OBS Day 3 Offers Offspring of Hard-Knocking Mares

The Ocala Breeders' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is underway and buyers are already dreaming of the star their new purchase could turn into. Heart and tenacity are admirable qualities in any scenario, but play a much larger role in the success of a Thoroughbred racehorse. March 14 will provide buyers the opportunity to add offspring of hard-knocking mares who displayed those qualities to their stable, hoping that mom was able to pass those traits along before they were weaned.

Hip 706 is a good-looking son of Bernardini bred by Dede McGehee. Although Bernardini has earned a stronger reputation for his fillies, consignor Tom McCrocklin sees a bright future for this colt.

"If I got a Bernardini colt out of this mare and I got this horse, I'd be ecstatic," McCrocklin said.

The mare is 2011 Delaware Oaks (G2) winner St. John's River , who is most famous for finishing second in the 2011 Kentucky Oaks (G1) beaten just a neck by Plum Pretty.

A dam of five horses to race, she has produced three winners. Among her runners is the Empire Maker five-time winner Wartime Hero , who has earned $134,873.

The mare's Copper Bullet   colt Ponce de Leon  started twice as a 2-year-old last summer, finishing second both times. In his June 15 debut at Ellis Park, he finished 5 1/4 lengths ahead of grade 1 winner and current Kentucky Derby (G1) points leader Timberlake .

As for the Bernardini colt, his temperament and speed are much to McCrocklin's liking.

"He's been a model citizen," McCrocklin said. "He's extremely balanced and very athletic. He moves like a cat on the racetrack."

When allowed to pounce on the track under tack March 9, he flashed a quarter mile in :21 1/5, a speedy work from a horse who is bred to run two turns.

"He's an extremely efficient mover," McCrocklin said. "He's a natural athlete, he's got speed, and he's supposed to run all day. What else do you want?"

Hip 604, filly by Uncle Mo—Rumplestiltskin, by DAnehill

Rumplestiltskin  was a dominant force in Europe at age 2. A two-time group 1 winner, the Danehill mare was named Europe's champion 2-year-old filly in 2005. Flaxman Holdings' decision to breed the European champion to 2010 American 2-year-old champion male Uncle Mo   yielded Hip 604, a filly that brought $200,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale last year.

"She's been a real straightforward filly," said consignor Ciaran Dunne of Wavertree Stables. "A beautiful family. She's got a lot of residual value."

The filly is a half to Galileo's Tapestry , winner of the 2013 Debutante Stakes (G2) and runner-up in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) at age 2 before winning the 2014 Yorkshire Oaks (G1) at age 3. Tapestry earned $624,722.

Tapestry's full brother, John F Kennedy , won the 2014 Golden Fleece Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3) at age 2 and placed in two grade 3 races at age 3. In total, all six of Rumplestiltskin's foals to race are winners.

The family has seen most of its success over the turf in Europe, but Dunne says the daughter of Uncle Mo strikes him as a dirt filly.

"She performs really well on our dirt track at home," Dunne said. "I think she's a filly that could handle the grass, but I don't think she has to have it."

Breezing under tack March 8, the filly flashed a :10 furlong.

"She's always been a quick filly and gets over the ground well," Dunne said. "There's not too many :10 flats and have the pedigree she has."

Coming from a deep European family, Dunne said the filly has attracted much attention both as a broodmare prospect and a racehorse.

"Hopefully, she hits both ends of the spectrum," Dunne said.

hip 617, colt by constitution—Sand Puce, by Footstepsinthesand

Rumplestiltskin won't be the only successful foreign mare represented at the sale. Sand Puce  was a stellar racemare in South America 2012-15, winning 18 of 40 starts for earnings of $399,431. Among her successes were victories in 11 group stakes and six placings at the group 1 level.

"She was a very durable mare," said David Scanlon, who consigns her Constitution   colt, Hip 617, for his Scanlon Training and Sales.

An unraced 2021 full brother to the Constitution colt, Burden of Proof , sold for $700,000 to Lynnhaven Racing at the Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale in 2022. This colt himself was a $385,000 RNA at the same sale in 2023. Of the two Sand Puce offspring to reach the races, one was a winner. When bred with Footstepsinthesand  mares, Constitution has produced four winners from five starters.

Sand Puce herself is a half sister of Stormy Publisher , who won half of her 14 starts including three stakes once brought to the United States from South America.

The colt made a strong impression during his March 8 under tack show blazing a furlong in :09 4/5.

"When you watch the work, it doesn't look like a nine and four," said Scanlon. "He's got a really long, beautiful stride and hits the ground very lightly. He's a very smooth horse. Very athletic."

The colt has impressed Scanlon not just from his performance on the track, but also from his temperament.

"Some of the Constitutions can be a little headstrong and fighty," Scanlon said. "He has a great mind, a very good horse to be around."

Scanlon is excited about what the future will hold for the colt that has been one of his busiest horses at the sale.

"I see him being a horse that's going to break his maiden this year and then go on and be that classic two-turn type," Scanlon said. "I think it's a horse we'll be hearing more about."