OBS Spring Sale round-up

The day two sales topper headlined a pair of purchases for Phoenix Thoroughbreds at the OBS Spring Sale.

Consigned by de Meric Sales the hammer came down at $750,000 for the filly listed as Hip 787, the sixth highest price paid during the three days of bidding. A half-sister to stakes-placed Divisor and sharing bloodlines with Grade Three winner Puxa Saco and three-time champion Gio Ponti, the daughter of Into Mischief worked a quarter-mile in :21 1/5, convincing the innovative investment fund to pay the money to take her home.

Hip 787 Phoenix Thoroughbreds day two sale topper.

“I feel like I’ve got good taste, just expensive,” joked Phoenix director of U.S. operations Tom Ludt after signing for her. “She’s just beautiful. She had a great move—smooth, balanced — everything you want. You have to pay for them right now. I wasn’t here in time for the breeze show, but we watched the replays, and she’s beautiful. She just leaned like she was really within herself and comfortable. Let’s hope that carries on and she’s ready to go.”

“(This filly) has been unbelievable,” said Tristan de Meric of the consigners. “She was big and immature when we bought her. She’s a May foal, and she was already 15.2 (hands) when we bought her at the September sale. She’s just continued to develop the right way. She never went through an awkward stage. She just grew altogether and stayed balanced.”

She will join Hip 532 in the Phoenix Stable, a filly by Carpe Diem out of Carson City mare Rebuke. She breezed a quarter-mile in :20 3/5 and can number G1 winner Rebuttal in addition to Stakes winners Summer Cruise and Sandbar among her close family.

Last year this sale proved productive for the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate, and they will be hoping history repeats itself as they signed for three recruits all heading to Ahad bin Harmash’s Al Aasfa stables in Dubai.

Phoenix Ladies purchase Hip 1134 in full flight.

The first Hip to be secured was 194, a colt by Grade One winner First Samurai and out of winning mare Juke. His most notable relations include Grade One success story Chief Honcho as well as stakes winners Haka and American Chance. After securing the services of that colt on the opening day, patience was the name of the game for the ground-breaking ownership group given it wasn’t until the final day of trading that the last pair were purchased. Hip 932, a Tiznow filly from the family of Group One winners Healthy Addiction and My Sweet Addiction was first to be bought before Hip 1134 followed, An Into Mischief colt who can count Grade One winner Reluctant Gust among his relations.