While the inclination would have been to go to the recent Saratoga sale—for which the average price exceeded $292,000—over the OBS sale, for which the selected session averaged $44,571 a year ago, Stuart said the latter sale was targeted because the colt would be a standout and better positioned to attract a higher price.
Consigned as Hip 24, the bay colt was purchased by W. D. North Thoroughbreds and Morris Bloodstock Services for $80,000 at this year’s Keeneland January horses of all ages sale and is the highest-priced pinhook prospect cataloged for the OBS sale. The colt was produced from the winning Dixie Union mare Madoffwiththecash, a half sister to grade II winner and stakes producer B Shanny. He was bred in Kentucky by Timber Town Stable, which offered him at the January sale.
The Flatter colt is one of 70 cataloged at OBS that were previously purchased at Keeneland in January when they were referred to as “short yearlings” because each turned a year old on Jan. 1.
“In January, he was leggy and somewhat immature, but a lovely horse with great shape, balance, quality and beautiful motion,” Stuart said of the colt, whose extended female family includes Irish champion filly Highest Trump. “He has actually evolved into a more mature version of that. We could have sent him to the Saratoga selected sale, but we decided to try the market in Ocala with him, to try to be one of the top five colts in that sale.
“Obviously, there are some very good consignors taking nice horses there, but we feel like that is an achievable goal with him. We have high expectations for him and hope he will attract a lot of attention.”
Morris, who sold a Medaglia d'Oro filly at the Saratoga selected sale for $300,000, said a reasonable reserve will be placed on the Flatter colt, one of 17 pinhook prospects the consignor has at OBS. Flatter stands at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., where his 2016 fee was $30,000.
“I and the majority of my clients are farmers and we bring our crop to market and we sell it,” said Stuart, who has sold all five yearlings he sent through the ring this year. “We put them in there where we can get our money back and make a little bit and if we are blessed by the marketplace and get rewarded, then we gladly take it.”
The OBS sale in Ocala, Fla., begins Aug. 23 with a selected session and follows with two open sessions Aug. 24-25. All sessions begin at 10:30 a.m. EDT.
TOP PINHOOK PROSPECTS, OCALA BREEDERS' SALES COMPANY'S 2016 AUGUST YEARLING SALE
(Ranked by previous purchase price)
HIP, DESCRIPTION, PREVIOUS PRICE (SALE), CONSIGNOR
24—C., Flatter—Madoffwiththecash, by Dixie Union; $80,000 (2016KeeJan); Stuart Morris, agt.
227—F., Uncle Mo —Dark Nebula, by Exchange Rate; $70,000 (2015KeeNov); Imagine…
208—C., Into Mischief —Claire’s Song, by Unbridled's Song; $65,000 (2016KeeJan); Michael and Juila O’Quinn, agt.
180—C., Justin Phillip —Beautiful Stranger, by Foxhound; $60,000 (2015KeeNov); Woodford Thoroughbreds, agt.
64—Larry’s Back, C., Currency Swap —Pimpinella, by Forest Danger; $57,000 (2016OBSWinMx); Silver Oaks Farm, agt.
