Son of Smart Strike Tops Solid OBS Session

by Brian DiDonato and Steve Sherack

A $1.7-million son of Smart Strike led the way during a solid day of trade at the second and final day of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training Wednesday.

A total of 154 juveniles brought a combined $25,106,500, good for a session average of $163,029–a 2.8% rise from last year's second-session average of $158,513. The median was $100,000 both Wednesday and 12 months ago. The RNA rate for the session was 26.3%.

Cumulatively, 325 head changed hands for gross receipts of $51,650,000. The average was $158,923, down 6.8% from 2015; the median dropped by 4.8% from $105,000 to $100,000. The RNA percentage for the 2016 March sale was 25%. That figure will move closer to the last year's RNA rate of 23% after OBS records additional post-sale transactions.

Last year was the first OBS March sale to feature an expanded catalog.

“Overall, it was pretty solid–very similar to last year,” OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said. “There were certainly a couple of spots where there were minor dips, but given that we were coming off a record March sale last year, to be this close to it, I feel good about where the sale is and its footing in the marketplace.”

Despite the exact same number of horses selling in both 2015 and 2016, only 17 2-year-olds brought $500,000 or more at this year's sale–25 reached that mark last term. Two horses eclipsed the $1-million mark, compared to one in 2015.

Leading both the sale and session was hip 591, a Smart Strike colt purchased by Lane's End Bloodstock for $1.7 million. Eddie Woods, Agent XV consigned the colt, who was bred in Illinois by Brinker Hill Farm.

Lane's End Bloodstock was leading buyer with four head acquired for $2,910,000. Eddie Woods' operation led all consignors, selling 26 horses for $6,440,500.

“The good horses or even the very useful horses were strong the whole way through,” Woods said of the market. “The bottom end, I suppose, is a bit of a disaster as it should be really in this kind of marketplace. There aren't the people here for them–there wasn't and there's not going to be. Somebody has to be on the bottom in these sales and that's just the way it is. Unfortunately, we had some of them, too. It's not all champagne around here.”

OBS will hold its Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training from Apr. 19 to Apr. 22. Under-tack preview sessions will take place from Apr. 11 to Apr. 16.

“I think April is going to be a very good sale,” Wojciechowski said. “April has become its own animal and it's the something for everyone spot. The people who were shopping the high end here will be back for April, as well as a new influx of people that know they can find horses of an level.”

'Smart' Money Lands on OBSMAR Topper

Save the best for last. Hip 591, a stunning son of the late leading sire Smart Strike, topped the two-day OBS March Sale, bringing $1.7 million from the Farish family very late in Wednesday's final session.

Stonestreet Stable was among the underbidders. A son of Smart Strike, coincidently purchased by Barbara Banke's outfit, topped the 2013 OBS March Sale at $1.8 million.

“Pedigree–Mr. Farish had Smart Strike at Lane's End and we stood and developed his best son Curlin,” Lane's End Bloodstock's David Ingordo said of the topper's appeal out back while receiving a big pat on the back from consignor Eddie Woods. “So, it just made sense for us to go back and try to find a replacement for Smart Strike. This is one of the best Smart Strikes that you're going to find. He's got the body and he stood up to everything very well.”

Two-time champion sire Smart Strike passed away nearly a year to the date at the age of 23.

The Illinois-bred hip 591 is the first foal from the Unbridled's Song mare Glamorista, a three-time winner and third-place finisher in the 2012 GII A Gleam H. at Hollywood Park. Glamorista is a half-sister to MGISW Critical Eye (Dynaformer). The long-striding bay powerfully breezed through an eighth in a sparkling :9 4/5 at the under-tack show.

“He stood up to all the rigors of this, which is hard on a young horse,” Ingordo continued. “When we would go back and look at him at the barn, he's laying down like a puppy. He's got a great attitude–he's the kind that we need in the stallion barn. Mr. Farish will make that decision who will train. [He was purchased for Farish and a] group of his friends.”

Ingordo also signed the slip on the Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale topper, a $1.8-million Tapit colt on behalf of the Farish family's Woodford Racing and Robert La Penta.

“Like the Tapit we bought in Miami, these are rare horses that show up that are clean on X-rays, have beautiful pedigrees, match up physically, then perform,” Ingordo said. “The horse has proven that he can run. Now it's up to him how good he's going to be.” –@SteveSherackTDN

Eddie Woods 'Strikes' Again

Eddie Woods consigned the $1.7-million OBS March sale topper on behalf of breeder R.J. and Kelcey Roberts' Brinker Hill Farm.

Hip 591's dam Glamorista, campaigned by Thoroughbred Legends Racing Stable, brought $200,000 as a broodmare prospect from the Illinois-based operation at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. This is the 9-year-old's first foal.

“He's a mutual client of mine and Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck of Summerfield Sales,” Woods said of the topper's breeder. “That's how I ended up with the horse. He got scratched at [the Fasig-Tipton] Saratoga [Yearling Sale]. His pasterns were a bit long and had one thing or another. He just wasn't in the spot that he needed to be in at Saratoga. He had all the right parts and we evaluated him then for a 2-year-old sale and went on from there.”

Was Woods expecting those kind of late fireworks Wednesday?

“To think he was going to sell really well, yes,” Woods replied. “I thought he'd go north of a million, but I never thought he'd go where he went. His breeze was fantastic for a magnificent, big horse like that. He doesn't look like a horse who should go that quick. If you watch his video, he doesn't look like he's going that fast. He's such a long-striding colt, but he's so efficient and athletic. He's been like that from the first day we ever jogged him around the shedrow in the barn. I was bragging on him in November and December.”

Woods concluded, “Those really, really good horses have a presence about them that you can't develop or anything like that. They just have it. And he had it. I hope he goes on to be the good horse that we think he is.” –@SteveSherackTDN

A 'Sweet' Pinhook, to Say the Least, for Machmer Hall

For Machmer Hall's Carrie Brogden, a last-second decision last August turned into one of the biggest pinhooking scores of the OBS March sale. Brogden, who operates Machmer Hall Farm in Kentucky with husband Craig and mother Sandy Wilwerth and is also a partner in Select Sales, acquired hip 558 for just $50,000 as a weanling at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall sale.

Offered here by de Meric Sales, Agent XIX after training at Tristan and Valerie de Meric's Florida farm and earning the co-quarter-mile bullet of :20 2/5, the New York-bred brought $825,000 from Solis/Litt on behalf of the Roth family's LNJ Foxwoods to become the sale's priciest filly.

“I bought her as a weanling and I loved her,” recalled an understandably elated Brogden. “I had a great [2015 Fasig-Tipton] July sale, a great [Fasig-Tipton] Saratoga Select sale, and I flew back to Kentucky to put all the select New York-breds on the trailer. Everything was done… She walked past me to get on the van, and I thought to myself, 'What are you going to be able to get for a second-crop Twirling Candy yearling filly in the New York sale?' We stopped her, and I said, 'Put her back in her stall–she's not getting on the van.'”

Second-crop stallion Twirling Candy has been in the news plenty recently, thanks in part to 'TDN Rising Star' Danzing Candy's impressive GII San Felipe S. romp over the weekend and the sale of an $850,000 son of the Lane's End inmate to Al Shaqab Racing, WinStar Farm and the China Horse Club Tuesday.

“Valerie and Tristan [de Meric] had just bought their new farm–Valerie is one of my best friends, so I decided I needed to send them a horse, so I sent this one and one other,” Brogden noted.

Machmer Hall also co-owned a Malibu Moon colt who sold to Demi O'Byrne for $1.3 million here two years ago.

“I've had so much luck at the 2-year-old sales with horses that look like this,” Brogden said. “When she was on the farm, I knew she was all class, would do anything you'd want, never any trouble. That was thrilling.”

With help from agents Jason Litt and Alex Solis II, new major player LNJ Foxwoods has had plenty of racetrack success over the past couple of years (click here for a feature on LNJ Foxwoods), campaigning the likes of GI Frizette S. winner Nickname (Scat Daddy); GSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Super Majesty (Super Saver); MSW and GISP 'TDN Rising Star' Constellation (Bellamy Road); and Inheritance (Tapit), last year's $1.9-million OBS April topper who earned 'TDN Rising Star' status when breaking her maiden by 16 lengths at Belmont last October.

“That was a great filly,” Litt said. “She did everything right, and we are elated to have her.” –@BDiDonatoTDN

Baffert Flying High

Just before bee-lining to catch a flight home to Southern California, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert fought off all challengers to land a Giant's Causeway filly for $575,000 at the second day of the OBS March Sale.

Consigned by Crupi's New Castle Farm, agent, as Hip 543 the $375,000 KEESEP yearling purchase worked an eighth in :9 4/5 at the under-tack show. She is out an unplaced Empire Maker half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Forest Music (Unbridled's Song), who has gone on to produce 'TDN Rising Stars' Kentuckian (Tiznow) and Maclean's Music (Distorted Humor). The sidelined Kentuckian won the 2015 GIII Lazaro Barrera S. while the latter, a jaw-dropping winner of his lone career start, is represented by his first crop of 2-year-olds at Hill 'n' Dale Farms.

“She's a nice filly,” Baffert said of Hip 543 shortly after signing the slip. “I'm looking for some fillies… I've had some nice ones by Giant's Causeway–[three-time graded winner and WinStar stallion] Feb Biz. I wanted to bid on another one, but I got to get out of here for my flight. I got to get going.”

Standing alongside prominent owner Kaleem Shah near the wall inside the pavilion a little earlier in the session–Baffert landed a $475,000 son of Malibu Moon (Hip 413) from the McKathan Brothers draft.

“He's fast. And we're here to buy fast horses,” Baffert commented. “He worked fast and he looked very sound. That's half the battle right there. He's well-bred, too. The prices are a little bit inflated. You have to give a little extra.”

The $150,000 KEESEP yearling graduate, bred in Kentucky by Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate, sped through an eighth in :9 4/5 at the breeze show. Produced by a half-sister to MGSW and Spendthrift Farm freshman sire Dominus (Smart Strike), this is also the family of MGISW Honey Ryder (Lasting Approval). Baffert trained Shah's 'TDN Rising Star' and GISW Eden's Moon, who is also by the Spendthrift leading sire.

“It's like anything else in the world right now,” Baffert continued. “The top end is pretty strong. Everybody is here and it's always been that way. Everybody lands on the same horses and you've got to give a little bit more. The obvious ones are going to bring money. That's what it is. There are some nice, solid horses in here. If you don't buy 'em, then you're not going to have any horses to train. You have to adjust mentally to what's going on.”

During the two-day juvenile sale, Baffert also signed for Hip 31, a $435,000 Quality Road colt (Eddie Woods, Agent IX); and Hip 87, a $285,000 Ghostzapper colt (Eddie Woods, Agent IX). He added that ownership on all four of his OBSMAR purchases would be sorted out later.

“We've been picking our spots–hopefully they all turn out,” Baffert concluded. –@SteveSherackTDN

O'Neill Strikes Late for Speedy Colt

Agent Dennis O'Neill took home the final high-priced juvenile to sell during the OBS March sale, going to $550,000 Wednesday evening to pick up a son of Kantharos (hip 606) consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent I. The chestnut was one of three horses to breeze an eighth in :9 3/5 during last week's under-tack previews.

“I've been doing this a long time, and it was probably the fastest work I've ever seen,” O'Neill said. “Our clockers got him in :9 3/5 and out in :20 1/5 and galloping out in :31. You'd think he'd look like a Quarter Horse, but he's a nice, big, long, good-looking, athletic horse. So that really surprised us. We didn't really want to go that high, but sometimes I guess you have to.”

O'Neill has done so well in recent years shopping the 2-year-old sales primarily for J. Paul Reddam (click here for TDN Q&A), but revealed that while this purchase would be trained by his brother Doug, he would not carry Reddam's purple and white silks.

“It's a new partnership: Bill Strauss from California, Al Gold from New York and Sol Kumin,” O'Neill said. “It'll be those three, and we'll figure out how to split it up. They're all really excited.”

A $14,000 RNA as a weanling at OBS October, the Florida-bred was scooped up by Nick de Meric for $30,000 at last year's OBS August sale.

“[Trainer] Steve Asmussen would tell you that his daddy was a freak, and I think he's his daddy reincarnated,” de Meric, whose consignment led the day with 21 head bringing a combined $2,633,500, said. “There's no telling how good this colt can be. Kantharos himself had phenomenal speed, and this colt has inherited it. And I think this stallion is just coming of age. You're going to hear a lot more from him.”

Kantharos, a $250,000 purchase by Stonestreet Stables at this sale in 2010, was a 'TDN Rising Star' who won his three career tries by 28 1/2 lengths, including the GIII Bashford Manor S. and GII Saratoga Special S.

Called the “best value sire on the planet” by TDN columnist Bill Oppenheim (click here), the Ocala Stud resident has been represented this year by Dubai-bound X Y Jet, who earned his fourth-straight stakes success last month in the GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship. –@BDiDonatoTDN

The Next Acapulco for Coolmore?

The Coolmore contingent acquired a high-priced filly by their recently deceased stallion Scat Daddy for the second straight season when agent Jamie McCalmont, acting on behalf of Coolmore's M.V. Magnier, was stretched to $535,000 for hip 437. The half-sister to Grade I-winning juvenile filly Set Play (Van Nistelrooy) was offered by Crupi's New Castle Farm. A $110,000 KEENOV weanling and $435,000 KEESEP RNA, she breezed a furlong in a snappy :9 4/5.

“She's beautiful, isn't she?” said McCalmont, who signed for Coolmore for a $1-million Pioneerof the Nile filly at Fasig-Tipton Florida earlier this month. “She was the queen of the sale, I thought. You only had to see her in the ring to see how much class she had. The stallion has been a phenomenon. He'll be much-missed in the breeding business. She's a very nice horse.”

Scat Daddy passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in December at the age of 11. The Grade I winner at two and three had a banner year with his juveniles in 2015, as he was responsible for five graded stakes-winning babies, including GI Frizette S. heroine Nickname and the globe-trotting Acapulco.

Coolmore acquired the latter here last year for $750,000. Turned over to Wesley Ward, she earned her diploma emphatically in Royal Ascot's G2 Queen Mary S. before finishing second against older, open company in the G1 Nunthorpe S.

Ward also trained Royal Ascot course record-setter, French Group 1 winner and GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint runner-up No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) for Ice Wine Stables and the Coolmore contingent. No Nay Never stood his first breeding season at Coolmore Ireland last year.

McCalmont said it wasn't up to him as to who would train hip 437, but Ward was seated next to McCalmont and Coolmore's Charlie O'Connor during the bidding process.

As for the price paid, McCalmont added, “The market is a little down today, and last year you might have had to pay a bit more for her than that.” –@BDiDonatoTDN

Morse Gets Four for Durant

Trainer Randy Morse took some time away from his training duties at Oaklawn Park to pick up four juveniles on behalf of Texas-based owner Tom Durant Wednesday.

The conditioner first gave $300,000 for hip 322, an Adios Charlie filly who worked in a co-quickest :9 3/5. The dark bay was bred in Florida by consignor Ciaran Dunne of Wavertree Stables along with his wife Amy.

Morse went to the well again later in the day for hip 449, who also turned in a scorching :9 3/5 breeze last week. The son of City Zip cost just $40,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale from shrewd pinhooker Hal Hatch, but cost $585,000 Wednesday. Hip 449 was offered by Hatch Wednesday through his Halcycon Hammock Farm consignment.

“We were outbid on that [$475,000] Malibu Moon (hip 413) that Baffert got, but this is probably the best-looking City Zip I've ever seen,” Morse said when asked how his day had been going. “I thought his breeze was outstanding. Hopefully he can perform in the afternoon like he did for that eighth of a mile. Then we'll be in business.”

Despite how fast he worked, Morse think's hip 449 will be able to carry his speed.

“I don't think so–I've seen City Zips that can go long,” he replied when asked if he thought his newest purchase would excel over shorter distances. “He's got so much scope to him. He's not your typical City Zip–he's got more length to him. To my eye, anyway.”

Next on Morse's shopping list for Durant was hip 536, a Quality Road filly also offered by Wavertree, this time as Agent XXIV. The $140,000 KEESEP RNA worked in :9 4/5.

Morse finished his shopping spree with hip 562, a $510,000 Tapit colt consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent XXI. Purchased for $270,000 at Keeneland September by de Meric Stables, the

:21 2/5 breezer is the first foal out of the stakes-winning and GSP Filare l'Oro from the family of Grade I winners Stop Traffic and Cross Traffic. Hip 562 sold in utero for $410,000 to Don Alberto Corp. at KEENOV '13.

Morse trains the likes of Jan. 15 Dixie Belle S. runner-up Durango (First Samurai) for Durant. The sophomore filly was a $475,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic purchase last year.

Durant owns and operates Classic Chevrolet, the nation's leading GM dealership for 11 consecutive years, in Grapevine, Texas. –@BDiDonatoTDN

WinStar, CHC Back for 'More'

WinStar Farm and the China Horse Club continued their close association Wednesday at OBS when they partnered to acquire hip 359 for $425,000. Consigned to the sale by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent II, the dark bay son of More Than Ready covered a furlong in :10 1/5.

WinStar stands top international stallion More Than Ready in Kentucky, and shuttles him to Vinery Stud in Australia. Daredevil (More Than Ready), a very fast winner of the GI Champagne S. in the U.S., retired to WinStar for the 2016 breeding season. WinStar and Let's Go Stable co-own Daredevil.

“We just liked him a lot,” WinStar President and CEO Elliott Walden offered. “We have More Than Ready at home, and Daredevil is going to become a good sire, so More Than Ready is becoming a sire of sires. More Than Ready isn't getting any younger, so we're looking for good More Than Readys, and he looks like a good one.”

WinStar and China Horse Club joined forces with Al Shaqab Racing during Tuesday's first session to acquire an $850,000 Twirling Candy colt, and signed together for three additional juveniles, including a $535,000 Uncle Mo colt (hip 576) who was purchased for $85,000 at Keeneland September by consignor Hal Hatch.

Consignor Niall Brennan picked up hip 359 for $155,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“He's been a super nice colt, and I think he's a great representation for his sire–he's a really good More Than Ready,” Brennan said. “How could you not love that sire? He's been a tremendous sire. The thing that's just as appealing about this colt is that he's a dirt horse. He's trained like it all winter at home–he doesn't act like he's turf-leaning by any means. More Than Ready can get you either, but I think this horse will definitely run on dirt. He's out of a Street Sense mare… He was certainly one of our top colts this year, and I think they got a bargain buy.” –@BDiDonatoTDN

Plesa Shopping for More 'Luck' in Ocala

Veteran trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. was quite active as a buyer while remaining a bit under the radar during the two-day OBS March Sale, purchasing eight juveniles, as agent, for a total of $937,000. His average purchase price was $117,125.

“I'm looking for athletes and horses that have some pedigree,” said Plesa, who is based at Palm Meadows in Florida during the winter. “And horses that move well. Final times of works don't mean a whole lot [to me], other than jacking up the price. I don't avoid them if I like the horse and it works fast, but they'll probably be out of my price range.”

Plesa's OBSMAR receipts include:

• Hip 66, a colt by Uncle Mo-Lady Dynasty for $75,000 (:10.3), consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent XXXIII.

• Hip 177, a colt by High Cotton-Picturemewithroses for $40,000 (:10.2) consigned by Boutte Sales, Agent I.

• Hip 189, a colt by Girolamo-Prominent for $155,000 (:9.4*) consigned by Crupi's New Castle Farm, agent.

• Hip 193, a colt by Flatter-Quake Lake for $160,000 (:10.1) consigned by Eisaman Equine, agent.

• Hip 241, a colt by Forestry-Seek to Dance for $130,000 (:9.4) consigned by Eisaman Equine, agent.

• Hip 315, a colt by Candy Ride (Arg)-Tapajo for $42,000 (:10.1) consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent XXII.

“To me, it was a good sale,” Plesa said. “Needless to say, I bought seven [on the first day]. It was unusual. I would've never thought that I'd come out of here with that many.”

Plesa found millionaire Itsmyluckyday (Lawyer Ron) for Trilogy Stable and his wife Laurie at this same auction for a bargain $110,000 in 2012. The GI Woodward S. winner and GI Preakness S. runner-up was offered at OBSMAR by Eisaman Equine on behalf of bloodstock agent and popular TVG commentator Nick Hines. 'TDN Rising Star' and 2015 GIII Pegasus S. winner Mr. Jordan (Kantharos), also co-owned and trained by Plesa, was a $155,000 OBSAPR juvenile. Plesa has saddled north of 2,200 winners throughout his career, including the brilliant, ill-fated filly Three Ring (Notebook), heroine of the 1999 GI Acorn S.

“I've got a long-time partnership with [Mr. Jordan co-owners] David Melin and Leon Ellman and we'll continue doing that,” Plesa said when asked who he was buying for. “There's also a new client–Karl and Cathi Glassman–who are new to the business. I also bought one for them in the sale down in Miami for $250,000.

Plesa concluded, “Pretty much when I go to a sale, I don't freelance. I know what I have available to spend. And I've got people picked out to spend it for and that was the case [at OBS March]. –@SteveSherackTDN