The final bid for Chief Officer at the Keeneland January horses of all ages auction Wednesday was $750,000, but it came from someone working for her owner, Egyptian entrepreneur Ahmed Zayat. Standing in the back of Keeneland's sale pavilion, behind the auction stand, Zayat Stables vice president Sobhy Sonbol bought back the 3-year-old bay filly for his boss.
"We'll be very happy to race her back; we're happy to have her back," Sonbol said. "It was a reasonable price. That was the price that we were going to take her back at."
Last year, when she was trained by Racing Hall of Fame member Bill Mott, Chief Officer captured three of her four races. The daughter of Officerhas not run since a 5 1/2-length victory against males in the restricted New York Breeders' Futurity in September. She also scored in the restricted Lady Finger Stakes. Sonbol said Chief Officer would return to Mott's stable.
Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned Chief Officer to the Keeneland January auction for Zayat, who had purchased her for $230,000 from Sequel Bloodstock, agent, at the 2006 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training.
"She'll go down to Florida now, and she'll probably get geared up for Gulfstream," Sonbol said. "She's a tremendously good-looking filly, and she's got a lot of speed. The way she moves, she could carry her speed a long way. And she's a very tough filly; she has a lot of guts. She's going to have a wonderful year."