Never let it be said that Nelson Arroyo doesn’t take advice to heart and put it into action.
During his quest to build up his Arroyo Bloodstock business in just its second year of pinhooking, Arroyo recalled that one of the most accomplished bloodstock agents in the Thoroughbred industry urged him to let one key principle guide his purchases.
“Donato Lanni set me aside this year and he said ‘Nelson, stick to buying good horses and make that type of name’. So that’s what we’re trying to do,” Arroyo said. “We’re trying to go after what I really believe in.”
at the OBS October Yearling Sale. (OBS/VidHorse Photo)
The horse Arroyo believed in the most at the 2025 OBS October Yearling Sale was one he successfully acquired, going to $180,000 to land Hip 482, a bay son of Jackie’s Warrior consigned by Glen Hill Farm who paced the second and final day of selling to wrap up an exercise that posted gains across all key figures.
Arroyo, a former jockey, has already enjoyed success on the OBS grounds this year having sold a son of Midshipman for $650,000 consigned by Caliente Thoroughbreds at this year’s OBS March Sale. His latest purchase is a product of generations of breeding from the Glen Hill program as the colt is out Glen Hill’s homebred graded stakes winning Broken Vow mare Broken Dreams and is a half brother to multiple graded stakes winner Caribou Club, who was also bred and campaigned by the farm.
“It’s a good family and he’s a nice colt,” Tom Proctor, who trained Broken Dreams and heads up the Glen Hill consignment, said of the Jackie’s Warrior colt. “I think the family goes back (to Glen Hill) about 7-8 dams. He’s a big, good looking colt who is well balanced. I hope Nelson does well with him.”
Adding to the colt’s appeal on paper is the presence of Glen Hill’s champion One Dreamer in the female family. However, Arroyo said it was the youngster’s presence that most convinced him to stretch to the price level he did.
“I loved the horse. He has a lot of substance to him,” said Arroyo, who operates his bloodstock operation along with his son Elijah. “He has all the right parts. To me, he was my favorite horse of the sale. I told my guys we might have to pay the most but thank God, we got him for less than what we thought. His page of course (is outstanding), but his physical and his mind is what got me.”
Arroyo added the colt would likely be targeted to make what he hopes is another strong appearance at the 2026 OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
“That’s the main goal is finding horses I think will pinhook well and will make it at the races,” Arroyo said. “Hopefully he’s back here in March.”
The appeal of Glen Hill families reigned over the Wednesday’s action as the farm also consigned Hip 506, a son of Army Mule who sold to Breeze Easy for $125,000. The bay colt is out of Glen Hill’s multiple graded stakes wining Repriced mare Closeout and was one of four horses to sell for six figures during the session.
“Another old family from Glen Hill that has some really nice mares,” said Proctor, who also conditioned Closeout.
The other six-figure offerings on the day were Hip 480, a gray or roan son of Roadster out of the winning Street Sense mare Bridlewise, who sold for $120,000 to Sean S. Perl Bloodstock LLC from the Blue Sapphire Stables consignment, and Hip 549, a bay filly by OBS grad Yaupon out Champagne Girl, a daughter of OBS grad Into Mischief, who brought $100,000 from Mustang Farms from the Sennebec South Farm consignment.
“She’s a classy filly and she’s never put a foot wrong since she’s been here,” said Sandi Dorr of Sennebec South. “She’s everything you would want in a beautiful filly: great body, moves really well. She’s hard to pick apart. I’m happy for the opportunity to sell her.”
A total of nine horses reached the six-figure level during the two-day October auction headlined by Hip 177, a bay filly by Mo Donegal named Expectations who brought a sale-topping $240,000 from bloodstock agent Christophe Nouvellet on behalf of Dream With Me Florida LLC. The filly was consigned by Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales, which led all consignors with head 34 sold for gross receipts of $1,133,000.
Two other horses sold for $200,000 on the opening day, Hip 251, a bay colt by Jack Christopher purchased by DiBello Racing Stables, LLC from Beth Bayer’s consignment and Hip 148, a bay colt by Corniche consigned by Soler & Soler Thoroughbreds who sold to MJB Stable.
The market strength that showed itself during the juvenile sale season continued to make its presence felt. The overall gross of $7,267,700 from 309 head sold surpassed the $5,724,600 generated by 297 horses sold during the 2024 OBS October Sale, which had its schedule adjusted due to the impact of Hurricane Milton.
The overall average improved from $19,275 last year to $23,520 this season with the median coming in at $15,000, up from $10,000 in 2024.
The overall rate of horses not sold came in at 25.5% compared to 36.3% in 2024. West Coast Equine, a group of investors from mainland China, led all buyers with 13 purchased for $287,000.
The next sale on the OBS calendar is the 2026 January Winter Mixed Sale taking place on Jan. 27. OBSOnline will also be selling horses of racing age and 2-year-olds from Jan. 26th, 2026 –Jan. 30th with an optional under tack show Jan. 22nd.