Pioneerof the Nile Colt Brings $1.2M from OXO Equine

Larry Best's OXO Equine, one of the top buyers at 2-year-olds in training sales in recent years, went to to $1.2 million for a colt by Pioneerof the Nile  during the March 12 first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale,

Bred in Kentucky by Dattt Farm, the colt was consigned as Hip 194 by Hoby and Layna Kight, agent. He is the eighth foal out of the stakes-placed Malibu Moon  mare Golden Artemis and is a half brother to grade 1 winner My Conquestadory. 

The catalog page for Hip 194 had a major update since the colt was entered in the sale as Bourbon War, My Conquesdory's first foal by Tapit , finished second in the March 2 Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Best, accompanied at OBS by adviser John Dowd, said Bourbon War's graded stakes-placing played a role in his purchase.

"I was planning to pay $800,000 until they pointed out Bourbon War," Best said. "Bourbon War is an awesome horse."

The colt breezed an eighth-mile in :21 1/5 and galloped out strong during the March 8 under tack show.

Best said the colt has some room to develop and, "When he grows up he's going to be about the right size. He's got a lot of speed. His gallop was strong." 

Best, who owns classic hopeful Instagrand, said he will keep adding to his stable "as long as I'm having fun."

The colt's seven-figure purchase price represented a major pinhooking score for the partnership of Beryl "Sonny" Stokes Jr. and his son-in-law, former Quarter Horse jockey Leroy McClurg. Stokes found early success in buying young horses for resale and was hooked.

The pair purchased the colt privately at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale after he went unsold on a final bid of $190,000 from the consignment of the Denali Stud. 

"He was real a nice yearling," Hoby Kight said. "As soon as the hammer fell I called Craig (Bandoroff), who also loved the horse."