Twirling Candy Colt Fetches $800,000 at OBS Spring Sale

A colt by Lane's End stallion Twirling Candy   proved to be a hotly contested commodity in the ring during the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training April 25. The fleet-footed colt sold as Hip 192 tipped his hand by zipping an eighth in :09 4/5 at last week's under tack preview and departed the auction ring on Tuesday on a final bid of $800,000 from Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock.

"He had a lovely fast time and seemed to sustain it for a long time. I think he had the largest stride of the day," said St Lawrence, who indicated that the colt is headed to Dubai to train with Fawzi Nass. "He's our type of horse, a big, strong horse. We got pushed a bit (on price)."

Consigned by Steven Venosa's S G V Thoroughbreds, agent, the dark bay or brown colt was produced by the graded stakes-placed Uncle Mo   mare Conquest Babayaga . The colt hails from the family of Canadian champion Negligee , winner of the 2009 Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, and Zilzal , a grade 1 winner and Horse of the Year in England. Bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stable, the Kentucky-bred colt was a $120,000 buy-back in the St. George Sales consignment at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

"We liked him back home, but anytime you bring them over here, you just hope they show up, and he showed up," said Venosa. "We got him straightaway from Keeneland. He was broke on our farm. At Keeneland, he was just a big, immature horse. As time went on, he really filled out and blossomed. He's been over here (OBS) and doing really well. Every day he is getting better, and he has been improving since Day 1."

Earlier in the day, St Lawrence purchased a Star Guitar   filly, consigned as Hip 161 by Richardson Bloodstock, agent. The filly out of the stakes winner Charged Cotton  is a full sibling to twice Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint Stakes winner Ova Charged .

During last week's under tack show the filly breezed a furlong in :10 1/5.

Bred in Louisiana by Brittlyn, the chestnut was initially sold during the Keeneland September Yearling Sale last year for $100,000 to Lane Richardson, agent for Kevin Knuckley. She sold Tuesday for $200,000, making a profit for her pinhooking connections.