Newcomer Best Tops Fasig-Tipton Owners' List

Lawrence Best's purchase of two seven-figure juveniles from Cary Frommer at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale of 2-year-olds in training propelled them to the top of the lists of leading owners and consignors, respectively.

Best, who served as chief financial officer of the medical devices company Boston Scientific and operates under the OXO Equine banner, made his first foray into Thoroughbred ownership at last year's Keeneland September yearling sale.

He made a bigger splash at Wednesday's Fasig-Tipton sale, however, buying only two horses—an Uncle Mo   filly for a sale-topping $1.5 million and buying More Than Ready   colt for $1.1 million, both from Frommer. Best, who uses Chad Brown as one of his trainers, said his interest in Thoroughbred racing was driven by the success of a friend in the industry.

"A friend of mine, who I invited to be a guest in my house in Florida, got me hooked on the industry," said Best, who seemed surprised by all the attention he was getting after making his big purchases. "It's someone I worked with and he just intrigued me enough to look into it. I love the industry (and) I love the athletes—the horses. I guess I'm just a little addicted."

Second to OXO on the leading owners' list was Kerri Radcliffe, an agent bidding by phone who bought two horses for a combined $1.55 million, an average price of $775,000.

Michael Hall's Breeze Easy was also busy at Gulfstream, buying three for a combined $1.45 million, partnering with WinStar on a $900,000 Medaglia d'Oro   colt from Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds.

With her two big-ticket sales, Frommer was leading consignor by average—$933,333 for three sold—with two others that went unsold. Randy Hartley and Dean De Renzo, who sold the second-highest-priced horse—a Bernardini   colt bought by Reiley McDonald on behalf of Coolmore Stud's M.V. Magnier, for $1.45 million—were leading consignors by total, with all six through the ring sold for an aggregate $4.065 million.

"I think they were standouts in the sale, but I was surprised at those prices," said Frommer, who is based in Aiken, S. C., and buys and sells in partnership with Barry Berkelhammer.

With five of six juveniles offered selling for total receipts of $2,825,000, Ashford Stud's Uncle Mo was leading sire by gross and also topped the leaderboard by average (for three or more sold), with $565,000.

Among first-crop sires, Claiborne Farm's Orb   had one sell for $500,000 to top the list, followed by Ashford's Shanghai Bobby  , with one sold for $495,000.