For Immediate Release
When the Kentucky Derby (G1) transpires in a few weeks, bloodstock agent Gayle Van Leer said her allegiance will be with a beautiful gray son of Tapit who brought a seven-figure price on the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company grounds a year ago.
Inspired by the success of Grade 1 winner Sandman, Van Leer hopes to give her clients a similar result after going to $1 million to land another striking gray son of Tapit during the opening session of the bellwether OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training April 15.
Consigned by Top Line Sales as Hip 249, the Tapit colt was the lone horse to break the seven-figure barrier as the sale kicked off its four-day run. His page spoke itself as he is out of the multiple Grade 1 placed Dixieland Band mare Palacio de Amor and is a half brother to stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed Threefiveindia and multiple stakes winner Hero’s Amor.
Van Leer said she purchased the colt for a newly formed partnership that will likely be based on the West Coast.
“(The Tapit colt) reminded me an awful lot of Sandman,” Van Leer said of the Arkansas Derby (G1) winner who sold for $1.2 million at the 2024 OBS March sale. “I fell in love with him, he’s my Derby horse. This colt is just such a smooth moving horse, and he caught my eye immediately during the under-tack show. We tried on the (Gun Runner colt) that brought $3 million during the March sale so we were prepared to go to a million.”
During the under-tack show, the Tapit colt breezed in :10 flat, a final time that was impressive given the ease at which he competed the work.
“He has been a star since the day we got him,” said Torie Gladwell of Top Line Sales, who consigned the colt on behalf of Lugamo Racing. “We’re really happy for Gayle because she was really excited to get that horse. He’s almost a June baby but he’s so sound and just smart for a Tapit. I think once they get him to the racetrack, every day he’s just going to get better.”
The day’s second highest priced was also a product of one of the industry’s leading sires. Hip 190, a bay filly by Curlin out of the winning stakes placed mare Motivated Seller, nearly hit the million-dollar mark herself when she sold for $900,000 from the de Meric Sales consignment to Donato Lanni, agent for Baoma Corp.
The success of Curlin fillies speaks for itself as the Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa stallion counts champions Nest, Malathaat, and Stellar Wind among his top offspring. In addition to being by the right stallion, the bay filly’s dam is by six-time leading sire and OBS grad Into Mischief and out of the stakes winning mare Coup.
During the under-tack show, the Curlin filly tied for the fastest time at the distance when she breezed an eighth in :9 4/5.
“She was an obvious type of horse, athletic, well bred,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who will condition the filly and has fellow OBS April grad Tenma as one of the leading Kentucky Oaks (G1) contenders for Baoma this year. “Curlin’s hot. She’s from a good family and she breezed really well. We’re blessed to have clients to be able to buy horses like that.”
Given the amount of looks the Curlin filly received at the barn, Tristan de Meric of de Meric Sales was cautiously optimistic she would be among the most sought-after entries.
“She is a beautiful filly. She did everything she was supposed to do, and we were expecting a big number,” de Meric said. “Very happy with the result. She’s just a very balanced filly, very early looking, one that you can go right on with. She’s a filly we have high hopes for and best of luck to Bob and to her new owners.”
Fillies proved in demand on Tuesday as Hip 300, a dark bay or brown daughter of Constitution, closed out the session by selling to C R K Racing, for $675,000, the third highest price of the day.
Consigned by Hidden Brook, the filly is out of the winning stakes placed Quality Road mare Quality Heat, who is a full sister to multiple graded stakes winner and OBS grad Frank Conversation. The filly breezed in :21 1/5 during the under tack show.
Other top prices on the day included Hip 246, a gray or roan colt by Vekoma who worked in :20 3/5 and elicited a final bid of $600,000 from Case Clay Thoroughbred Management on behalf of Wathnan Racing. Consigned by Thorostock LLC, the colt is out of Paden Affair by Rockport Harbor. Paden Affair is a half-sister to stakes winner and graded stakes producer Indian Burn.
Prior to sending the Curlin filly through the ring, the de Meric consignment had another top offering in Hip 96, a gray or roan filly by Tapit who elicited a final bid of $575,000 when she sold to Go Go Grey Stable with agent Liz Crow signing the ticket. The gray Tapit filly is out of the stakes winning No Nay Never mare Mae Never No (IRE ) and worked in :10 flat.
“Very good opening day for us,” said de Meric. “The market is there for the right horses that jump through the hoops. We’re very happy with the Tapit filly. She’s a homebred of Bridlewood Farm that we were lucky enough to buy into in October. She was always a beautiful filly and really stood out.”
A total of 10 horses sold for $450,000 or more on the day including:
- Hip 126, a bay colt by Gun Runner consigned by Paul Sharp who hammered for $550,000 to Winchell Thoroughbreds. Out of the stakes winning Mizzen Mast mare Maybe Wicked, the colt worked in :10 1/5. Maybe Wicked is a full sister to graded stakes winner Money’soncharlotte and multiple stakes winner Mizzcan’tbewrong.
- Hip 181,, a bay filly by OBS grad Yaupon who sold to Spendthrift Farm for $525,000 after breezing a quarter in :20 2/5. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, the filly is out of the Malibu Moon mare Moon Over Mag Bay, who is out of stakes winner and OBS grad Believe In Charlie. The filly hails from the female family of Grade 1 winner and OBS grad Nany’s Sweep.
- Hip 102, a bay colt by Tacitus out of the Gun Runner mare Magical Sign purchased for $500,000 by Justin Casse, Agent out of the Thorostock consignment. The colt worked in 10.1 and is from the female family of Group 1 winners Macoumba and Septieme Ciel.
- Hip 234, a dark bay or brown filly by Authentic consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales who sold for $500,000 to Bill Childs and Mark Stanton. The filly, who worked in :9 4/5, is out of the winning stakes placed mare Onebrethatatime. A daughter of Brethren, Onebrethatatime is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Wonderlandbynight and Grade 1 producer Gilded Miracle.
- Hip 174, Trust But Verify, a bay son of OBS grad Into Mischief consigned by Caliente Thoroughbreds who was purchased by MyRacehorse for $450,000. The colt, who breezed in :10 flat, is out of the Speightstown mare Modern Masterpiece, who is a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Tourist.
Overall gross for the opening session came in at $19,962,000 from 157 head sold, down slightly from the $20,958,500 generated from 159 sold in 2024. The average of $127,146 was down from $131,814 last year while the median declined from $85,000 during the first session in 2024 to $60,000.
A total of 42 horses failed to meet their reserve for an RNA rate of 21.11%.
De Meric Sales led all consignors by gross for the session with 8 head sold for $2,257,000. Case Clay Thoroughbred Management was the top buyer with 3 purchased for $1,185,000.
The sale continues April 16 at 10:30 a.m. with hips 303 – 604 going through the ring.
Full sale results can be found at obssales.com.