OXO Equine's $1.5 Million Filly Wins on Debut

Last year, OXO Equine purchased a daughter of Into Mischief  for $1.5 million from Tom McCrocklin at The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select sale of 2-year-olds in training. Almost a year to the day later, that filly, named Center Aisle, ran off to a 3 3/4-length win in her debut March 29 at the same track that hosted the sale.

Racing at Gulfstream Park, which is closed to the public, continues amid the COVID-19 pandemic with limited staff. Racing in a field of 11 other 3-year-old fillies in the fourth race, Center Aisle tracked the leaders in third under jockey Joel Rosario as fractions clicked off in :21.97 and :45.12 for a half-mile. By the time the field was in the stretch, she had taken over the lead in the six-furlong test.

"She broke well. There were two horses who really wanted to get the lead. I took a little hold, and she did the rest," Rosario said. "It was a nice performance for her first time out, very impressive."

Trained by Chad Brown, Center Aisle signaled she was ready with a succession of strong breezes culminating in a bullet four-furlong breeze from the gate in :48.25  March 21 at Palm Meadows Training Center. She was the fastest of 52 at the distance.

Bred in Kentucky by Breffni Farm, Center Aisle is the fifth foal to race and fourth winner out of the Empire Maker mare Specification, a half sister to grade 1 winner and sire Skimming.

The price paid by Larry Best of OXO Equine was the co-second-highest price for a filly at the Florida sale and was a tie for the most expensive filly sold at the auction since it moved to Gulfstream Park five years ago.

Two races later, Dr Post, a son of Quality Road  and grade 2 winner Mary Delaney, won his season debut and second start, going seven furlongs in 1:22.37 on a fast track.

Owned by St. Elias Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Cloyce Clark.