Pricey Gun Runner colt kicks off first day's action at OBS Spring

While the action may have been a bit slow to get rolling on Tuesday during the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, there were plenty of competitive prices and equally competitive bidders who showed up ready to spare no expense for top-quality talent.

On Tuesday, OBS reported 181 horses sold from 225 offered for $17,829,500 at an average price of $98,506 and median of $50,000. The 44 horses that went unsold represented an RNA rate of 20 per cent.

During the 2020 renewal, which was delayed and held in June due to concerns over Covid-19, OBS sold 154 horses for $13,209,500 at an average of $85,776 and median of $46,000. The RNA rate was comparable with 35 horses unsold for a rate of 20 per cent.

"I thought it was good day, a good start to the sale," said OBS director of sales Tod Wojciechowski. "The numbers looked good, a lot of horses got moved, and hopefully that trend continues over the next three days. It was a good step obviously beyond last year—because we all know what we had to deal with last year—but this was even an improvement over 2019."

As diverse as the prices were varied, the top 20 horses sold on Tuesday through the ring were all purchased by different buyers, the only repeat signature belonging to bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, who signed for two horses on behalf of different clients.

"One of the great things about April is that buyers get to spread out on their horses and you don't find them concentrating on the same horses as much," said Wojciechowski. "It's great to see that depth and the activity in the barn."

Topping the sale on the day was hip 118, a colt by Three Chimneys Farm stallion Gun Runner, who was purchased for $850,000 by Lanni on behalf of Michael Lund Petersen. Consigned by Eisaman Equine, the grey or roan colt was bred in Kentucky by his consignor out of the stakes-winning Successful Appeal mare Salamera, who had been purchased by the Eisamans for $300,000 from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency to the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

"She was a big, nice mare with a good pedigree," said Shari Eisaman, whose current broodmare band consists of only five mares. "We thought he was going to sell well. I was going to be thrilled with $500,000. He's a wonderful horse. It's the most I've ever sold a homebred for and the homebreds have paid for my farm. They've paid for everything. When you own the factory, your mares are working while you're sleeping."

Lanni said the colt, who breezed an eighth-mile in :10 during the under tack show, impressed buyers with his sheer physical speed and presence. According to Lanni, he was at the top of the list for Petersen and he was briefly worried, considering the amount of interest, that they wouldn't be able to take him home.

"Gun Runners look like they're nice," said Lanni. "It's a beautiful animal - a beautiful horse. He's just a cool horse, did everything he was asked to do and came out of it really in good shape. We're really happy, happy, happy to get him. He was the horse that we wanted. We wanted to go home with him. He looks like he's a cool horse.

"Barry (Eisaman) does a great job. He's a good horseman and I'm happy that they bred a nice horse like him and took him here. I was excited that we got him. It's the same thing every year. We all land on the same horses. There is no stealing. It's tough to buy them but again, I'm so happy we got him."

Two horses attained the second-highest price of $550,000. The first was hip 185, a colt by WinStar Farm's Distorted Humor out of Silverpocketsful (by Indian Charlie). Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm, he was consigned by Mayberry Farm, agent, and purchased by the partnership of Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse.com.

The second horse to hit the $550,000 mark, hip 297, came late Tuesday afternoon. The colt, by Taylor Made Farm stallion Midnight Storm, was purchased in partnership by WinStar Farm's racing arm Maverick Racing, and CMNWLTH.

Elliott Walden of WinStar Farm said he'd found the market to be particularly strong for those few individuals that ticked all the boxes.

"It was a strong price (for hip 297), but we felt like that was the first time we got something bought," said Walden. "We were the underbidder a couple times before that. It's good to get something bought. The market has been strong for the ones we've bid on."

With three more days of sales still lined up, action is likely to continue to pick up as the days progress.

"There is great activity on the top horses and if you're not one of those, it'll be tougher sledding," said Spendthrift Farm's Ned Toffey. "People have gotten really selective, but it's a good, full parking lot out there and there's plenty of activity so that's a good thing."

Day two of the OBS Spring Sale begins on Wednesday.

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