RNA

- Not sold. That’s the notation next to Hip 1180 at Ocala. The reserve was set at $49,000, and as he was led into the ring, that seemed high to me in comparison to what others were getting and considering his mediocre breeze. His breeding as announced there sounded quite impressive – and it is. Out of a graded stakes winning mare who earned over $190K, and she’s a half to three stakes winners, including G1 winner Super May and G3 winner (Southwest and the Rebel) Ide. She’s also a half to the dams of other stakes winners, including G2 winner Diamond on the Run; in fact her second dam takes up the rest of the catalog page. If the third dam fit, you’d see she’s the dam of Florida Derby winner Croeso.

So perhaps that’s why, despite the “slow” breeze, the bidding started out fast and it didn’t take long for the bids to go through the 20s and 30s, to 40, 45… Then 47. I’m yelling “go, go!” and the auctioneer was begging, pleading for 50, but it was not to be. Sold, $47,000. I think he actually did fairly well, drawing a bid well above the sale average, though it’s certainly not what we had in mind when we bought him last September. Perhaps since the high bid was so close to the reserve, they’ll end up selling her privately, we’ll see. Otherwise, it’s been mentioned that they might try for Ocala or Timonium in June; or perhaps we’ll race him ourselves. I did have a lot of fun though.