Impressive Siblings Make Standing Out Easy at OBS

Having the likes of a celebrity in the family tree is an automatic attention boost for any individual. Look no further than the Kardashian-Jenner empire to watch the success of passed-down genetics play out in real time.

Though it is a phenomenon which has become engrained in human society and especially in Hollywood, popularity through genetics is not restrained to one species—Thoroughbreds being a prime example.

Hip 75, a half sibling to grade 1 winner and May 5 Kentucky Oaks (G1) contender And Tell Me Nolies , will strut through the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's pavilion April 25 for the Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training with his strong lineage standing firmly behind him.

Bred by Lara Run in Florida, the bay son of Gun Runner   was a nifty $150,000 buy as a weanling from Summerfield's consignment at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for McMahon and Hill Bloodstock. Since being purchased, he failed to sell as a yearling and instead was sent to the Florida division of Hidden Brook Farm where he has spent the last year training under Mark Roberts, a partner with the business. Hidden Brook, as agent, consigns the April-born colt this sale.

"The horse has improved every day since we got him and he's still improving. He has so much talent that he doesn't even know he has yet," Roberts said. "He came very good (from his breeze) and he's trained every day since he breezed. I've taken him to the training track here and he has done great. ... He's kind of settled into this and become a professional."

The colt, who is out of grade 3 winner Be Fair , finished his one furlong breeze in :10 1/5 April 16. Meanwhile, his half sister And Tell Me Nolies prepares for a start on the first Friday in May for trainer Peter Miller and owner Peter Redekop. The 3-year-old daughter of Arrogate lit up the West Coast last year with a victory in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, and has since been runner-up in her two starts this season, including the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) and Santa Anita Oaks (G2), both at Santa Anita Park. She is eighth on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 70 points.

"I think he's been very, very popular, and I think you add the fact that there's an update in the family, he breezed exceptionally, and he's a Gun Runner," Roberts said. "You put those three together and of course, he's going to be popular. The update doesn't hurt us at all."

Other horses with star-filled updates to their pages include Hip 44, a Tapiture   colt consigned by Top Line Sales, agent who is a half to multiple graded stakes winner Havnameltdown . Out of the Florida-bred Put It Back mare Ashley's Babe, the colt breezed one furlong in :10 1/5 last Sunday. Bred by Kathie Maybee in Kentucky, the colt went to the 2022 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale under the Four Star Sales banner where he did not sell.

Havnameltdown, trained by Bob Baffert for Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, was a $200,000 purchase for his owners from the Blas Perez consignment during last year's Spring Sale. The Uncaptured colt has now earned over $700,000 in six starts.

Completing the trifecta is Hip 405, a son of Goldencents   whose dam Giant Review  has also produced 2022 Grey Stakes (G3) winner Bluebirds Over . Consigned by Gene Recio, agent, the colt was a $100,000 buy for Vortex Racing from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale. Keeping in line with the others, he breezed one furlong in :10 1/5.