OBS

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Sunday running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses: Sunday, May 28, 2023 2nd-KYO, ¥10,480,000 ($75k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m CHRYSO GRAND CHAT (c, 3, Bolt d'Oro--D'cats Meow, by D'wildcat), whose stakes-placed dam was purchased for $52,000 with this colt in utero out of the 2019...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training completed its four-day run Friday with a  new record gross and average and a record-tying median in an auction which closely mirrored the 2022 renewal which set high-water marks for all of those metrics. Through four sessions, 698 horses grossed $90,805,000. A year ago, 705 horses grossed a record $90,723,000. The 2023 average of $129,907 was up fractionally from $128,685. The median remained unchanged at $65,000. "It was a great...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - For the third straight day, the team of Bob Baffert and Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, made the highest bid of the session, this time going to $2.2 million--top price of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training sale so far--to acquire a colt by Gun Runner from the de Meric Sales consignment as the Spring sale continued to produce figures largely in line with its record-setting 2022 renewal. Through three of four...

Well into Thursday's third session of the OBS Spring Sale, several of racing's biggest names were out in force to duke it out for a juvenile colt by Horse of the Year Gun Runner. With several separate interests clashing, including agent Donato Lanni, accompanied by Bob Baffert, and trainer Steve Asmussen, the trainer of Gun Runner, it was Amr Zedan's team that outlasted the rest to land the colt for a cool $2.2 million. Offered as Hip 782, the Mar. 20 foal is out of Perfect Wife (Majesticperfection), the dam...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL-The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training reached its halfway mark Wednesday with a familiar name at the top of the sheets as Amr Zedan paid a session-topping $900,000 for a son of Frosted as figures kept largely on par with the auction's record-setting 2022 renewal. Through two sessions of the four-day auction, 351 juveniles have sold for $45,886,000. The average is down 6.3% from the end-of-day figure from a year ago and the median is down 6.7% to...

A colt by champion Arrogate lit up the board with a $1.45 million final bid late in the opening session of the OBS Spring Sale in Ocala. Signing the ticket on Hip 253 was agent Donato Lanni, accompanied by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, also the trainer of the deceased champion. Purchased on behalf of Amr Zedan, the colt breezed an eighth in :10 flat last Monday. Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds LLC, the juvenile is out of unraced Destine (War Front), the dam of SP Sunset Promise (Broken Vow)....

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running for the grand re-opening of Kyoto Racecourse and Tokyo Racecourses as Group 1 racing takes the week off: Saturday, April 22, 2023 6th-TOK, ¥14,880,000 ($111k), Allowance, 3yo, 1600m PARAIBA TOURMALINE (f, 3, Malibu Moon--Private Jet, by Private Feeling) opened her...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Bloodstock agents are equal parts pedigree analysts, money managers and equine recruiters for those audacious (crazy?) enough to dabble in Thoroughbred ownership. Few have followed the trajectory of the career of Country Grammer (Tonalist) more closely than the well-respected Peter Bradley, who went to work on behalf of the late Paul Pompa, Jr. at the 2019 OBS April Sale. It was Bradley's name on the docket when the hammer fell in the first 20 minutes of the final day of the auction, having parted with...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale opened its three-day run Monday with a session which gained strength throughout the day, ultimately ending with increases in both average and median over the first session of last year's two-day auction. During Monday's session, 131 horses sold for $20,192,500 for an average of $154,141--up 10.1% from a year ago--and a median of $90,000--up 16.1% from 2022. Without the inclusion of post-sales transactions, the buy-back rate was 32.1%, up from 18.6%...

Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr. has never been to the Kentucky Derby. Not even as a spectator. However, the 2023 renewal may very well change that fact after Practical Move (Practical Joke), who he owns in partnership with his wife Leslie and Roger Beasley, stamped himself a major Classic contender with a victory in last weekend's GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita. "My wife and I were very emotional after the win," said Pierre Amestoy. "It was phenomenal. It was exhilarating. We're just elated." "I guess we're heading to the...

NBS Stable and Elements Racing LLC's Danse Macabre (Army Mule) was making her seasonal debut at a juicy quote of 12-1 in Saturday's GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream Park and fought her way to the wire to become the first graded winner for her successful young sire (by Friesan Fire) with a defeat of the U.S.-debuting Papilio (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Stretching out to a route of ground for the first time and visiting the races for the first time since checking in third as the favorite in the GIII Matron...

6th-Oaklawn, $90,000, Msw, 2-25, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.43, sy, 2 1/2 lengths. GROVE (f, 3, Munnings--Wishful Winking, by Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), off at odds of 9-1, took pressure inside and out for the opening half-mile of her debut run, but went through her gears in the stretch nevertheless to report home a good-looking winner. A $100,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling turned $175,000 OBS April breezer, Grove did her pre-race work down at the Fair Grounds and stepped away smartly while joined to her inside by the rail-skimming Mary's Boon (Central...