Hoolie Racing Takes Home Justify Colt for $825,000
Description:
Hip 45, a colt from the first crop of Horse of the Year and undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify out of Breeders' Cup winner Bar of Gold , was among the breakout horses during the opening session of The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling auction Aug. 9, with Travis Durr, agent for David Hudson (Hoolie Racing), extending to $825,000 for the handsome chestnut colt.
Hailing from the family of graded stakes winner Half Ours and stakes winner Yankee Gentleman , the colt is a half brother to Coinage , a winning 2-year-old by Tapit who most recently finished third in the July 21 Rick Violette Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The colt's second dam is graded stakes winner Khancord Kid , winner of the 2010 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
"He's a good-looking colt," said David Hudson. "Travis (Durr) helped us pick him out. We'll give it a shot and see what happens."
As far as plans go for the colt, Hudson added, "My brother Andrew runs all of the operations. We're going to talk about that tonight and come up with a game plan. We'll try this and we'll see. We may learn a valuable lesson, an expensive lesson."
Consigned by Becky Thomas' Sequel New York, agent for the colt's breeders Chester and Mary Broman, the New York-bred is the second foal produced from the grade 1-winning Medaglia d'Oro mare Bar of Gold, winner of the 2017 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar.
A homebred for the Bromans, Bar of Gold enjoyed a sensational racing career, banking $1,551,000. In addition to her Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Stakes (G1) victory, she annexed the 2017 Yaddo Stakes, the 2016 Empire Distaff Handicap, and the 2016 Critical Eye Stakes under the tutelage of trainer John Kimmel. She was also multiple graded stakes-placed, including a runner-up effort in the 2015 Longines Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga as a juvenile.
"It's always really special for me to sell for the Bromans," said Becky Thomas, "particularly with these kinds of families. I broke and trained the colt's mother and grandmother. It's just so nice, so special.
"He's a big, beautiful colt," Thomas added. "He looks like Justify. He stands over a lot of ground and this guy has a great mind."