City Zip Colt New OBS June Record at $800,000

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s June sale of 2-year-olds in training got a new sale-topper early on its final day June 17 when a colt by City Zip   brought $800,000 from Frank Fletcher Racing, a record price for the sale.

The colt, Hip 926, was consigned by Stephens Thoroughbreds. He worked a quarter mile during the under tack show in the session's co-fastest time of :21 1/5 and is out of the stakes-placed mare Successful Sarah, a daughter of Successful Appeal  . Agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket.

“The good ones seemed to have cost a lot more all year," Lanni said. "The horse did everything right. He worked fast and came back sound.”

“We knew he was going to sell very well by the people who were looking at the horse," said consignor John Stephens. "He’s a wonderful horse with a great mind. He’s a big horse who showed a lot of speed. Everyone who looked at him loved him.”

The colt was bred in Florida by Vicente Perez’ Farm III Enterprises.

Another top price of the sale so far is Hip 936, a half brother to 2010 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Super Saver  , who sold for $375,000 to agent Christina Jelm. The colt by Distorted Humor   produced from the winning A.P. Indy mare Supercharger was consigned by Eddie Woods as agent. He worked an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5.

Trainer Mike Puhich, who has been working with Jelm, said the colt will be owned by a group that will be put together.

“He looks like a late developer, a really nice horse that will get better,” Puhich said. “Obviously when you buy a horse like that, you’re shooting for the moon. We think we got a bargain on him. Hopefully, he was a bargain.”

The colt also is a half brother to grade III winner and sire Brethren   and to the dam of grade I winner Callback and from the extended family of grade I winner Girolamo  . He was bred in Kentucky by John Sikura's Hill 'n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Glen Hill Farm  and bought back at Keeneland's September yearling sale for $275,000.

“I would say he’s the best bred horse sold at a 2-year-old sale this year," Sikura said following the sale. "Eddie did a great job with the horse.”

Sikura said there were several factors in the colt’s buyback last year and  big sale this year.

“He was a little immature and there has been a lot of activity in the family,” Sikura said. “He needed a little time. That’s the only reason he’s here in June."

Sikura said Hill 'n' Dale focuses on yearling sales but does have some horses the end up in juvenile sales.

"We try to sell most horses as yearlings. He had to overcome the stigma of why such a well-bred horse was here. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he brought $500,000.”

Supercharger was carrying a colt this from the last crop of Smart Strike, but it was a dystocia foal and died several hours after being foaled via a C section; the mare now is in foal to Curlin  .