By Stefanie Grimm
Contrary Thinking (Into Mischief), who ran in a trio of Grade I races as a 5-year-old last year, has a new home as Amanda Gillman, acting on behalf of Lucky Hat Racing and Eric Bensussen, went to $130,000 to acquire him through the Fasig-Tipton May Digital Sale. Consigned by EliTE as agent for White Birch Farm, the gelding recently came off the bench at Belmont's Aqueduct meet Apr. 25.
“He's a lightly-raced 6-year-old with a 2X condition, which is rare to find,” Gillman said. “He's such a classy horse and has obviously run against some very nice horses in the form line.”
A winner on debut for powerhouse connections Peter Brant and Chad Brown, Contrary Thinking added a second win, this time in allowance company, last summer at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet in June before testing deep waters. Racing alongside stablemate Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), he came home ninth in the GI Whitney Stakes and sixth (via disqualification) in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup before finishing his 5-year-old campaign ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 1.
After a freshening through the spring, Contrary Thinking returned to the track at Aqueduct when he was just caught on the lead to finish third against allowance horses Apr. 25. That effort, over a muddy track and on a cutback to one mile, netted him a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
“[I] was very encouraged by his last effort,” Gillman said. “He still has some good races left in him and hopefully we can have fun the rest of the year with him. We'll get him in the barn and see how he settles in, get to know him and figure him out. Hopefully he'll race possibly at the Belmont at Saratoga weekend.”
A Stonestreet Farm-bred son of Into Mischief and out of GSW and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner up Valadorna, Contrary Thinking is a half-brother to GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby third Tuscan Gold (Medaglia d'Oro) and GI Arkansas Derby third Taptastic (Tapit). Valadorna herself is a half-sister to GISW and successful young sire Complexity (Maclean's Music).
Gillman, who has purchased horses previously via the Digital Sales, spoke to the platform's success.
“You can get all kinds of horses out of these types of sales,” she said. “It can be tough sometimes not being able to see [the horses], but you just try and do your due diligence looking at photos and videos. Fasig-Tipton does a great job of providing those and getting [the horses] vetted and everything. I'm a big fan. I think there's a lot of horses out there that possibly wouldn't be offered for sale [via a traditional sale] that do end up being offered successfully here.”
“[The platform] is very convenient to try and capitalize off of [a race] or move a horse at the best possible time for the owner.”
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