Porter 'Invades' 2-Year-Old Market

By Steve Sherack 

Sure, after selling a record $10-million broodmare prospect, successfully pinhooking a 2-year-old in training for $400,000 may not exactly feel like a score of a lifetime. But for owner Rick Porter's fledgling Pegasus Bridge venture, this is just the beginning. 

The Fox Hill Farm principal purchased 14 yearlings for a total of $1.975 million ($141,000 average price) under that banner–think World War II–at last year's Fasig-Tipton October Sale with the purpose of re-selling them as 2-year-olds. The operation hit the ground running when a son of Quality Road (Hip 146) from the Eddie Woods consignment brought $400,000 from Peter J. Fluor at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale earlier this month. He was acquired by Porter for $200,000 last fall. Woods is handling all the training and consigning duties. 

“We'll find out at the end of this whether I'll be trying it again,” Porter said with a laugh. “I've been pinhooking mares and have been very successful with the help of some good advisors, but this is my first time trying 2-year-olds. This is a little tougher, I think.” 

Two-time GI Kentucky Derby winning trainer and Hall of Famer Nick Zito took care of the scouting. Zito's long history of success in both selecting and training for owner Robert LaPenta has been well-documented. The honor roll includes Grade I winners Da' Tara (Tiznow), Dialed In (Mineshaft), Ice Box (Pulpit), The Cliff's Edge (Gulch) and champion War Pass (Cherokee Run). 

“I've known Nick [Zito] for a long time and I saw what he was doing for [Robert] LaPenta and I talked to him a lot about it,” Porter commented. “I just figured I'd take a shot with Nick and he picked out the horses.” 

Four of the Pegasus Bridge acquisitions from FTKOCT–all colts–will head to the ring at the upcoming OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The aforementioned Tiznow colt, consigned as Hip 239, worked a quarter in :21 4/5 at the breeze show. The $320,000 purchase was produced by an A.P. Indy winning full sister to Jump Start. He was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm. 

“We had a price range that we wanted to stay in and we were able to do that,” said Porter, the third generation of his family to run the Porter Automotive Group. “But we stepped up a little bit for the Tiznow colt, who is training pretty well. We hope that he does well.” 

Hip 124, a colt by Super Saver out of the stakes-placed Five Star Day mare Five Star Holding, worked a quarter in :21 2/5. He brought $200,000 as a FTKOCT yearling. 

Hip 381, an Elusive Quality colt that counts millionaire Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause) as his second dam, breezed a quarter in :21 3/5. The $210,000 purchase is the first foal out of the Street Cry (Ire) mare Royal Decree. 

Hip 576, a $100,000 FTKOCT graduate, was produced by GI Darley Alcibiades S. and GI Spinaway S. runner-up A to the Croft (Menifee). The Hard Spun colt covered an eighth in a sharp :10 1/5. 

Currently satisfied with his Fox Hill racing stable for the 2015 season, the Delaware native has also entered: 
• Hip 183, a colt by Summer Bird–Hawaiian Love; breezed a quarter mile in a bullet :20 4/5; and 
• Hip 479, a Harlan's Holiday half-brother to millionaire Rail Trip (Jump Start); covered an eighth in :10 2/5. 

Now, back to that aforementioned eight-figure mare. That was, of course, non other than Horse of the Year Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), who realized that amount from Mandy Pope at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. Other racemares that have starred in the ring for Porter include GI Breeders' Cup Distaff victress Round Pond (Awesome Again) ($5.75 million '07 FTKNOV); GI Santa Margarita S. heroine Joyful Victory (Tapit) ($2 million '13 FTKNOV); and MGISW Jostle (Brocco) ($1.7 million '01 KEENOV). 

“We'll see what happens,” Porter concluded. “The plan is to sell them all and not race any. The market's good, but speed means so much at these things. We'll find out later if I like it or not.”