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$2.2-Million Gun Runner Colt Powers Day Three as OBS Spring Sale Stays the Course

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis

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.

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Consignors Talk First-Crop Sires Ahead of 2-Year-Old Sales

As the calendar inches inexorably towards March and a spring-long series of 2-year-olds in training sales, consignors are putting the finishing touches on juveniles heading to auction, paying particular attention to youngsters representing their stallions first crop to hit the track. The TDN is reaching out to consignors with 2-year-olds heading to the sales rings at OBS and Gulfstream Park next month to find out which freshman sires have impressed them.

EDDIE WOODS

Prolific consignor Eddie Woods has 24 juveniles catalogued for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which will be held Mar. 16 and 17, and a further 17 head catalogued for the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale, which will be held Mar. 31.

“The Gormleys are very nice,” Woods said when asked which freshman sires had impressed him. “They are quick, agile horses. They look like they will be pretty precocious and early.”

Winner of the 2017 GI Santa Anita Derby, Gormley (Malibu Moon–Race to Urga, by Bernstein) stands at Spendthrift Farm for a 2021 stud fee of $5,000.

Woods will offer a pair of 2-year-olds by Gormley at the OBS March sale (hip 371 and hip 531).

Practical Joke (Into Mischief–Mystic City, by City Zip) has been much-hyped in Ocala this winter. Woods will offer a colt by the multiple Grade I winner–who stands at Ashford Stud for a fee of $22,500 this year–at OBS March (hip 113).

“The Practical Jokes are the talk of the town,” Woods said. “I have some of them and they are quite nice. Most of them–apart from one–all look the same. They lean towards that Into Mischief-ey thing–bay horses with white stripes down their faces and a white sock here and there and that kind of build to them. And they've trained well.”

Of the other 2-year-olds by freshman sires at his Ocala farm, Woods continued, “The Connects (hip 164 and hip 530) are nice. I don't think they are the first few months of the racing year, but they will be nice horses at the end of the day. They are good movers. And the Masterys are (hip 513) nice horses, too.”

Connect (Curlin–Bullville Belle, by Holy Bull), winner of the GI Cigar Mile, stands at Lane's End for a 2021 fee of $15,000. Grade I winner Mastery (Candy Ride {Arg}–Steady Course, by Old Trieste) stands at Claiborne Farm for $25,000.

Woods will offer a son of 2-year-old champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile–Just Parker, by Forest Camp) (hip 142).

“The Classic Empire is very smooth, he's a beautiful horse,” Woods said. “He's a very likable horse and a good mover.”

While he doesn't have many to sell, Woods said he has been impressed by the first crop by champion Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}–Quiet Giant, by Giant's Causeway), who stands at Three Chimneys Farm for $50,000.

“I think I might have only one going to a sale, but the Gun Runners have come around really well and they act like nice horses,” Woods said. “They have a lot of class and a lot of scope. The thing I like the best about them is how much they've changed since the Fall. We're heading into the spring and it's like night and day on some of them. They've strengthened up, gotten stronger across their backs and they train really well. And they are just good, solid horses. They are all mentally stars and they act like nice horses. I was a little negative on him at the yearling sales because of their back ends, but I'm liking them quite a bit right now.”

The 2020 juvenile sales season, which had only just begun when the pandemic caused mass lockdowns across the globe, suffered through a series of cancellations and postponements, but Woods said he sees positive signs ahead of the 2021 auctions.

“I think the vibe is pretty good right now,” Woods said. “The farm visitations are pretty lively and plentiful. We are in a different mindset than last year. We went to the sale in March last where the bomb had just got dropped and not knowing where we were at. We were fortunate the sale went well and after that, it was just a very much hang-on-to-your-britches kind of year. This year, we kind of believe we know where we are at. Our sales are going to go on and things are more positive. And hence, everything is more positive. If you look at the breeding stock sales in the early part of the year, they were very, very good for what they are. So everything is in a really positive mode and we've got that feeling here on the farm with the phone calls and the people wanting to come look at the horses. So hopefully, it continues on to the sales. It will probably be the same as ever, all top end, but at least there will be people there for that.”

You can count Gene Recio among the consignors excited about the first 2-year-olds by Practical Joke, who won the GI Champagne S. and GI Hopeful S. at two and added the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at three. Recio will offer a colt by the Ashford stallion at the Gulfstream sale (hip 106).

“I have two Practical Jokes,” Recio said. “One of them is going to OBS April, a filly, and I have a colt out of Do the Dance (Discreet Cat) going to Fasig-Tipton Miami. They were both really good movers and very, very forward horses from the get-go. Even before we breezed, they galloped like they had a purpose, like they were going somewhere. So he's my pick right now for the earlier type horses and the Saratoga-type maiden special weight type horses. Both the ones I have are medium-sized, strong, very good moving and, touch wood, they have been very sound thus far.”

Recio has a pair of colts by American Freedom (Pulpit–Gottcha Last, by Pleasant Tap) (hip 58 and hip 446) among the 17 head he has catalogued for the OBS March sale.

“The American Freedoms are beautifully made horses,” Recio said. “I have two of those and both are really well-made. They both have great attitudes. He is by Pulpit and they seem to both have a lot of energy–a lot of good energy, the kind that wants to go out and go to work every day. Physically, they are just well balanced, bigger-than-average sized horses, with very pretty necks and good hips and good shoulders. They are kind of the shape that everybody seems to like.”

Winner of the 2016 GIII Iowa Derby, American Freedom stands at Airdrie Stud for a 2021 fee of $6,000.

At the Gulfstream sale, Recio will offer a colt from the first crop of Mohaymen (Tapit–Justwhistledixie, by Dixie Union) (hip 75).

“I have only one by Mohaymen, but if he is any indication of what the Mohaymens are like, I wish I had a whole barn full of them,” Recio said. “He's a big, scopey horse with a very pretty neck on him and as good a mover as I have. And he's very good-minded for a Tapit bloodline.”

Winner of the 2016 GII Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth S. and GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S., as well as a pair of graded wins at two, Mohaymen stands at Shadwell Farm at a fee of $7,500.

Asked about his expectations ahead of the 2-year-old sales, Recio said, “Same old story. I think if you jump through all the hoops–you breeze fast, vet clean and look good at the end of the shank–you'll do extremely well. If you don't, it's sometimes hit or miss in those areas.”

SUSAN MONTANYE (SBM Training and Sales)

Susan Montanye's SBM Training and Sales has a small but select group of juveniles by freshman sires heading to the auctions this spring.

“They are all going to the select sales, so I love them all,” Montanye said of the group. “I've told everyone who has called about them.”

Among SBM's offerings next month is a colt by Gormley (hip 44) and the operation has a second colt waiting in the wings for a later sale.

“I have one mare, and I'm going to breed her to Gormley, because of what I've seen and you can get to him fairly inexpensively,” Montanye said. “I have two of them–one I am taking to Miami and the other one I'm taking to April or Maryland, they just wanted a little more time with him. But they are both very, very nice. I think there is a lot of Malibu Moon in them. Both are pretty good-minded colts. Neither one of them are going to be my bullet, my fastest that I have in my barn, but I think both of them are more than just sprinters. They are both fast, don't get me wrong, but I think they are horses that can stretch out.”

Montanye continued, “My Classic Empire and Arrogate are both double-nominated, however the Arrogate (hip 78) is 100% sure going to go to the Miami sale. He is a super, super nice horse. It's a shame that the sire is no longer around because I think he would have made one hell of sire, just based off of what I see.

“The Classic Empire (hip 77), I have one in my barn and I know of a couple others that are very nice,” she continued. “I do have him double-nominated and I don't know where I'm going to take him yet. He is cool as a cucumber. I breezed him myself the other day. I try to get on them all at least a couple of times throughout the year. I had not been on my Classic Empire yet until last Thursday when I breezed him. He was flat-footed, walked out there like an older horse. I asked him to work, he worked. I asked him to pull up, he pulled up. Walked him home, never got fired up. Just as quiet as a mouse.”

Montanye admitted there were still uncertainties in the marketplace, but also signs for optimism.

“I don't know what to expect, truthfully,” she said. “I've heard the Koreans won't buy or can't buy. That's going to be a big blow to the industry as a whole, I think. Because it's not just about what they buy, but it's a matter of what they drive up. As far as who is coming to buy and what the market looks like, I thought it was hard to buy yearlings. And if you look at the November and January sale on babies, I thought it was extremely solid. All you kept hearing was tough, tough, tough. I thought it would be an opportunity to buy, but it was tough.

“Last year, we had the shitty end of the stick,” she said. “This year, I think as a whole you do need to be on the upper end with a nicer horse. The middle market might take a hit. I hope not because I had horses I bought that I didn't pay a lot for for the middle market. So I sure hope there is a market for them. Now that the election is behind us, at least we can move forward from that, and the stock market seems to be doing well. Gas prices are coming up, so oil is going to be better. All of that in itself is a reflection of what the industry does. I hope everybody is ready to come buy, because we have some nice horses.”

DAVID SCANLON

David Scanlon will offer a colt by Practical Joke (hip 148) at the Gulfstream sale and has another youngster targeted at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in May.

“We've been really high on Practical Joke,” the consignor said. “There has been a good buzz on him around town. And we've got a couple going. We have one big, precocious colt going to the Miami sale that I'm very high on. And we've got another horse with Bruno DeBerdt, with our syndicate, that we've got going to Maryland that we are very high on. They have good hind legs and very strong bodies. They are built very tough, kind of rugged-looking and very precocious. Both horses look like they are going to be very quick and early. They have a strong build to them.”

Scanlon Training and Sales will offer a filly by Classic Empire (hip 72) at the Gulfstream sale.

“We have a couple of Classic Empires that I am very impressed with,” Scanlon said. “We have three of those that we will be selling. They are very elegant looking, very pretty horses. And they are also training very well and they seem very precocious, like they are going to be quick and early.”

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