Independence Hall: From Sale RNA to Grade 3 Winner

Wavertree Stables was North America's leading consignor of 2-year-olds in training last year, with 97 horses sold for $17.75 million, according to BloodHorse MarketWatch data. 

While impressive, the numbers for Ciaran Dunne's operation would have been even better were it not for the 23 juveniles bought back, among the leaders in that category.

Included in Wavertree's 2019 buybacks was Independence Hall, a colt from the first crop of Constitution  who took an important first step on the Road to the Kentucky Derby when he won the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack on New Year's Day. Victory in the one-turn mile test was worth 10 points toward a starting berth in the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Trained by Michael Trombetta, Independence Hall races for the partnership of Robert and Kathleen Verratti, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Twin Creeks Racing Stable and is undefeated in three starts.

Produced from the Cape Town mare Kalahari Cat, Independence Hall was consigned to The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's March 2-year-olds in training sale at Gulfstream Park, on behalf of the Verrattis, who eventually bought him back after he failed to meet his reserve on a final bid of $200,000.

In the name of their Charlestown Investments, the Verrattis bought Independence Hall for $100,000 from breeder Woodford Thoroughbreds at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

"He's another one of our non-selling horses," Dunne said with a deadpan tone following the Jerome. "It's hard to imagine why the good ones don't sell."

A practical horseman, Dunne understood there was good reason why astute buyers were reluctant to go higher for the colt at the select sale near Miami, noting he had developed a shin issue at his farm workout before being shipped to Gulfstream Park.

"He got a lot of respect in Miami, but he had a shin (issue), which put some of the people off," Dunne said. "You can see their point."

Dunne said Wavertree personnel and potential buyers who visited the farm to inspect young horses before going to auction were struck by Independence Hall's looks.

"We were very high on the horse," Dunne said. "He created a good impression for a lot of people who came by the farm over the winter. He was a beautiful-moving horse. No matter who was there, when he galloped by, they would ask, 'Who's that?' He got into a rhythm and repeated it and repeated it."

Because the colt appeared predisposed to distances, the plan was to work him a quarter-mile in his presale breeze. As a result of the shin problem, however, Dunne had the colt breeze an eighth-mile, and he was clocked in :10 2/5.

"He went OK (in the under tack show breeze), but that wasn't his thing," Dunne said. "He just wasn't a sprinter. When he stretched out, he was at his best."

Racing initially only for the Verrattis, Independence Hall was victorious on debut in a maiden special weight event on the Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby Day card at Parx Racing. That victory, in which the colt was timed in 1:24.45 for seven furlongs, led Eclipse Thoroughbreds' Aron Wellman to attempt to contact the Verrattis about a possible partnership.

"Aside from Eclipse's public auction yearling and 2-year-olds in training acquisition program, we are constantly scouring the globe to purchase horses who have shown what we refer to as 'blue sky' ability on the racetrack," Wellman said. "We live by the mantra that a good horse can come from anywhere at any time, so we are paying close attention to just about every race where a young horse might pop up and exhibit what we envision as huge upside potential.

"It was a striking performance, which I believed required serious attention," Wellman said of Independence Hall's maiden win.

Wellman had first become acquainted with Trombetta about a month earlier after he sought to acquire a maiden-winning 2-year-old filly from the same barn. The filly was ridden by Joel Rosario, whose agent, the veteran Ron Anderson, is a friend and longtime colleague of Wellman.

After being asked by Wellman, Anderson connected the bloodstock agent with the trainer, so Wellman was prepared after Independence Hall emerged victorious.

"I reached out to Mike immediately after Independence Hall crossed the wire, and he put me in contact with Bob and Kathleen Verratti," Wellman continued. "Once I was able to establish a connection with the Verrattis, they were gracious enough to consider Eclipse as a partner, and within 24 hours we had inked a deal."

At the same time, Independence Hall caught the attention of Steve Davison and Randy Gullatt of Twin Creeks, who raced Constitution and maintained an equity interest in the WinStar Farm stallion, who will stand for $40,000 in 2020 after emerging as the second-leading first-crop sire of 2019. Eclipse and Twin Creeks partnered previously to race Destin , a multiple grade 2 winner who finished second in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

"Steve Davison and Randy Gullatt had reached out to me to see if I had seen Independence Hall's race, and I informed them that I was working out the details on a deal with the Verrattis and if it came to fruition, we would be happy to include Twin Creeks in the partnership," Wellman said.

In his second start, Independence Hall rewarded the owners by winning the one-mile Nashua Stakes (G3) by 12 1/4 lengths Nov. 3 at Aqueduct in 1:34.66, and the colt is now on the Derby trail following the Jerome.

Bourbon Bay, who finished in a dead heat with Prince of Pharoahs for second in the Jerome, was also a 2019 Gulfstream sale buyback, returning home on a final bid of $240,000 for consignor Cary Frommer.

"It all melded organically, and it's been a wonderful partnership from the get-go," Wellman said.

In addition to being by a hot young sire, Independence Hall has a strong foundation.

His dam descends from the female family of Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Desert Stormer, the dam of grade 2 winner Sahara Gold and granddam of multiple grade 1 winner Better Lucky. Kalahari Cat is also the dam of grade 3 winner Black Onyx and stakes winner Francois.

While Dunne prefers to sell horses rather than buy them back, he is gratified by the outcome with Independence Hall. 

"Most of the credit for keeping him goes to Bob (Verratti)," the agent said. "He had a price he wanted, and we just came up a bid short. At the end of the day, it was probably a good thing."