OXO Equine Springs for $850,000 Colonel John Colt

Two year's after WinStar Farm homebred Colonel John was purchased by Korea Thoroughbred Breeders Association to stand in Korea, almost 7,000 miles away, a colt by the grade 1 winner stunned the audience when he brought $850,000 during the May 21 final session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

"I'm really surprised by the price but satisfied at the same time," said consignor Randy Miles, who had cataloged the talented juvenile as Hip 528. "The horse was a wonderful horse. When you get up to a big number, money doesn't matter once you get up over a certain amount. I was very pleased. Happy for the horse. The horse is going to get a great spot ot train and race." 

Purchased by bloodstock agent John Dowd on behalf of Larry Best's OXO Equine, Hip 528 is the second foal out of the winning A. P. Warrior mare Tayrona. Named Vegas Strong, he was bred in Kentucky by Silver Springs Stud and is from the female family of grade 1-placed, Del Mar Derby (G2T) winner Medici Code.

" We just htought he was a really good invidivdual," said Dowd. "He breezed really well and checked all the boxees. He's a big, strong colt—a two-turn colt that has a natural turn of foot. Obviously the sire left the country but he himself was a really good horse. He won the Santa Anita Derby (G1) he won the Travers (G1). Just a really good athlete." 

Purchased via private sale by Miles last October, the colt had been sold at public auction as a weanling, purchased by Susan Casner for $10,000 from Denali Stud, agent, at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Miles said he was initially attracted to his physical, but during the training process, realized that it was the colt's stamina that truly set him apart. During the under tack show, the colt breezed and eigth-mile in :10 1/5. 

"When we were asked to go out and look at him for a private purchase we fell lin love with him right then," said Miles. "Then when we got him back to the barn and started breaking and training him he had class and ahtleticism. It all fell into one. The horse did everything. He breezed that way twice. He did it in his prep breeze and he did it in his timed breeze. The horse came back to the barn like he never breezed. He did it like it was a walk in the park. I can't wait to watch this horse on the racetrack because his cariovascular system must be out of this world. I really have lofty expectations for this horse. He's got the mind, he's got the body, and he's got the heart. I can't wait to see him." 

"We couldn't wait to get him here. We wanted him in Maryland to showcase him on the dirt because he handled the dirt so well. We had to wait until Maryland to showcase him. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, but this time it just worked. We're really happy." 

The colt was the second most expensive 2-year-old colt by Colonel John ever purchased at auction.