Some shoppers at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training think the top fillies outnumber the top colts this year. And the workout times back them up. The fastest clockings for works at an eighth of a mile and a quarter mile were shared by fillies, and a Tapit – My White Corvette filly (Hip No. 440) was the quickest at three-eighths (:33 3/5).
The auction is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Central Florida.
Following are some of the fillies that are attracting attention along with some of the colts that have been identified as standouts by consignors or prospective buyers:
Hip No. 12, a colt by Belong to Me-- Points West, by West by West. Consigned by Eisaman Equine, agent.
“He’s really big and beautiful,” said Shari Eisaman of this 2-year-old, which worked an eighth of a mile in :10. “He can run, and he’s got a good mind. He’s just the package.”
Hip No. 48, a colt by City Place– Romantic Honor, by Honor Grades. Consigned by Hoby and Layna Kight, agents for Welcome Gate Farm.
“He’s a really good horse,” said Hoby Kight of this colt, which worked a quarter mile in :21 2/5 and is from the family of grade II winners Diamond Stripes and Summer Note. “He’s been forward all year and fast. He’s stretchy; he looks like he’s going to make two turns.”
Hip No. 57, a colt by Cherokee Run– Sasin, by Last Tycoon. Consigned by McKathan Brothers, agent.
“He’s big, stretchy, and pretty and looks like he can get around two turns,” said Kevin McKathan of this colt, which breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5. McKathan added that Hip No. 32, a Macho Uno – Queen Majesty colt, which also worked an eighth in :10 1/5, also has the same qualities.
Hip No. 65, Seekingthediamond, a filly by Forest Wildcat– Seeking Success, by Seeking the Gold. Consigned by Hendry Training Stables, agent.
“To me, she looks like a sprinter-type filly,” said Hendry Training’s Lane Hendry of this filly, which worked an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5 and shared the fastest time for that distance with an Exchange Rate – Disperse a Star filly (Hip No. 276). “She’s strong, and she galloped out well in :20 and change and :33 and change. A couple of months ago, we knew she was a speed type filly. We expected her to be in the :10, :10 1/5 range, but we didn’t expect her to do it in :9 4/5. She likes to run. She wants to go to the track; she enjoys going to the track. She’s just the calmest filly in the world. She’s got a great mind on her. She doesn’t get excited or riled up about anything. When it’s time to go, when you ask her to go, she puts it down.”
Hip No. 128, a colt by Pure Prize– Time for a Crown, by Time for a Change. Consigned by Leprechaun Racing, agent.
“He galloped out in :20 3/5 and :32 3/5 (after working an eighth of a mile in :10),” said Mike Mulligan of Leprechaun Racing. “He’s one of those horses that’s got extreme balance, and he’s just one of those naturally talented, freaky fast horses. You would never know he was around. You never worry about having to put a bandage on him or anything. He just trains every day awesome.”
Hip No. 134, a colt by Dynaformer – Trading, by A.P. Indy. Consigned by Nick de Meric, agent.
This colt’s pedigree moved up in class significantly when his half-sister, Awesome Chick, scored in the Florida Oaks (gr. III) March 15. He worked an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5.
Hip No. 141, a filly by Touch Gold– Unbridled Girl, by Unbridled. Consigned by Nick de Meric, agent.
“She has a license to attract a lot of attention,” said de Meric of this half-sister to Southwest Stakes (gr. III) winner Denis of Cork. “She’s a good-looking filly and had a nice breeze (an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5).”
Hip No. 144, a colt by Lion Heart-- Urmia, by Meadowlake. Consigned by Nick de Meric, agent.
“He’s by a hot young stallion that is garnering a lot of attention,” de Meric said of this half-brother to stakes winner My Miss Storm Cat. “He had a super breeze (an eighth of a mile in :10). It was fast, but it was also beautifully executed.”
Hip No. 161, Cornerstonecharlie, a colt by Najran – Will Be a Bates, by Bates Motel. Consigned by Paul Sharp, agent.
“He’s a horse that just draws you to him,” said Sharp of this colt, which worked an eighth of a mile in :10 and is from the family of grade I winner Marylebone. “When he’s outside, people stop and look at him and say, ‘Wow, what’s going on there?’ He has a beautiful head and eye, and he’s well-balanced.” Also in Sharp’s consignment is a Full Mandate– Sweet Alabastar filly (Hip No. 102) that worked a quarter mile in :20 4/5 seconds, sharing the fastest time for the distance with a Yonaguska – Noon Time Dancer filly (Hip No. 448).
Hip No. 189, a filly by Storm Boot – Antifreeze, by It’s Freezing. Consigned by Nick de Meric, agent.
“She had an awesome breeze,” de Meric said of this full sister to stakes winner Barber. “She worked (an eighth of a mile) in :10 1/5 and did it so fluidly and so easily. She has lovely balance.”
Hip No. 200, a colt by Forest Camp – Balcovy, by Saint Ballado. Consigned by Leprechaun Racing, agent.
“Obviously, his sire is a little cold, but he’s an awesome physical specimen of a horse,” said Leprechaun Racing’s Mike Mulligan. “He went :10 flat (for an eighth of a mile) and then galloped out in :20 3/5 and :33 flat. He is a just a picture of a horse on the end of a shank. He’s so balanced. There’s a lot more Saint Ballado about him than Forest Camp. He has such an outstanding mind. He’s just a great horse all the way around.”
Hip No. 232, a filly by Proud Citizen– Carson City Red, by Lord Carson. Consigned by Parrish Farms, agent.
“She’s class act,” said Justin Parrish of Parrish Farms. “She’s an easygoing filly, but she goes out on the track and goes (a quarter mile in) :21 1/5 here. That was the first quarter she ever worked. She’s a real sweetheart.”
Hip No. 242, White Lamb, a filly by Trippi – Chi, by Silver Hawk. Consigned by Woodside Ranch, agent for New Bridge Bloodstock.
“She’s a big, strong filly, and she looks like a two-turn filly,” said Holley Rice of Woodside Ranch. “On her dam’s side, she’s bred more for distance, but she’s, obviously, very quick. She breezed (an eighth of a mile) in :10 flat. I think that makes her fall on the really quality side of it. She has (2007 Horse of the Year) Curlin under her second dam.”
Hip No. 252, a colt by Mutakddim – Code Nine Six, by Cure the Blues. Consigned by Woodside Ranch, agent.
“He has a sprinter look, but he also has a big walk and beautiful motion, so he should go long,” said Woodside Ranch’s Holley Rice of this colt, which worked an eighth of a mile in :10.
Hip No. 257, a filly by Maria’s Mon – Cool Jazzed, by Dixieland Band. Consigned by Old South Farm.
“She’s a lovely filly, what we all want; she’s beautiful,” said Old South’s Albert Davis of this gray or roan juvenile, which worked a quarter mile in :21 1/5. “She’s very balanced and elegant, very classy. She looks awesome on the racetrack and does everything that everybody likes.” Also in the Old South consignment is an attractive, muscular Orientate – Farewell Tour filly (Hip No. 310) that is a half-sister to stakes winner Sparkling Sabia. “She’s a big, strong filly that can go right to the races, and she’s going to win races,” said Davis of the chestnut juvenile, which breezed a quarter mile in :21 2/5.
Hip No. 258, a colt by Posse– Corporate Spirit, by Corporate Report. Consigned by Murray Smith, agent.
“He does not look like a typical Posse because he’s bigger and scopier,” said Smith of this colt, which breezed a quarter mile in :21 2/5 and is from the family of grade I winner Latin American and South African group I winner Vigliotto. Smith added that other horses to keep an eye on in her consignment are Hip No. 45, a Pure Prize– Revealing Blush colt named Diplomatic Code, and Hip No. 411, a More Than Ready – Marry Me Scarlett colt named Dareing and Ready.
Hip No. 276, a filly by Exchange Rate– Disperse a Star, by Dispersal. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent.
“She’s a lovely filly to look at,” Niall Brennan said. “She’s an average-sized and beautifully balanced with a great head and eye on her and a great temperament. She has an amazing amount of talent. She doesn’t look like a Quarter Horse that would be ready to run at 2. I always thought of her more as a two-turn filly. She has such a nice easy way about her, so I still think going two turns would definitely be her thing.” This gray or roan juvenile breezed an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5, sharing the fastest time for the distance with a Forest Wildcat– Seeking Success filly named Seekingthediamond (Hip No. 65). Also attracting attention in his consignment, according to Brennan, is Hip No. 147, an Indian Charlie– Valley Vixen filly.
Hip No. 297, a colt by Forest Wildcat– Elisita, by Ride the Rails. Consigned by Eisaman Equine, agent.
“He’s big and a good mover, what the buyers are looking for,” said Shari Eisaman of this colt, which is from the family of South African Horse of the Year Empress Club and other top South African runners. He worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5 and a quarter mile in :21 1/5.
Hip No. 373, a colt by More Than Ready – Jouled Rhythms, by Silver Deputy. Consigned by Nick de Meric, agent.
“He went :10 flat in his (eighth of a mile) breeze, but was well within himself, so he should attract quite a bit of attention,” de Meric said.
Hip No. 399, a colt by Sky Mesa – Littlebigthing, by Unbridled’s Song. Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.
“He’s a wonderful horse,” said Woods of this chestnut 2-year-old, which worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5. “He’s big, ‘scopey,’ and elegant, a beautiful mover.
Hip No. 448, a filly by Yonaguska – Noon Time Dancer, by Afternoon Deelites. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent for W.D. North, Stacy Leppala, and Niall Brennan Stables.
“She had a super work, and her video was unbelievably impressive,” Niall Brennan said. “She’s a typical Yonaguska; she’s average-sized, but very, very racy looking. She’s a beautifully balanced, very correct, sound filly. She’s ready to run now. She’s very agile. When you look at her, she looks like a cat.” This bay juvenile worked a quarter mile in :20 4/5 , sharing the fastest time for the distance with a Full Mandate– Sweet Alabastar filly (Hip No. 102).
Hip No. 453, Golden Panther, a colt by Medaglia d’Oro – One Tough Cat, by Mountain Cat. Consigned by Classic Bloodstock, agent.
“He gets over the ground like a cascade of water,” said Danzel Brendemuel of Classic Bloodstock. “He’s like a slinky when he walks; he’s lovely. He’s a May 3 foal, but he’s got a great mind, and he’s got a body to die for.” This colt breezed an eighth of a mile in :10.