Tapit Colt One to Watch on Day 3 of OBS Sale

The final 2-year-old by leading sire Tapit   being offered at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale is scheduled to go through the ring during the June 16 third session.

Consigned as Hip 761 by de Meric Sales, the colt is out of grade I winner River's Prayer (Devon Lane) who won nine of 16 starts and earned $921,958. In addition to the grade I Princess Rooney Handicap, the mare won two grade III stakes, including the Rancho Bernardo Handicap in track record time of 1:17 4/5 for 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the colt was purchased by Safari Bloodstock for $240,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale from the consignment of Summerfield, agent for Stonestreet Bred and Raised.

"He is by the leading sire and is a big, strong colt who is light on his feet," said Tristran de Meric.

Also Thursday, de Meric has a Midnight Lute   filly from the family of champion Personal Ensign and grade I winner Personal Flag.

Produced from the stakes-winning Johannesburg mare Private Dreams, the filly, consigned as Hip 710, was bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Jerry Hollendorfer, et al. and was bought by Bowling Hines for $32,000 from the Hill 'n' Dale offerings at the Keeneland yearling sale.

"She comes from a top family and is a very precocious, sound filly with no issues," de Meric said.

The third OBS session also includes anInto Mischief   filly Gainesway purchased for $230,000 from the Select Sales consignment at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August yearling sale. Bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, Hip 866 offered by Eisaman Equine hails from Simple Symphony, a Consolidator half sister to stakes winners Doc Calls Her Kate and My Lady Avie.

Hip 668, a Tale of Ekati   filly named Ekatitalkstoomuch, is out of stakes-placed Perfect Paula, a Songandaprayer   mare who produced multiple stakes-placed Senna (Tale of Ekati). Bred in Kentucky by Extern Developments, the filly was bought by Vista Creek Stables for $27,000 from Summerfield Farm at the 2015 OBS August yearling sale.

"She's very sharp and worked very well," consignor Niall Brennan said of the filly that breezed an eighth-mile in :10 1/5. "She's a balanced filly who gets around the track well."