by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm
OCALA, FL – It was mid-morning Wednesday when Kerri Radcliffe made the first seven-figure purchase of the day, going to $1.05 million for a son of Nyquist, and, by the time the bloodstock agent made a session-topping bid of $1.45 million for a colt by Gun Runner just three hips from the end of the day, a total of six juveniles had sold for seven figures during the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Wednesday. Through two sessions of the auction, seven 2-year-olds have sold for $1 million or more, smashing the previous Spring record of five to hit that mark with a full two days of selling to come.
Asked to describe the day, OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said succinctly, “Wow.”
He continued, “It was a great day. It was a lot of fun. I said before the sale started that I am always amazed that the consignors continuously up the quality of the horses that they bring. I think that was in evidence today having six horses bring $1 million or more.”
At the halfway point of the four-day auction, 325 horses have sold for $46,393,500. The average of $142,749 is down just slightly from last year's corresponding figure of $143,298, while the median of $60,000 is down 25% from last year's midway figure of $80,000.
OBS Day Two | OBS VidHorse Photo
“It's the same cliche,” Steve Venosa, who consigned the session topper under his SGV Thoroughbreds banner, said. “The ones they want, they find and they pay for, and the rest struggle. So we just try to come over here with a good product and hopefully other people realize that as well and we get rewarded for our effort.”
From a catalogue of 604, 406 juveniles have gone through the sales ring with 81 failing to meet their reserves for a buy-back rate of 20%.
Through two days, 19 juveniles have sold for $500,000 or more, compared to 13 a year ago.
Mahmud Mouni, who signed for two of the six million-dollar babies Wednesday, is the leading buyer at the sale so far, with three head purchased for $2.69 million.
Through two sessions, de Meric Sales is the leading consignor with 16 sold for $4.19 million.
The OBS Spring sale continues through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10:30 a.m. ET.
With Pair of Million-Dollar Babies, Radcliffe Gets the Memo
Kerri Radcliffe helped get the parade of seven-figure juveniles started early in Wednesday's second session of the OBS Spring sale when she bid $1.05 million to acquire a colt by Nyquist (hip 378) from the Harris Training Center consignment and the bloodstock agent was still at it late in the day, making a session-topping $1.45 million bid to secure a son of Gun Runner (hip 601) from Steve Venosa's SGV Thoroughbreds consignment. Both were purchased on behalf of the newly formed American-based partnership Memo Racing.
Hip 378 | OBS VidHorse Photo
“He's a Gun Runner,” Radcliffe said of the session topper's appeal. “It's hard to get away from that. He was a gorgeous horse who breezed really well. Physically, he is lovely. He is going to take a bit more time probably than the Nyquist, but we came here to buy nice colts. And we got two. We got outbid on the [$1.3-million] Yaupon, which I loved, but we got two out of three. So it's not bad.”
The colt, bred by Capital Bloodstock, is out of Vanquished (Empire Maker) and is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Takeover Target (Harlan's Holiday). He RNA'd for $475,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.
Of the session-topping result, Venosa said, “You never know any time you lead one up here, a horse like that with a stallion's pedigree and a Breeders' Cup horse under the first dam. He came up here and did everything he needed to do on the racetrack and showed well all week. I have a great team behind me that was able to help me get him here. And he was rewarded for his effort today. He went to a person who has a great eye for a horse. We are happy all the way around.”
$1.4-Million Into Mischief Colt to Tagermeen Racing
Mahmud Mouni purchased two seven-figure juveniles from Raul Reyes's Kings Equine consignment during Wednesday's second session of the OBS Spring sale, first going to $1.4 million to acquire a colt by Into Mischief (hip 416) and later in the session making a $1.05-million bid to secure a daughter of Tiz the Law (hip 578). The purchases were made on behalf of the newly formed Tagermeen Racing partnership.
Mouni admitted he had missed out on the record-setting colt who topped the OBS March sale, but the Libyan bloodstock agent was determined to get his horse this time, going to $1.4 million to acquire the son of Into Mischief.
Hip 416 | OBS VidHorse Photo
“I was specifically focused on buying this one,” Mouni said after signing the ticket on hip 416. “I was unlucky at the last sale with the $3-million Gun Runner colt, so I came specifically to get this horse. We are happy to get him.”
The colt, who worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5, is out of Silk Route (Empire Maker) and is a full-brother to unbeaten multiple stakes winner Taraz.
“We haven't decided on a trainer yet,” Mouni said. “We will see. The horse was purchased by a syndicate of three people. Some of them are in England, but all from the Middle East. All of the horses that we purchase in the future will be purchased under this name. Each one has a share and maybe more owners will come in in the future.”
Bidding for the same partnership, Mouni purchased another colt by Into Mischief (hip 855) for $450,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.
“Maybe two or three horses. Maybe this is the last one,” Mouni said when asked how many horses the group might be looking to buy. “As you know, this is very competitive.”
The $1.4-million juvenile was consigned by Raul Reyes's Kings Equine on behalf of his breeders, Scott and Evan Dilworth and Randy Andrews. The Dilworths purchased Silk Route for $175,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November sale, some nine months after running second to her daughter Taraz with O Seraphina (Congrats) in the 2020 Martha Washington Stakes.
“We had a great plan that worked out perfectly,” Scott Dilworth said. “We ran second to Taraz in the Martha Washington down at Oaklawn. My partner Randy fell in love with Taraz and then when we found out that the mamma was for sale at Keeneland, we bought her, saying we are going to breed to Into Mischief and we are going to get one just like her. And it worked out perfectly.”
The mare's Into Mischief colt failed to meet his reserve at $375,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale last August.
“He just wasn't ready,” Dilworth said of that result. “He was ready today. He has just grown into himself and just made a nice horse. We have always been on the bubble about keeping him ourselves or selling him. [But with a $1.4-million price tag] that's pretty easy. You don't come back from that.”
Mouni had already acquired the juvenile's dam, paying $10,000 for Silk Route, in foal to Maximus Mischief, at last year's Keeneland November sale. The mare was exported to Libya.
Late in the day, Mouni went back to the Kings Equine consignment to acquire a filly by Tiz the Law for $1.05 million. The juvenile is out of stakes winner Tulsa Queen (Cactus Ridge).
With the pair of million-dollar juveniles, Reyes was jubilant while accepting congratulations all the way from the sales pavilion back to his barn.
“It feels great,” Reyes said. “I had a bad year last year and I worked hard this year to be where I am.”
Of the two results, Reyes admitted, 'It didn't surprise me. The filly worked fantastic. And the colt, he was so popular.”
Also Wednesday in Ocala, Mouni purchased a colt by Charlatan (hip 305) for $240,000. @JessMartiniTDN
Career Score for Sanchez Family
Leonardo Sanchez, who has been pinhooking for 10 years, had his biggest score to date Wednesday when selling a filly by Tiz The Law (hip 578) for $1.05 million to Mahmud Mouni. Sanchez had purchased the filly for $70,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.
Leonardo and Gerardo Sanchez (Hip 578) | Stefanie Grimm
“He was a very strong, correct horse and we liked his sire,” Sanchez said of the colt's appeal. “Tiz the Law is very hot right now. And the mother's pedigree was very good. It looks like we might the right decision.”
Sanchez and his son Gerardo, who will pinhook a dozen horses this year, prepared the colt at the Oak Ridge Training Center.
Asked what it was like to watch the colt bring seven figures in the sales ring Wednesday, Sanchez had one word. “Incredible,” he said.
The younger Sanchez added, “It's the realization of a dream that we've had for 10 years, since we started doing this. It's the fruit of all the hard work that we have done. My grandfather is not with us anymore, but my dad and I love horses and it's always been something that unites us. It's amazing. And it's a tribute to the team that we have built here.”
As for the father-son team's plan for the upcoming yearling sales, “We will keep trying. We will keep trying very hard to achieve once more this dream that we had today.” @JessMartiniTDN
K S I Adds Yaupon Colt for $1.3m
K S I and trainer Steve Asmussen went to $1,300,000 late in the day Wednesday to secure a son of first-crop stallion Yaupon (hip 585). Consigned by de Meric Sales, the colt worked his eighth in :9 4.5.
“You walk up on him and he has so many characteristics of his dad temperament wise,” Asmussen said. “We went back and looked at him multiple time and I liked him more every time I saw him. Obviously, we paid more than retail for him but we loved who he is compared to a lot of other good horses.”
Purchased as a yearling by de Meric for $275,000 at FTKJUL, the colt is out of a full-sister to GISW Stormy Lucy (Stormy Atlantic) and to the dam of GSW Big Runner (Stormy Atlantic). Twitterpated sold for just $10,000 at KEEJAN in 2021 and this Yaupon colt is her first foal.
Kaleem Shah shakes hands with Tristan de Meric | OBS VidHorse Photo
“It seemed like the stars were definitely aligning for the horse,” said Tristan de Meric of the pinhook. “He is a special horse and definitely one we had high expectations for. I'm very happy with the result, we're tickled to death. Best of luck to Kaleem and Steve. We're just lucky to be in the right place at the right time and have a horse like him.”
Asmussen was willing to risk the high price on the reward potential of the horse.
“Of course you would have been more comfortable getting him for less but the question was, do you think he's the right horse,” he said. “And I believe that he is.”
The result continued a strong run for Spendthrift stallion Yaupon who now has five six-figure horses in addition to this get.
“I'm unbelievably excited (about the Yaupon's) because they look as athletic as he was,” Asmussen continued. “And obviously at the training sales, they're showing the same sort of speed that he did. What is comforting for me is the first time I ever saw Yaupon, was working at an in training sale so it's easy to recollect that's what your dad looked like, and it worked out beautifully for us.” @SGrimmTDN
Tiz the Law Colt to Zedan for $1.15m
One month after striking a sales-topping $3 million dollar-bid for a Gun Runner colt at OBS March, Amr Zedan went to $1,150,000 to secure a colt from the second crop of GI Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law (hip 508). Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, the colt breezed a quarter in :20 3/5.
“He had a great work and came back really good,” said agent Donato Lanni who signed the ticket on Zedan's behalf. “[He] vetted really good. We're really happy with him. He was a horse who [Zedan] really wanted to bring home with him.”
Donato Lanni | OBS VidHorse Photo
Out of a winning mare, the colt is a half to stakes winner Let My People Go (Pioneerof the Nile) and to GSP Der Lu (Orb). Another half-sister, Smartly Agree (Smart Strike), was also stakes placed and produced MSP Towhead (Malbu Moon). Second dam, GISW Dream of Summer, is responsible for GISW and sire Creative Cause (Giant's Causeway), MGSW/GISP Destin (Giant's Causeway) and GISW Vexatious (Giant's Causeway).
“It's a deep family,” Lanni continued. “He's a cool dude. Real quiet and really, really fast.”
Wednesday was the colt's second trip through the ring having brought $150,000 when selling to McCrocklin as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale last summer.
Of the price, Lanni said, “Looking at what the other ones brought, he was certainly one of the top colts. It's hard to separate them all but this is the one we gravitated to. The other ones were nice as well.” –@SGrimmTDN
'Man Among Boys:' Nyquist Colt Brings $1.05 Million
Hip 378 bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, is out of Saucy Dame (Distorted Humor), who is a daughter of Storm Beauty (Storm Cat) and a half-sister to graded winner Buffum (Bernardini).
“He was just gorgeous,” Radcliffe said of the colt. “Pure class, by a great stallion, Nyquist, out of a Distorted Humor mare. Bred by Stonestreet, which it doesn't get much better than that. As they say, he ticked all the boxes.”
Hip 378 was consigned by Harris Training Center and had been purchased by Robbie Harris and Eric Sparks for $135,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.
“We loved him,” Harris said of the colt. “I was ecstatic to get the horse. The stallion has done so well, he had a winner at Keeneland last week. And this colt was a man among boys at my farm. I break 100 head a year and you'd know where he was at any time on the track.”
Of the colt's seven-figure price tag, Harris said, “I had a $249,000 reserve on him, but I knew he was going to sell well. People were telling me there was a lot of chatter about him that he was one of the top-end colts. Glad it worked out. This felt pretty good.”
Radcliffe's acquisitions on behalf of Memo also include a €190,000 daughter of Starspangledbanner (Aus) purchased at the Goffs October sale last year.
“It's a new fund that we put together,” Radcliffe said of Memo Racing. “It's American-based, but we also have a filly in U.K. that we just bought. This horse will stay here. Don't know about a trainer yet.” @JessMartiniTDN
Nothing But Net: Next Level Thoroughbreds Finds Success with First Consignment
In his very first consignment, Abraham Gardea's Next Level Thoroughbreds pinhooked a colt from the first crop of the Uncle Mo stallion Galilean (hip 356) for $250,000 during Wednesday's second session of the OBS Spring Sale. The colt was making his third trip through the OBS ring having sold first for $15,000 at the Winter Mixed Sale and then $24,000 post-sale at the OBS Yearling Sale in October.
“I was working right across the barn from where he was [last year]”, said Gardea. “And I liked the way he looked. After seeing him walk through the ring, I called my owner right away because he was an RNA. I told him we had a nice opportunity to buy a horse so we got it done.”
The colt is out of a successful producer in Royale Michele who won the GII Barbara Fritchie Handicap on the track and has produced seven winners from nine to race in her broodmare career including Royale Paradise (Unbridled's Song), herself the dam of both GSP Queen of Thorns (Violence) and SW Bano Solo (Ghostzapper).
“I had an owner who trusted me,” Gardea said of opening his first consignment. “Feeling really happy now, really excited.”
The Florida-bred worked his furlong in the sale's co-fastest time of :9 4/5.
“He prepped really well,” Gardea continued. “He's been working good all year for us.”
Of the six-figure winning bid, Gardea admitted he was pleasantly surprised.
“I was kind of worried actually,” he said. “Just because of the way the market is. But it's very exciting.”
Next Level Thoroughbreds has one other hip who will sell late in the day during the third session Thursday and Gardea has no intention of stopping there.
“We're going to hopefully go up to Kentucky this year [for yearlings] to bring back to [OBS] March next year,” he said. –@SGrimmTDN
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