By Christie DeBernardis
Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables was on fire Friday at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training breeze show. The Irishman sent out one of two :20 2/5 bullet breezers, as well as four juveniles who worked in :20 3/5.
“It was a great day,” Dunne said. “I don't want to say it was unexpected because it wasn't, but it is very rare that everything goes exactly as you hoped. We felt we were loaded coming into today. We had some nice horses throughout the week, but we felt we had an exceptionally strong group today. It just kind fo went bang, bang, bang like you would have hoped.”
Dunne's bullet :20 2/5 breezer was Hip 1007, a son of freshman sire Laoban (Uncle Mo). Bred in the Empire State by Joseph Calvo, the dark bay was purchased by Dunne for $80,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale last August.
“I actually didn't stay for the New York-breds at Saratoga this year, but my daughter was working for Fasig and had gone around and looked at some horses with some people,” Dunne said. “She landed on this one and, as daughters will do, she talked me into buying him, probably for more than I wanted to give. But, look, he has been a really nice horse all year. I can't believe we still have him. We have had a lot a traffic through the farm and everyone that has come to the farm has absolutely loved him. I didn't think we had him over-priced, but I guess everybody else did. He is the horse that has stood out all year long, just a beautiful mover and very easy going. He is everything you would want in a horse.”
The other :20 2/5 breezer came from the Eddie Woods consignment, Hip 1034, a colt by First Samurai. Picked up by Woods for $80,000 at FTKJUL, the dark bay is out of stakes winner Flat Out Charming (Flatter). He was bred by Chuck and Lori Allen and Amy Bayle.
Dunne's four :20 3/5 workers were a Shackleford colt (Hip 982) (video); a daughter of first-season sire Firing Line (Hip 1010) (video); a son by Quality Road (Hip 1018) (video); and a colt from the first crop of California Chrome (Hip 1298) (video).
The Shackleford colt stands out on pedigree alone, being a half-brother to champion and MGISW Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and GSW Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice). His dam Drummette (Henny Hughes) was purchased by Bridlewood Farm for $1.85 million in foal to Mastery following Monomoy Girl's championship season at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Dunne bought Hip 982 from breeders Michael Hernon and Frankfort Park Farm for $230,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October Sale.
“The Shackleford is a half to Monomoy Girl,” Dunne said. “Do I say anymore? I couldn't believe they let us buy him in October. I was shocked when we got him. I thought it was an exercise in futility, but one of those things you have to try and do. I was stunned when we walked out with the ticket. He is a stunning individual and his work was fabulous.”
Dunne picked up Hip 1010 for $50,000 at the FTKJUL sale. She is bred by Clearsky Farms, which produced the likes of champions Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) and Abel Tasman (Quality Road). The bay is out of Argentinian graded winner Ever Nice (Arg) (Mutakddim), a half-sister to Argentinian champion Ever Peace (Alpha Plus.
“Going up there, we would have thought the Firing Line filly would have been the fastest,” Dunne said. “She has been brilliantly fast all year. She is an absolutely gorgeous filly. She looks like a colt, big and strong, but not gross with it. She has enough femininity to her, but his strong and powerful.”
A $240,000 FTKOCT buy, Hip 1018 was bred by KatieRich Farms and is out of the A.P. Indy mare False Impression, a daughter of MGSW Classic Elegance (Carson City). The bay son of Quality Road is a half-brother to MSW and MGISP Standard Deviation (Curlin).
“Hip 1018 is by the preeminent stallion right now that will get you a two-turn horse in Quality Road,” Dunne said. “He also has a two-turn pedigree. He was a later foal. We bought him in October and I am always hesitant to get those October horses to an early sale, so he was always slated to go to April. He kind of made a mess of his work today, but sheer talent got him through it. He made a mess of the turn when he broke off, but he was still able to dig out an exceptional work. He is a very, very good colt, a no brainer really.”
Bred by JSM Equine, LLC, Hip 1298 RNA'd for $65,000 at KEESEP. The California Chrome colt's unraced dam is a daughter of GSW Tizfiz (Tiznow), making her a half-sister to MGISW Tiz the Law (Constitution).
“The California Chrome is another horse that I thought we had priced very reasonably at the farm,” Dunne said. “He is another one that everybody came by asking, 'Who's that? Who's That?' He is out of an Unbridled's Song mare and that is what he looks like: a big stretchy horse that can go a route of ground. He is from the immediate family of Tiz the Law, which is not going to hurt. He is a very talented horse.”
Just one juvenile breezed a furlong in a bullet :9 4/5, Hip 1299, a daughter of Liam's Map. Bred in Florida by Barry Berkelhammer and Rich Averill, she is consigned by Cary Frommer. Her second dam is MGSW Ebony Breeze (Belong to Me).
The final day of the breeze show is Saturday, starting at 7:30 a.m.
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