Son of Candy Ride Brings $875,000 at OBS
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Photo: Joseph DiOrio
Hip 803, a ridgling by Candy Ride, brought $875,000.
A Candy Ride ridgling was purchased by Dennis O’Neill on behalf of Paul Reddam for $875,000 to bring the highest price thus far at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. April sale of 2-year-olds in training.
O’Neill, who purchased champion and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum Brands (gr. I) favorite Nyquist for $400,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Florida March sale and bought Reddam's Derby winner I'll Have Another, said the Candy Ride ridgling from the Niall Brennan Stables consignment looks just like Nyquist.
"He's the spitting image of Nyquist," O'Neill said. "He’s an absolutely, fabulous gorgeous horse. We’re getting addicted to this Kentucky Derby Trail and this is the one we thought would get us there next year. I have a type and I hate to use the cliché that he’s athletic, but he’s just a lean, athletic horse. He is such a classy, classy animal.
Although the ridgling is the new OBS sale topper, O’Neill feels he got a bargain.
“I lost a bet with Paul,” O’Neill said. “I thought he would cost a $1 million. I knew all the heavy hitters were on him and usually they don’t quit. I was surprised it wasn’t more.
The ridgling is out of the grade III-winning Wild Rush mare Fencelineneighbor. He was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and was purchased by Valera Stable for $280,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale,