Curlin Filly Sells for $975,000, Sets OBS June Record

The Ocala Breeders' Sales June 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale concluded June 18 with a filly by Curlin selling for an OBS June record of $975,000 to Gus King. The previous record was $900,000, set in 2019. Gross sales were up to $25,688,500 from $22,045,800 in 2024, even with more than 100 fewer horses sold over the consolidated two-day sale. "We certainly saw the same pattern that we saw in the 2-year-old market all year and I'm glad that it held all the way to June," said OBS director of sales Tod Wojciechowski. "This time of year, you worry about buyer fatigue, but a lot of that was just worry. The market proved its resiliency again. Lots of records this year, it was an excellent season. We're grateful to the buyers that came, grateful to the consignors who bring the quality horses they bring." A total of 502 horses changed hands, with a 40.7% year-over-year increase in the average to $51,172, up from $36,379, and a median of $25,000, up 25% from $20,000 in 2024. The average and median were OBS June records. The RNA rate for the 101 horses who failed to meet their reserve was 16.7%, down slightly from last year's 18.1%. The Curlin filly consigned as Hip 850 by Caliente Thoroughbreds, is out of the graded stakes-winning Tapit mare Mufajaah, who is the dam of two winners including stakes-placed Mejthaam. She breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 during the under tack show last week. The chestnut filly was bred in Kentucky by Lynch Bages/Camas Park Stud, and sold for $200,000 as a yearling to Happy Farm at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Four Star Sales. "Gus really just wants top quality," agent Randy Miles said, noting the filly would head to Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen's barn. "He had Publisher in the (Kentucky) Derby this year and really wants to continue that line with really top-quality horses, and we felt the Curlin was the best horse in the sale. "We thought the horse could be bought for a little bit less, but we were not going to stop. We wanted to give it our all to get that horse bought. We didn't want to spend that much money but to get that kind of horse, you have to spend that money. And Gus was very willing." Saul Marquez of Caliente Thoroughbreds, who consigned multiple grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick at the 2024 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, was elated with the Curlin filly. "The first time we saw this filly we fell in love with her. She's always done everything right," Marquez said. "She's been smart, loves what she does, she's just a racehorse. We brought her in April but my whole idea was pointing her here in June. I was confident in her. But... right now I don't even have words." A Gun Runner filly out of grade 1 winner Restless Rider sold for $525,000 to MyRacehorse from the Randy Miles consignment. The gray or roan filly consigned as Hip 857 was bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm, Fern Circle Stables, and McPeek Racing Stables. She breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 during the under tack show. "She was just amazing. She came in here really light on training and what she did on her breeze show was remarkable to me," Miles said of the Gun Runner filly. "We came into Ocala thinking we may gallop her because she was so far behind. What she did had nothing to do with anything we did. She did all of it. It was a real shock; it was a pleasant shock. "MyRacehorse bought her and it's going to be a fun road to watch. I love watching my babies go on and do well." The highest-priced colt of the sale was Hip 572, a colt by Bolt d'Oro who sold for $425,000 to Gary Young. The Wavertree Stables-consigned colt breezed an impressive eighth of a mile in :09 4/5 during the under tack show. He was an $85,000 yearling purchase at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Red Wings. Gus King was the leading buyer of the sale with his single purchase of the sales topper for $975,000; Taproot Bloodstock was behind him, purchasing nine juveniles for a total of $822,000. De Meric Sales led the consignors with 14 head selling for $1,494,000, with Wavertree Stables on their heels with 13 juveniles bringing $1,453,000.