Buyers Out in Force Ahead of Gulfstream Sale

Between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.—before the sun reached its full height in the Hallandale Beach, Fla., sky—consignors and their horses received no rest on the grounds of Gulfstream Park March 30 as a veritable "who's who" of the Thoroughbred racing industry descended upon the grounds. 

With only one day to shop before The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select sale of 2-year-olds, buyers left no stone and no catalog page unturned on Tuesday, creating shortlists that are sure to face some of the stiffest competition from other interested parties this season. 

"This is the first time I've sat down since 8 o'clock," said Steve Venosa of SGV Thoroughbreds just past noon on Tuesday. "There is a lot of activity and it hasn't let up yet." 

"It's been very, very good. it's just backing off a little now, but I think we've seen everyone that's been here, and they've been working hard," said consignor Eddie Woods. "There is a good feel to the whole thing again, just like we had at the (Ocala Breeders' Sales) March sale. There probably aren't as many people in the March sale. This has a different expectation level. This is more the top end but March turned into the top end enough. Fasig has been very high on how this sale has been received by their customers so we will see what happens." 

A total of 186 horses were originally cataloged to The Gulfstream Sale, which kicks off at 2 p.m. ET March 31 in the paddock at Gulfstream Park. As of Tuesday afternoon, 50 horses had been withdrawn lowering the number to be offered to 136. 

While Wednesday's sale may be relatively short in duration, there will certainly be no shortage of quality. In almost every barn, at every consignment, there is a star standout—or two or three—who have spent more time out of their stalls in the last few days than in. 

"We have one of the top horses in the sale," said Dean de Renzo of Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds. "He's been out all day so it's probably about the same amount of action when you have the top horses."

Receiving the most action at the Hartley/de Renzo barn, which offers three horses to the sale, is Hip 181, a colt by Three Chimneys Farm stallion Gun Runner  . Bred in Kentucky by Bruce Ryan, the colt—named Needmore Guns—is out of the Flatter   mare Needmore Flattery  and was purchased by Hartley/de Renzo for $140,000 from Buckland Sales at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearlings Sale. 

During the under tack show on Monday, the colt worked an eighth-mile in :10 1/5. 

"We bought that horse on a gut feeling in the back ring," said de Renzo. "We loved him then and thought, 'Wow. I think we really got a nice horse.' He's had a great year. Here, under pretty tough conditions he came through it all. We knew coming in he would be, but after seeing the first part of the racetrack we did think, 'Goodness. Maybe this isn't the place we should be.' But good horses can get through things.

"We only have three here but they all performed well considering the circumstances—heat, a deep race track, and wind. But that is what I do like about breezing on the dirt. When horses do get through, people know that's the horse and then it turns out to be the right horse. We like that because if we have a horse that performs well but isn't the right horse it looks bad on us. We're very happy to be here again." 

The Gulfstream Sale has yielded strong results for Hartley/de Renzo in the past years. In 2019 out of the three horses offered by the partners, two would make it to the Breeders' Cup World Championships that fall. Four Wheel Drive  (American Pharoah  —Funfair, by More Than Ready  ) won the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) and Donna Veloce  (Uncle Mo  —Coin Broker , by Montjeu) took second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). 

"We didn't shop tremendously hard this year," said de Renzo. "We just thought, 'If we really love one, we will try to buy one. If we don't, we won't just try to get him.' I think we fell on the right ones. Maybe we got lucky."

Another horse receiving plenty of attention on Tuesday was Hip 146, a colt by Darley stallion Nyquist   out of Laurenmychanelgirl  (by Afleet Alex  ). Consigned by SGV Thoroughbreds, the chestnut was bred in Kentucky by VinLaur Racing Stable and is from the family of champion Serena's Song . 

Hip 146 was purchased by North London Bloodstock for $200,000 from the consignment of Vinery Sales the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. The colt worked an impressive eighth-mile in :10 flat during the Gulfstream under tack show. 

"It's nice to have people have confidence again coming out to the sales," said Venosa. "The horses have been well-received here and Fasig has, I feel, the best 2-year-old sale this year. We're on a racetrack that horses compete on a regular basis. The good horses step up. Last year was a really odd year for everyone and just to get back here and see all the activity is very refreshing. We're looking forward to a good sale. Fasig is second to none and we enjoy coming down here." 

With action heavy outside the main barns, Tristan de Meric of de Meric Sales said he's hopeful the market will show even more strength than it did during the first juvenile sale of the season less than two weeks ago at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. 

"We're ready for a good sale I think," said de Meric. "I was pleasantly surprised by the market at OBS. We sold 26 of the 26 horses we led through the ring. If the year can build off that like it has in history, we will—hopefully—be in for a fun season." 

Among the standouts for de Meric is Hip 60, a colt by Lane's End stallion Connect  . Bred in Kentucky by Dell Ridge Farm, the 2-year-old is out of the stakes-winning mare Wild Hoots  (Unbridled's Song), who has also produced grade 1-placed, stakes winner Savings Account . 

Hip 60 was a $285,000 buy-back from the consignment of Machmer Hall Sales to the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. He worked an eighth-mile in :10 1/5 during the under tack show. 

"He's a beautiful horse," said de Meric. "We also got a Practical Joke   colt (Hip 7) and an Into Mischief   colt (Hip 155). I love those three, but we have a really nice group though, top to bottom." 

"All the biggest buyers are here and all the stars are aligned for a huge sale," said Clovis Crane of Crane Thoroughbreds. "If you have good horses, they're going to buy them. I think there is still a lot of uncertainty, but there is optimism. There is light at the end of the tunnel for COVID and I think that is a positive. People want to move forward. Racehorses are something to go do and have fun. It's exciting, the racehorse business. That's something people need right now, something exciting and positive."