Orb Colt Grew Up, Brought $685,000 at OBS

At last year's Keeneland September yearling sale, Claiborne Farm sent a son from the first crop of the farm’s stallion Orb   through the ring. The colt was purchased by Royal Flush Racing for $30,000, reflecting his small size and lack of any significant runners produced by his first dam.

On April 25, the colt showed that he had matured significantly over the six months that had passed since he was at Keeneland, bringing a high bid of $685,000 from Three Chimneys Bloodstock, as agent, at the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales spring 2-year-olds in training auction. Produced from the winning Dynaformer mare Vowel, the colt descends from a solid Claiborne family that includes his third dam, grade 1 winner Preach.

Jacob West, director of bloodstock services for Three Chimneys, who signed the ticket, labeled the colt "a pretty serious horse. He had a nice breeze (an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5) and good gallop out. He looks good and vets good. We’re pretty excited about him."

West said the colt, who cost "in the realm of what we thought he would," could be owned in partnership, but that Three Chimneys would be "pretty heavily involved." The colt will be sent to Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who also conditions grade 1 winner Gun Runner for the partnership of Three Chimneys and Winchell Thoroughbreds.

Randy Miles, the Florida horseman who consigned the colt on behalf of a client, said that except for his size, he liked the colt as a yearling.

"I picked him out. He had all the physical attributes you are looking for, except big and bulky. He looked like he would mature. Sometimes you win those games and sometimes you don’t. He grew up to be a big horse," Miles said.

Miles said the colt's best attributes are his athleticism and willingness to train.

"I've never seen a horse try so hard," Miles said. "He's a trier and that’s what people are looking for in a racehorse. The price did not matter that much to us. It's nice that the horse gets a wonderful home. Some great people bought the horse and some great people were the underbidders. Everybody loved the horse. Hopefully he will go on and have a good career."

Claiborne president Walker Hancock said that although the colt now looks like a bargain, the breeder is pleased for the profit shown by Miles' client.

"He was small as a yearling but he turned into a really nice colt," Hancock said. "It's great for the sellers. I hope they come back and buy more from us."

Vowel was also sold by Claiborne, going to Rachid Bros. for $5,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale while in foal to Algorithms  .