lanni | Photos by Z

Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, who has made the highest bid of each of the sale's first three days, said, “It's really strong for the top, top horses. The middle market looks like it is holding pretty strong. Everyone is here, so it's very strong for the top-end horses. The market was very strong here last year and we're seeing that again this year. Hopefully it continues that way.”

The OBS Spring sale concludes with a final session Friday. Bidding begins at 10:30 a.m.

Guns Blazing at OBS Day 3

The storms that barreled through the Ocala area Wednesday night seemed like a mere breeze compared to the gale force that swept through the OBS sale's ring midway through Thursday's session. In the moments leading up to the entrance of Hip 782 into the ring, several of racing's biggest names lined up to duke it out for a juvenile colt by Horse of the Year Gun Runner. With several separate interests clashing, including agent Donato Lanni–accompanied by trainer Bob Baffert in their customary perch in the media box–and fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who trained Gun Runner during his illustrious campaign, it was Amr Zedan's potent team that outlasted the rest to land the colt for a cool $2.2 million.

Hip 782 | Photos by Z

“That was 'wow',” said Lanni. “Amr Zedan absolutely loved him and he really wanted the horse. He was not going to go home without that horse…Bob really loved him too. The whole team did.”

Outlining some of the factors that led to the team extending to the sale-topping price through three sessions, Lanni offered, “He performed very well and had a great gallop out. He was really fast for a such a large-sized horse. He looks like he wants to go a Classic distance and has gears.”

“It's nice to see a horse with that much size by Gun Runner who looks like a two-turn horse but also has the speed. He showed it here.”

The Mar. 20 foal is out of Perfect Wife (Majesticperfection), the dam of the colt's full-sibling GSP Runaway Wife.

“Every day when you have one like that in the barn, you're kind of sweating bullets and you're worried you'll walk into the barn and find him with his legs up in the air or colicking,” said Nick de Meric. “But he's been a wonderful horse for us. Tristan and Val [de Meric] take the credit for producing him like they have.”

Bred by Fern Circle Stables, the bay brought $430,000 at Fasig-Tipton last July. Consigned by de Meric sales at OBS, the colt breezed in :10.1 last week.

“It was a ton of pressure,” continued de Meric. “Frankly, that [yearling price] was out of our comfort zone. We just all felt so strongly about him and we had a couple of partners on him, so we didn't have to shoulder the whole load.

“He affected all of us [when we first saw him] and we thought he could be something special.”

Tristan de Meric was equally enthused with the colt.

“The way this horse moved, his balance and the way he just kept it up all day long [stood out],” he said. “He always did everything right. He's a horse with a great mind and did everything right from the get-go.”

Reflecting on the colt's purchase last term, he continued,

“We definitely stretched well beyond our comfort zone, but when we were signing the ticket on him, it felt right. I am happy it all worked out. We were just lucky to have him.”

In regard to the colt's illustrious sire, who led all second-crop sires and ranked sixth on the General Sires list in 2022, the junior de Meric explained, “We started out just trying to find some nice Gun Runners because we believed in him and he had a nice run with his first crop. It was amazing what he did with his first crop.”

With the relief evident after hitting it out of the park following months of intense preparation, the elder de Meric could breath a sigh of relief now that the colt was going to get every chance under the care of the Hall of Fame trainer.

“All of us in this business know it doesn't work out like that every time. You need one of those every once in a while and that was outstanding. We couldn't be happier.”–@CBossTDN

Hoppel Plays the Blame Game

When Jacob West signed the ticket at $700,000 to obtain a colt by Blame (hip 786) on behalf of Repole Stable Thursday at OBS, it marked an impressive pinhooking score for consignor Jesse Hoppel, who purchased the youngster for $70,000 at last year's OBS October sale.

Hip 786 | Photos by Z

“He was a very sleek horse that looked like he needed to grow up a lot,” Hoppel said of his early impressions of the colt. “I still think he has growing up to do. There is no telling how good he will be when he is finally there because he's not there yet. He's going to keep coming.”

The colt is out of the unraced Petunia Face (Congrats) and is a half to graded winner Jalen Journey (With Distinction). He worked a quarter-mile last week in :21 flat.

Of the colt's final price Thursday, Hoppel said, “I was thinking in the $400,000 to $500,000 range, but this market is really polarized. I had so many people on that horse who just had to have him. If you don't have the flavor of the week, they don't want to have anything to do with you.”  @JessMartiniTDN

Uncle Mo Draws Fire Early at OBS

After a filly by Uncle Mo brought a $675,000 final bid during the first day of selling at the OBS Spring sale, a colt by the Coolmore sire (Hip 682) realized the same amount Thursday afternoon. Consigned by agent Gene Recio, trainer Keith Desormeaux signed the ticket on behalf of Dallas, Texas-based Benjamin Gase, founder and CEO of the shipping technology company R2 Logistics.

“He didn't have as much as a quick cadence as most of these eighth-of-a-mile breezers but his movement was fluid, and he still went in :10.1,” said Desormeaux. “That's what we're looking for, a horse with speed but most importantly the distance.

“I hate to use the same old cliche but he ticks every box.”

Echoing the sentiment, Recio added, “He showed himself well and just has a lot of class. He didn't turn a hair the whole time. He did all the right things.”

The colt was offered at Keeneland last September, bringing $250,000 from Lynnwood Stable. The Apr. 26 colt was offered by a partnership that included the breeder, Breed First.

Gene Recio | Photos by Z

“I fell in love with him when I saw him at the yearling sales,” explained Recio. “I didn't really think I was going to be able to buy him, I thought he was going to bring more than that.”

The juvenile is out of the unraced Bodemeister mare Mezinka, a half-sister to dual Grade I-winning Pioneerof the Nile, who also finished runner-up in the GI Kentucky Derby.

“The breeder is a good friend of mine, so I am happy for them. They stayed in for a piece. I'm happy when it all works out like that.”

The Desormeaux and Gase axis has already produced results, highlighted by a win in this winter's GII Rebel S. with Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}), who was unearthed for a mere $25,000 at Keeneland last September. Confidence Game currently stands 12th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 57 points.

Clearly looking to mine another Classic-bred jewel with a long-term view on next season, Desormeaux enthusiastically outlined the colt's list of attributes.

“The horse has Classic pedigree, great lines, awesome conformation and a good foot,” he said. “He was as good as you get from head to toe.”

He continued, “One of the added values is that he has great sire value, being by Uncle Mo and with Pioneerof the Nile [under the second dam]. We know he's got speed and Classic distance on the bottom.”

With the Classics still a year away, Desormeaux's ambitions in the shorter term appeared to be no less lofty.

“He's going to go to California and prepare for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.”–@CBossTDN

Into Mischief Filly to Qatar Racing

Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing, which enjoyed top-level success along with partners with Caravel (Mizzen Mast) in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, continued to build its U.S.-based string with the purchase of a filly by Into Mischief (hip 777) at OBS Thursday. Fergus Galvin of Hunter Valley Farm made the winning bid to acquire the filly for $575,000 from the Wavertree Stables consignment.

Hip 777 | Photos by Z

“We actually haven't come up with a trainer for her yet, to be honest,” Galvin said. “She will definitely stay in the U.S. She is a lovely, big filly. Ciaran [Dunne of Wavertree] recommended her well and we are very happy to get her.”

The bay filly is out of the unraced Pearl River (Quality Road) and from the family of champion Sweet Catomine and multiple Grade I winner Life Is Sweet. She was bred by Pam and Martin Wygod.

Marc Tacher purchased the 7-year-old Pearl River, in foal to Nyquist, for $50,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale.

In addition to Caravel, Qatar Racing was also partners on Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), who was purchased for $5 million at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November and whose 2022 campaign included a win in the GII Fleur de Lis S. The partners returned the mare to the sales ring at Fasig-Tipton last November where she sold again for $5 million.

Caravel has already started 2023 a winner, recently winning the GIII Shakertown S. at Keeneland.

“We just have to keep our run going,” Galvin said. “Sheikh Fahad is keen to establish a string here in the U.S. We've had a lot of success with turf horses and now we are trying to aim a little bit more on the dirt side.” @JessMartiniTDN

The post $2.2-Million Gun Runner Colt Powers Day Three as OBS Spring Sale Stays the Course appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

OCALA, FL – The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds, which had already surpassed its record gross during Thursday's penultimate session, powered straight through to the finish Friday, concluding with new highwater marks for average and median, as well as gross. At the end of four days of selling, 707 head had grossed $91,984,000. The previous record gross, set just last year, was $73,907,900. The average of $130,105 and median of $65,000 were well ahead of previous marks of $108,903 and $60,000, both set in 2019.

During the 2021 Spring sale, 724 juveniles grossed $73,874,900 for an average of $102,037 and a median of $50,000.

“It was a heck of a horse sale,” OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said at the close of business Friday. “There were gains and records on all fronts. And, I believe, it's the first time we've ever sold at least one million-dollar horse on every day. You can't say enough about the quality of horses that the consignors brought and the buying bench that showed up, across the board–internationally and domestically. There was great participation on all fronts.”

Friday's final session of the Spring sale was topped by a filly by Munnings who became the auction's fifth seven-figure juvenile when selling for $1.6 million to Larry Best's OXO Equine. The sale's overall top price came during Tuesday's first session when a colt by Uncle Mo sold to Amr Zedan for $2.3 million. It was the first time the Spring sale had produced a sale over $2 million since 2017.

“April has become the go-to 2-year-old sale,” Wojciechowski said. “It's proven itself over and over again. Horses go win all over the world, over all different surfaces, and there is quite an array of different levels for them to shop.”

De Meric sales was the leading consignor at the Spring sale, selling 35 juveniles for $9,308,000, followed by Eddie Woods, who sold 28 head for $8,444,000, including Friday's session topper.

“I thought at the March sale, I had never sold in a market like it before,” Woods said. “Ten years ago, if you told someone there would be half a dozen seven-figure horses in the April sale, they'd lock you up. It used to be just a sale, but it's grown and grown and grown. It's the [Keeneland] September [Yearling] Sale of 2-year-old sales. It's fabulous.”

Chad Schumer was the Spring sale's leading buyer, purchasing 15 head for $3,030,000. The success of the April sale reflects a worldwide demand for horses, according to Schumer.

“I do some pinhooking in Europe at the breeze-up sales and we sold in Dubai, I think the same thing is true everywhere. People want horses,” Schumer said. “We are out of COVID now, people want to get back to life and enjoy themselves. They want to spend money. And in the U.S., the prices are justified by the purses. There are $100,000 maidens at Keeneland, Churchill and New York. California is not far behind and I understand Louisiana is going to jump up. And Kentucky Downs is $130,000. You buy a horse here for $250,000 and you win two races and you're out. It's never been like that before. So people really have a chance.”

Schumer continued, “I also think–with all due respect to some of the big buyers of the past–they are not buying as much as in the past and I think a lot of people, especially in America, feel like they have a real chance to buy what they want. If you look at the results sheets, there is a deep bench of buyers. It's not one person or one country, it's a very diverse buying bench. And they've done a wonderful job putting this catalogue together. There is something here for everyone.”

Woods and Munnings, a Winning Combination

Eddie Woods was quite successful with Munnings fillies last year. He sold now-Grade I winner Eda for $550,000 at the OBS March Sale and sold undefeated G3 UAE Oaks victress Shahama for $425,000 at last term's April sale. The horseman hit another homerun courtesy of a Munnings filly Friday when Hip 1174, a $250,000 KEESEP buy, summoned a whopping $1.6-million from OXO Equine's Larry Best. Bloodstock agent Christina Jelm acted on behalf of Best, who was not in attendance.

“Munnings has obviously been very good to me over the years,” said Woods. “He is a great stallion and has been appreciated in recent years. That filly was amazing. I was shocked at what she brought to be quite honest. I thought she'd get to $1 million, but here comes Larry Best, and when he wants one, he wants one. She is the only 2-year-old he bought this year and I hope she turns out for him. He's a great client of mine anyway. He kind of snuck in under the radar. I didn't see him coming.”

Jelm preferred to remain out of the spotlight, deferring comments on the filly to Best, but did say, “She's tall, elegant, fast and eye-catching. Larry wanted her, and I was just helping him out.”

Bred by the Cantrell Family Partnership, Hip 1174 is out of hard-knocking, six-time Louisiana stakes winner Tensas Harbor (Private Vow). The flashy chestnut breezed in a swift :9 4/5 for Woods during the under-tack show.

“She's a wonderful filly,” Woods said. “She's been a class act from day one, from the first time I looked at her in Lexington at Woodford. I've been lucky buying off Woodford, too. It's been a pretty good journey.”

Hip 1174 was the second seven-figure seller for Woods this week, following Thursday's $1.7-million Tapit colt (Hip 885). —@CDeBernardisTDN

Filly Justifies Buy-Back

A filly by Justify (hip 1139), who was bought back by breeder Diamond Creek Farm for $325,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale, sold for $800,000 when returned to the ring at OBS Friday. Bloodstock agent Chad Schumer, acting on behalf of an undisclosed client, made the winning bid on the juvenile.

“Obviously, it's the first crop of a Triple Crown winner,” Schumer said. “Of course they are going to be in demand. He is the son of a sire of sires, unbeaten, there is so much excitement about his first crop. The filly was absolutely lovely. She had a great breeze (:21 1/5), a great physical, and she vetted well.”

The gray filly is out of Susie's Baby (Giant's Causeway) and her 5-year-old half-sister Family Way (Uncle Mo) recently won the GIII Orchid S. at Gulfstream Park.

Hip 1139 was consigned by Wavertree Stables on behalf of Adam Bowden's Diamond Creek Farm.

“Mike Akers bought her back for Diamond Creek Farm,” Wavertree's Ciaran Dunne explained of the yearling result. “They thought she would be a better 2-year-old than she was a yearling. Obviously they were right.”

Susie's Baby, in foal to Constitution, sold for $600,000 at this year's Keeneland January sale.

Hip 1139 is another in a line of juvenile sales success stories who had originally been targeted at the yearling sales.

“I think that breeders are getting smarter about the type of horse that they retain,” Dunne said. “For the longest time, they had the preconceived notion that small, quick horses would be perfect for the 2-year-old sales. And I think some of them have now realized that we need two-turn type horses. I think they are being more selective about what they send and I think that's why you are seeing the better results.”

Schumer, bidding on behalf of the same client, purchased a colt by Goldencents (hip 546) for $535,000 during the second session of the Spring sale. After that Wednesday purchase, Schumer said he hoped the competitive market he was buying into continued Thursday when he would be selling.

Asked Friday how the change of hats went, Schumer said, “I sold really well. I was a little shocked by how well we sold. We had a Malibu Moon (hip 924) we bought for $30,000 as a yearling [at Keeneland September] and we knew he would sell well. He was a lovely colt and a great mover and he was well-prepared by the consignor. But [the $330,000 sale] was literally about double what I expected.” @JessMartiniTDN

Desormeaux & Gase Stay Busy in Ocala

After his first racehorse Call Me Midnight (Midnight Lute) (an $80,000 OBSMAR buy) put him on the GI Kentucky Derby trail with a win in the GIII Lecomte S. earlier this year, new owner Ben Gase was eager to tackle this year's juvenile sales. His trainer Keith Desormeaux represented him in Ocala this week, securing three horses, topped by a $650,000 daughter of Bolt d'Oro (Hip 1017).

“I'm usually the guy buying the ones under the radar,” said Desormeaux. “Ben Gase is a new, very excited owner. He bought his first horse last year at the March Sale, a horse called Call Me Midnight, who was on the Derby trail. He really got excited about it, enthusiastic, and decided to open up his checkbook.”

Desormeaux is typically seen shopping more of the bargain buys. His other purchases for Gase this week were a $90,000 Cairo Prince colt (Hip 252) and a $400,000 Twirling Candy filly (Hip 641).

When asked if he had expected to spend this much on Hip 1017, Desormeaux said, “Hell no! I thought she'd bring $200,000 or $300,000. To double that, is a stretch, but Ben told me, 'Don't come home without her.' I'm usually very conservative, but she was so nice, I had to stretch for her.”

Bred by Spendthrift Farm, Hip 1017 is out of Australian MSW & MGSP Scorpio Queen (Aus) (Choisir) and hails from the family of Aussie G1SW Toledo. The bay breezed in :9 4/5 for the de Merics.

“That's the easiest buy I've ever made,” Desormeaux said. “She was awesome. I don't have one complaint about her. We come to the 2-year-old-in-training sales because we can see them at work. We can see how they handle it mentally and physically. She just passed all the grades. She blew my socks off.”

Eaton's Reiley McDonald purchased the filly for just $35,000 under the name of his farm Athens Woods at Keeneland September. —@CDeBernardisTDN

Moore Restocks at OBS

Hootie Moore had upwards of 30 horses in training a few years ago, but with the pandemic he cut his numbers back dramatically. The Arkansas-based owner was restocking this week at OBS where he purchased a filly by Connect (hip 1091) for $550,000 from the consignment of Eddie Woods Friday.

“We liked everything about her,” Moore said of the juvenile. “She's the one we've been waiting on the whole sale. Everything is costing a lot more than it should, but we went ahead and we'll see.”

The filly, who worked a furlong last week in :10 flat, is out of stakes winner Special Dream (Officer) and is a half-sister to stakes placed Momameamaria (Quality Road).

Moore also purchased a colt by Runhappy (hip 427) for $160,000. Both juveniles will be trained by John Ortiz.

“I have had up to 35 horses, but during COVID, I like to go on the backside, so I went down to almost nothing,” Moore said.

Moore did his bidding while sporting a cap promoting Barber Road (Race Day) and he owns horses in partnership with that GI Kentucky Derby contender's owners Bill and Tammy Simon's WSS Racing. The Simons and Moore campaigned 2019 GIII Winning Colors S. winner Honey Bunny (Tapizar).

Bill Harrigan's Miacomet Farm purchased the filly for $80,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Later in Friday's session, Moore added a colt by Oscar Performance (hip 1210) for $120,000. @JessMartiniTDN

Grassroots Powers Through at OBS

David McKathan and Jody Mihalic's Grassroots Training and Sales served notice it was in line for a strong Spring sale with a series of bullet workers during the under-tack preview and the operation duly delivered in the sales ring this week, ultimately selling all 40 juveniles it sent through the ring.

“For us, people know that we sell our horses,” Mihalic said. “We deal in volume and we sell them and we love when people do well with the horses they buy from us. We work really hard to buy them right and they work really hard and buy them right.”

Grassroots biggest sale of the week was a $275,000 daughter of Street Boss (hip 346) who worked a furlong last week in a bullet :9 3/5. The filly had been purchased for $22,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Other pinhooking scores included a colt by Freud–a $50,000 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale acquisition–who sold for $215,000 and a filly by Good Samaritan–purchased for $55,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale–who sold for $210,000.

During Friday's session of the four-day auction, Grassroots sold a filly by Jimmy Creed, who worked in :9 4/5 last week, for $185,000. She had been a $38,000 purchase at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

Grassroots horses found plenty of buyers in the middle market in Ocala.

“I think everybody is getting shuffled up as the economy goes and the overall dollar value has marked everything up so much,” Mihalic said. “So everyone has had to step up a little bit into that middle market.”

Of the operation's perfect strike rate, Mihalic said, “It's fantastic. And now I have 40 more heading to Maryland.” @JessMartiniTDN

Into Mischief Filly Returns to Her Breeder

Breeder Robert S. Evans sold his Into Mischief filly out of Squeeze (Lemon Drop Kid) to the Recio's Lynwood Stable for $150,000 at Keeneland September. But, when she returned to the auction ring at OBS Friday, he decided he had to have her back, going to $525,000 to secure Hip 1097. Trainer Kent Sweezey bid on his owner's behalf.

“She worked really well [:9 4/5],” Sweezey said. “She's gorgeous. He loves the family and the way she moved. Gene Recio gave us the thumbs up. She's a queen, so we will see how she runs. She will probably come with me to Palm Meadows or Monmouth with a goal of running at Saratoga.”

Evans bought Squeeze for $350,000 at Keeneland September and this filly is her second foal. Squeeze is a half-sister to GSW Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense) and GSP Private Ensign (A.P. Indy).

The Recios had another pinhooking score just a few hips earlier when a Java's War colt (Hip 1092) they purchased for $72,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October Sale brought $175,000 from Joseph Graffeo.

“She was just a really good individual,” Recio said. “She didn't turn a hair wrong the whole time we had her. She was as straight-forward of a 2-year-old sales horse as I've ever had. Whenever you meet the magic :9 4/5-:10 flat number for a filly with that kind of quality pedigree, you hope for a price like that, but you never expect it. We are very thankful.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

The post OBS Spring Sale Storms to Record-Setting Conclusion appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The post Medaglia d’Oro Half to Drefong Lights Up OBS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

“The June sale is all grown up now,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “I am glad to see that both buyers and sellers are recognizing that June is a good sale in its own right. A consignor who needs to take some time with horses who maybe aren't the most forward, but they are still nice horses, they feel confident that they can give those horses the time and still have a market in which to sell them well. And the buyers are also patient enough that they know they can come here and end up with a quality racehorse.”

In 2020, 498 horses sold for $15,195,300 for an average of $30,513 and a median of $13,000. At the close of business, the 2020 buy-back rate was 20.5%. In 2019, 609 horses sold for $21,493,300. The average was $35,293 and the median was $17,000.

Four horses topped the $400,000 mark during the three-session auction, with a filly by Practical Joke bringing top price of $425,000. Mike Ryan made the highest bid of Friday's session, going to $410,000 to acquire a filly by Frosted from the Silvestre Chavez Thoroughbreds consignment.

“I've been studying the results all week,” Ryan said. “The first day was strong, yesterday was very strong. The money is here for the good ones. It's impressive. It's been a strong year and this is the last go-around.”

While the 2019 record top price of $900,000 and last year's top price of $700,000 were never approached, the top of the June market was competitive with 28 horses selling for $200,000 or more over the three days. Thirteen horses hit that mark in 2020 and there were 15 in 2019.

“It was solid at the top and there was still some good strength below it. It was a good horse sale,” Wojciechowski said. “We're glad that the momentum carried through all three days. We're happy for our consignors. They had a rough go of it last year and their fortitude and their willingness to keep pressing forward paid off for them this year.”

Frosted Filly to Ryan
Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan secured a filly by Frosted (hip 722) on behalf of Jeff Drown for $410,000 during Friday's final session of the OBS June sale.

“I drove down yesterday for two horses,” Ryan said. “I had watched all the videos and yesterday afternoon I looked at them and I had them vetted. And she was a beauty.”

Out of Saratoga Summer (Smart Strike), the gray filly is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Summersault (Rock Hard Ten).

“She's a very elegant filly with a lot of Tapit about her,” Ryan said. “Of course you hear it all the time, but I thought her breeze was exceptional; :10 1/5, but she did it at a gallop. The ease with which she did it was impressive.”

Ryan continued, “We'll give her a little freshening and get her ready and send her to the racetrack in six weeks or so and hope to see her in the fall.”

The filly was consigned by Silvestre Chavez on behalf of David Davila's Backstretch Farms, which purchased her for $115,000 as a weanling at the 2019 Keeneland November sale.

“David Davila gave me a chance to be part of this filly as a deal and of all three horses he gave me, this was by far the best. I appreciate that he gave me this opportunity. She's spectacular, she's going to be a nice, nice filly.”

Chavez continued, “When the filly came to me she was green broke. She was a little backwards, she was going through a growing stage. But coming into the sale, she was working really well on the dirt and she loved the polytrack here. She just glided over it.”

Chavez, who works with his brother Alex, started his consignment last year after spending time learning the business with Niall Brennan and Tony Everard.

“I worked for Niall Brennan–I learned from the best in Niall,” Chavez said. “When I left, he gave me a few clients. He and Tony Everard–I worked for him back in the day–are the best. Another guy who helped put me on the map was Steve Weston of Parkland Thoroughbreds. He's the one who got me started and gave me the big chance to go on my own. ”

Chavez, who is based at the Ocala Horse Complex, continued, “Last year I went out on my own. I had over 100 horses in training on my own this year. It's all about team, if you don't have good help, it's not going to happen.”

Gonzalez Gets His Quality Road
Mickey Gonzalez had already had one chance to acquire a colt by Quality Road out of a stakes-winning mare he had once co-owned, but he made the most of his second chance to take home the bay for $400,000 Friday in Ocala. The juvenile (hip 816) was consigned by de Meric Sales on behalf of breeder Bridlewood Farm.

“I made a private offer of $200,000 for him and they countered at $250,000 and I said no,” Gonzalez said with a rueful laugh. “But I saw the video of him breezing and–I live five minutes from here–and I just decided to come in and buy the horse. I just got in a half-hour ago.”

Gonzalez's M Racing was a partner on the colt's dam, Surfside Tiara (Scat Daddy), who won the 2015 Anoakia S. before selling for $675,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. The mare subsequently sold to Bridlewood Farm, with this Quality Road colt in utero, for $575,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale.

The bay colt, from the family of Air Force Blue, was making his second trip through the sales ring this year. He RNA'd for $400,000 following a :10 flat work at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. He came back to work a quarter in :20 4/5 last week at OBS.

“The horse worked like a real horse in Miami, but it was a tough market there,” said Bridlewood General Manager George Isaacs. “I was a little nervous coming into the sale today. We had solid vettings, but my reserve was a lot more conservative than $400,000. We are very pleased with that price.”

Isaacs continued “The horse has never turned a hair. He's been to two sales and put up two really good works and vetted clean both times. He looks like he was chiseled out of granite. He looks like he's ready to run tomorrow.”

Gonzalez has about 15 horses in training split between Wesley Ward, John Sadler and Peter Miller. He said Sadler will train his newest acquisition.

Tonalist Filly Returns to Evans
When the pandemic shut down racing last year, Robert 'Shel' Evans decided to sell the majority of his yearling crop. One of the casualties of the sell-off was a filly by Evans's Tonalist out of Rapid Rhythm (Successful Appeal) who sold for $25,000 to bloodstock agent Michael Hernon at the Keeneland September sale. The filly blossomed through the spring and, with an eye towards promoting Tonalist, Evans purchased the filly (hip 683) back for $250,000 Friday in Ocala.

Evans's longtime advisor Patrick Lawley-Wakelin flew into Ocala to make the winning bid to acquire the filly from Scott Kintz's Six K's Training and Sales.

“We bought Rapid Rhythm, who was a very fast, almost a come-from-behind sprinter by Successful Appeal and we determined she would be the ideal kind of mare for Tonalist. So we bought her specifically for Tonalist,” Lawley-Wakelin said. “This was her first foal. And she was always a big, scopey filly. She was very clean through her knees with a beautiful face. Shel decided during the pandemic to sell the majority, if not all of his yearlings. I can't remember which book she was in, but it was in one of the later books. Michael Hernon stepped in and bought her.”

Of the filly's yearling price tag, Lawley-Wakelin admitted, “I was truly upset by how little money she fetched.”

Tonalist was represented by his first Grade I winner when Country Grammar took the GI Hollywood Gold Cup last month and his daughter drew plenty of interest at OBS.

“I have a great rapport with Scott Kintz,” Lawley-Wakelin said. “Scott was telling me, 'We love this filly and she's done nothing but improved.' And then of course she went and worked here in :10 2/5 and she galloped out in :46 1/5. I said to Shel at that point, 'We've got a problem.' He asked what I thought. We are still promoting Tonalist–he's had a great month–so for me, she is the ideal type that you want for Tonalist. She's got a great temperament and she vetted clean. So Shel said, 'You better get on the plane.'”

The result was another success for Hernon's fledgling bloodstock agency.

“She was immediately impressive,” Hernon said of the filly's appeal last year. “She was just real class. She stood up, she was proud of herself. She moved extremely well. I looked at her twice and the second time it was just a replica of the first time. I thought she was very composed with a big eye, a kind, genuine filly. And it's the same cross that produced [GI Belmont S. winner] Tapwrit [Tapit], being out of a quality Successful Appeal mare.”

Hernon continued, “At the time when I bought her, I still had a few bids left in my back pocket. So I was delighted to get her for that price.”

Hernon, who during his time at Gainesway was pivotal to the success of Tapit, continued to reap rewards with this filly by a son of the super sire.

“It means everything,” Hernon said of his association with Tapit's legacy. “He's just an amazing horse. I was sitting at home watching John Henderson's Thoroughbred Week show and I saw him win in the Laurel Futurity and I realized I had goosebumps up and down my arms. That's when I first got on him. So it's all interwoven and the story continues to write itself.”

Empire Maker Filly a Score for Navas
Jonathan Navas's Navas Equine, in just its second year of operation, recorded its highest result to date when selling a filly by Empire Maker (hip 791) for $260,000 to D. J. Stable Friday in Ocala. The filly, bred by Gainesway, is out of Starlight Tiara (More Than Ready) and is a half-sister to stakes winner Surfside Tiara (Scat Daddy), whose Quality Road colt sold for $400,000 during Friday's session.

Navas purchased the filly for $5,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

“She was not developed at that time, but with patience and a lot of work, I was fortunate enough just to get her to this point,” Navas said. “She always trained very good for me at the farm and she has a good family and good updates with her siblings. And she did her job at the breeze show and I am just fortunate she did everything right.”

Of his career high sale, Navas said, “It was amazing. I am very happy. We are looking forward to do more.”

Fortuitous Find Takes Dunne to Ascot
Pinhooker Ciaran Dunne will trade in his Arsenal baseball cap for a top hat next week when the 2-year-old filly Artos (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) goes postward in the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot. He calls his involvement with the filly, co-owned with wife Amy and partners Pat and Phyllis Harlow, John and Jean Wilkinson and Brenda and David Miley, “just pure blind luck.”

“We had bought some yearlings in France and they had gone to Mark Gittins in Ireland to get ready for a 2-year-old sale,” Dunne explained. “So when [daughter] Caitlin and I went back there in October to see the yearlings, by chance they were bringing the foals in out of the field. Mark was telling us who they all were. And he told us the Kodiac filly was out of a half-sister [Shimmering Moment] to Leinster. So we probably had a little bit of an attachment there.”

Leinster (Majestic Warrior) is a horse Dunne knows well. He purchased the bay for $85,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton July sale on behalf of Wilkinson and Miley's pinhooking partnership. When he failed to sell the following spring, the partners put him in training. Leinster is now a four-time graded stakes winner and was third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

“Mark said she was going through the foal sale in December, but I had half-forgotten about her,” Dunne recalled of Artos. “Over Thanksgiving, with nothing much left to do, I wondered what she had brought. I looked her up and she was selling the next day. So I called Kerri Radcliffe and had her look at her for me and got her vetted. It was pure sentimentality. We bought her and brought her home. Two of the couples that are involved in Leinster came in and took a piece and another friend of ours who has never owned a horse before, the Harlows, took a leg. So we split her up four ways like Leinster. Jokingly at the time, we said, 'We'll win at Keeneland and then take her to Ascot.' Never really thinking we had a chance.”

Of the Harlows first involvement in the industry, Dunne said, “Pat plays golf with us all the time and I think he got sick of hearing David and John talk about Leinster all the time. They have show jumpers and had been on the fence about it. This just seemed like a good opportunity.”

Artos joined trainer Rusty Arnold's string in Florida over the winter.

“Rusty took her to Palm Meadows in February and she's done everything right,” Dunne said.

Artos opened her career with a runner-up effort–beaten six lengths–Apr. 22 at Keeneland.

“She ran a really good second at Keeneland,” Dunne said. “She got left in the gate and ran through the rest of them, but never got close to Wesley [Ward]'s filly. But we kind of thought at the time, if she had broke a little bit better, not that she would have won, but that she would have had more say in it. And Rusty thought she was only 75-80% at the time.”

After that effort Dunne admitted, “I wanted to go straight to Ascot, but Rusty was a little more realistic. He insisted on running her at Churchill. There was a part of me that was afraid she might get beat and we couldn't go. But it was the right thing to do.”

Artos produced a memorable second start at Churchill Downs May 21. The Irish-bred carved out an opening quarter in :22.74, but approaching the quarter pole, she appeared to be going backwards only to re-rally with an eye-catching late move to just get up to graduate by a nose (video).

“It was bizarre,” Dunne said of the race. “I didn't see it live. Caitlin and Amy told me, 'You've got to watch this race, it's unbelievable.' People say stuff like that all the time and you think, 'Yeah, I'm sure it is.' I was sitting at home watching it and thinking what are they talking about. And then wow. She is very game.”

All indications are that Artos is doing well ahead of her tilt at Royal Ascot next week.

“Rusty thinks she's better now than she's ever been,” Dunne said. “She is better than she was at Churchill. She shipped really well. Kerri Radcliffe has her over there at Jane Chapple-Hyam's barn and she's keeping an eye on her. Brendan Walsh was kind enough to allow us to use his rider because with COVID it's all very difficult. We're obviously a fish out of water. But we are there, so it will be fun.”

The post Record-Setting June Sale Concludes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post