Crupi's Curlin Colt a Buzz Horse at Gulfstream Sale

While J.J. Crupi is often bullish on horses he offers at public auction through his New Castle Farm, he tempers his enthusiasm with a certain level of pragmatism.

So when Crupi says an individual like the Curlin  colt he will offer as Hip 173 at The Gulfstream Sale has the potential to be the most expensive horse through the ring, people take notice.

"He's a buzz horse," Crupi said while watching prospective buyers examine the striking bay colt the morning of March 26, the day before at Fasig-Tipton's selected 2-year-olds in training sale at Gulfstream Park. "Just look at him. He's a man. He's never had a bad day in his life."

The colt bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stables was produced from the winning Bernardini  mare Achieving, also the dam of Arabian Hope, a group 3 winner in Turkey and group 1-placed in England, and of stakes winner Counterforce. The female family also includes Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, champion Rags to Riches, classic winner Jazil, and grade 1 winner Streaming.

"He's a homebred, and he's here to sell," Crupi said. "He's just a very classy horse. When you're breaking them, the good ones show up right away and the bad ones show up like a bad penny. You don't how good they are until you start breaking them, but with him we knew from the beginning he was really special."

During the pre-sale under tack show workouts for the one-day sale, which begins Wednesday at 2 p.m. EDT, the colt breezed an eighth-mile in the co-second-fastest time of :10, with Crupi saying that private clockers timed him in :33 for the three-eighths mile gallop-out following the work.

"That's fast," Crupi said.

Another Crupi-consigned juvenile drawing attention ahead of the sale was Hip 167, a well-bred filly from the first crop of WinStar Farm's 2014 Besilu Florida Derby (G1) winner Constitution . Bred in Kentucky by Anthony Warrender, Fred Allor, North Hanover Bloodstock, and Oak Ridge Farm, the filly—out of the Deputy Minister mare Winning Call—is a half sister to grade 1 winner Tapizar , who is off to a fast start at stud.

The filly breezed an eighth-mile in :10 2/5 during the under tack show. According to Crupi, she was momentarily distracted at the start by a sign along the Gulfstream track rail, despite wearing blinkers. 

Initially sold to Markham Farm by Gainesway for $95,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, the filly was bought for $115,000 by Crupi, agent for Tex Co Co., from Gainesway's offerings at The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's yearling sale in Kentucky.

Not only are Crupi's Fasig-Tipton horses doing well, but the Florida horseman himself is on the mend after a serious health issue that included a lung infection.

"I'm much better than I was," Crupi said, adding with a chuckle. "I think I'm going to win a grade 1."