By Jessica Martini
A colt from the first crop of Solomini (Curlin) (hip 41) and a filly by Noble Mission (GB) (hip 39) shared the quarter-mile bullet of :20 3/5 during the first of six under-tack sessions ahead of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Monday in Central Florida.
Hip 41 turned in his :20 3/5 quarter-mile breeze shortly after the day's 7:30 a.m. start time for consignor Omar Ramirez.
“He prepped really, really good for me,” Ramirez said. “I didn't know it was going to be :20 3/5, but I thought he'd definitely be :20 4/5 or :21 flat.”
The New Jersey-bred colt is out of Lady Overboard (Mishipman) and from the family of Star of Goshen, the dam of Pioneerof the Nile.
Ramirez and a partner purchased the chestnut for $18,000 as a short yearling at the OBS Winter sale last year. He RNA'd for $29,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October sale.
“He was a really well-balanced colt, a really pretty walker,” Ramirez said of his early impressions of the youngster. “And I love Midshipman as a stallion on the mother's side.”
Of the trip to Timonium last fall, Ramirez said, “I didn't get him sold, but I love the horse and I wanted to give him another chance. So we decided to let him grow up more. He's not a huge colt–he's average-sized, but he still has that beautiful walk.”
Solomini was second in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, as well as that year's GI FrontRunner S. and GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity. He was third in the 2018 GI Arkansas Derby.
The 8-year-old stallion, who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for $6,500, had three six-figure juveniles at the OBS April sale–led by a colt who sold for $700,000–and another three at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale last month.
Ramirez sold two fillies by the stallion in April and May and returns with a pair of colts at the June sale.
“I did really well with Solomini in April, I had a filly [hip 605] sell for $100,000. She was a really pretty filly and I really liked her. I had another one with Top Line in Timonium [hip 285] and she sold for $150,000. She was another nice filly. And I've got two colts over here. I have one more tomorrow [hip 282]. They were all pretty nice horses, easy to train.”
Tom McCrocklin sent out hip 39 to work her :20 3/5 quarter-mile shortly before 10 a.m. Monday. Bred by Vegso Racing Stable, the chestnut filly is out of Lady Marjorie (Curlin). The mare is a daughter of stakes-winner Light Bringer (Northern Afleet), a full-sister to graded winner Aegean and a half-sister to the dam of Grade I winner Eda.
Six juveniles shared the day's fastest furlong time of :9 4/5: a filly by Bucchero (hip 9, video) consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm; a filly by Jimmy Creed (hip 25, video) consigned by J. J. Thoroughbreds; a filly by Into Mischief (hip 46, video) consigned by de Meric Sales; a colt by Courageous Cat (hip 51, video) consigned by G.A. Thoroughbred Sales; a colt by Bucchero (hip 92, video) consigned by Hector Barajas; and a colt by Hard Spun (hip 130, video).
Ramirez, who comes into the June sale with a hefty consignment of 52 juveniles, was happy with conditions at OBS Monday.
“I had five today and they all worked really, really good,” he said.
Of his June contingent, Ramirez admitted, “This is my first time that I had so many here. My brother got a bunch of horses and we have some new clients who have a couple of horses. Sometimes I just want to give the horses more time, more chances to grow, so I love this June sale. It's been a really nice sale for me.”
The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 7:30 a.m. The June sale will be held next Tuesday through Thursday. Bidding commences each day at 10 a.m.
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