Valiant Minister Filly Generates Big Return for Hoppel

It was all smiles, high-fives, and handshakes in the back ring for Jesse Hoppel of Coastal Equine April 20 as the price on his Valiant Minister filly climbed to $360,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Consigned as Hip 132, the filly generated a strong return for Hoppel, who previously purchased the filly as a yearling for a pinhook prospect. "We were expecting to sell a good filly," said Hoppel. "But the stallion has been unmeasured, so where that was going to stop I didn't know. But I knew I had a six-figure filly on my hands. Over the week I thought she would break into the $200,000s. But I don't get greedy. I reserved her at $75,000 and let her roll. The market appraised her." The filly was bred in Florida by Baoma Corp. out of the stakes-winning Kantharos mare Savingtime. Previously consigned by Abbie Road Farm to the OBS October Yearlings, 2-Year-Olds, and Horses of Racing Age Sale, she was purchased by Hoppel for a steal at $27,000. During the OBS under tack show, the filly breezed a quarter-mile in :20 4/5. She was purchased on Tuesday by Solis/Litt. As Hip 132 matured and trained ahead of the juvenile sales season, Hoppel said learning to work with the dark bay or brown filly's big personality proved to be a bit of a challenge. "She's one of those fillies who has got a mind of her own," said Hoppel, "When she figured out what we were doing and applied herself, that's when we knew we had a really good horse but it wasn't easy at first." A winning son of Candy Ride (ARG), Valiant Minister joined the Bridlewood Farm stallion roster in 2018 and his first crop are 2-year-olds of 2021. Hip 132 is now the most expensive horse sired by the stallion to be sold at public auction. Bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Valiant Minister was a $680,000 2-year-old purchase by Baoma's Charles Chu from the consignment of Eddie Woods to the OBS June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He is out of the unraced Deputy Minister mare Spooky Minister and is a full brother to grade 1-placed Moe Candy and grade 3-placed Holy Candy. The stallion made only one career start before a stall accident forced his connections to retire him to stud.