Million-Dollar Purchase Tatters to Riches Wins Debut

The sense of relief was palpable in the Del Mar winner's circle July 29, after the first race of the day.

Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal's Tatters to Riches, a $1 million purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's April sale of 2-year-olds in training, led at every call in his six-furlong debut Saturday, but was under pressure until the late stages by another highly regarded colt, Jungle Warfare.

With Jungle Warfare a head back through a quarter-mile in :22.70 and a half-mile in :46.84, Tatters to Riches slowly pulled away in the stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths and hit the wire in 1:11.33. 

"Every day. Every day (there is pressure)," trainer Jeff Mullins said of the Union Rags   colt, who will likely make his next start in the Sept. 4 Del Mar Futurity (G1). "He did what we hoped he would do. They're not always worth what you pay for them."

Jungle Warfare was 9 3/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Warrior's Lullaby.

Mullins said after the race that Tatters to Riches is by far the highest-priced horse he's ever trained.

"I bought one filly privately once for $500,000 and that was a rush in itself," Mullins said with a laugh.

The million-dollar colt was consigned by Paul Sharp at the OBS April sale. Sharp and Liz Crow, agent, purchased Tatters to Riches for $60,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Out of the A.P. Indy mare Poco Mas, Tatters to Riches is a half brother to Argentine group 2 winner Carinosa.