A fierce bidding war in the Keeneland sales pavilion ended with John Wade's Dream Big Racing securing Hip 1018, a filly by Gun Runner , for a cool $1.5 million, the highest-priced filly of the fourth session of Keeneland's September Yearling Sale Sept. 17.
Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, who advised the purchase of Hip 1018 for Wade, said the filly would be sent to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
"More importantly, Bob loved her. She looks like Gun Runner," Lanni said. "Gun Runner is one of the hottest sires. They want to run in the big races, so she kind of looked like that kind of horse that would stretch out and run in those big classic races."
Lanni said this will be the first horse Baffert will train for Dream Big Racing, which also purchased a colt by Justify at last month's Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale for $750,000. Both will be sent to Baffert.
"This is our second purchase with them," he said. Very, very nice; very good people."
Lanni said they are going to keep looking throughout the remainder of the sale for horses to add to Dream Big's stable.
"(The market) is strong as usual," he said. "Every year, it seems to get stronger and stronger. It's great to see the horse economy being so strong. But it's been tough. It's been tough all week to buy horses."
Dream Big Racing's highest earner to date is the stakes-winning filly Winfinity. The 4-year-old daughter of Not This Time won the non-black-type Keswick Stakes in 2024 in her first start at 2, and came back as a 3-year-old the next summer to win the Miss Disco Stakes for trainer John Ortiz. Wade purchased her as a 2-year-old for $300,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
Dream Big also has a small broodmare band. Wade has purchased a handful of broodmares over the years, ranging in price from $5,500-$450,000.
Hip 1018 is the third foal of the graded stakes-placed Tapit mare Ivyetsu and hails from the immediate family of multiple group 1 winner Dubai Honour.
Gun Runner has proved to nick very well with Tapit mares, producing seven graded stakes winners, including multiple grade 1 winner Society. The son of Candy Ride stood the 2026 season at Three Chimneys Farm near Versailles, Ky. for an advertised fee of $250,000.
Hip 1018 was bred in Kentucky by Mt. Brilliant Farm & Ranch and Susan Bunning. Mt. Brilliant Farm consigned the filly.
