Big Pinhook, Big Potential for ‘Pioneer’ Colt
Sophomore sire Pioneerof the Nile has been red-hot of late, concluding the Del Mar meet, by way of example, with three graded winners in the span of four days, including GI Del Mar Futurity winner American Pharaoh, the GII Del Mar Derby winner Midnight Storm, and the GIII Torrey Pines S. winner Jojo Warrior.
A nicely built son from the Empire Maker stallion’s third crop kept the momentum going yesterday at Keeneland, touching off a bidding duel that saw Alex Solis and partner Jason Litt outlast J.B. McKathan to $475,000. Paramount Sales consigned the son of Rhino Girl (Forest Camp), an unraced half to two stakes horses, as hip 1288.
The transaction was a big coup for the Paramount team, including co-owner Gabriel Duignan, who purchased the youngster for $90,000 last year at Keeneland November.
“He was a beautiful, beautiful horse, and pretty much everybody on the sales grounds was on him,” said Duignan. “When we got him he was a small foal, but everyday was a good day for him. He walked in here a beautiful horse. And Pioneerof the Nile–he couldn’t be any hotter, and that was a huge help. It was just one of those things that the whole package came together–the stallion, the physical, and his x-rays. There were a lot of people here who had money for him.”
Solis and Litt bought the colt for a partnership and will syndicate him. “It will probably be a similar partnership as Shared Belief and Mizdirection,” Solis said, referencing two Grade I winners that Solis/Litt Bloodstock purchased for clients that include the sports personality Jim Rome. “I’m sure Mr. Rome will be in,” said Solis. “A big client of mine in New York will probably be in. But nothing’s been finalized. We’re really glad to have him, though; he’s a really nice colt. He reminded me a lot of Cairo Prince, who I thought was going to win the Derby earlier in the year.”
It was Solis/Litt’s third purchase at September. They also acquired a colt by Harlan’s Holiday–Hot Attraction for $250,000; and a colt by Street Cry (Ire)–Mrs Kipling (Ire) for $200,000.
“It’s really strong for the good ones,” said Solis. “In the first book, there was value in spots, because certain horses were overlooked, but the good horses really stand out now, and if you have 20 sharp guys walking around who know what they’re doing, you’re going to pay for those. My over/under for this colt was $300,000-$500,000, so I thought that was a fair price for him.”
Solis provided an update for Shared Belief, a private acquisition who took his record to a perfect six-for-six with a dazzling win in the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 24 for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
“Shared Belief couldn’t be doing better,” said Solis. “Jerry’s really happy with him, and he’ll run on Sept. 27 in the GI Awesome Again [at Santa Anita], and that should be a great prep for the GI Breeders’ Cup [Classic]. We’ll have five weeks after that. It’s better for him to run, because he’s a lazy work horse. But in the afternoons, he’s a beast.”
There were questions how Shared Belief would handle the Pacific Classic’s 10 furlongs. Solis said he wasn’t immune to them.
“You always wonder, because he’s not the biggest horse in the world,” he said. “And when you run in 1:09 2/5 at Golden Gate, and then go down and win a graded stakes in Southern California going 7/8ths, I questioned whether he could be as good of a route horse as he was sprinting. You just don’t see horses that can sprint and route like that. It’s not normal. He’s just exceptional. But the Awesome Again is another test. He won going 1 1/4 miles on the Polytrack, but now he goes to a different [dirt] track. He won [on dirt] at Los Alamitos, but he’ll be facing better horses in the Awesome Again. If he can handle this, I’ll be pretty confident he’ll be tough in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He’s definitely done more than we ever expected, and we’re very lucky to be involved.” -LM