Tom Durant Scores $530,000 American Pharoah Colt

Tom Durant's desire for 2-year-olds sired by American Pharoah  continued during the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, when the owner went to $530,000 for a colt from the Triple Crown winner's first crop.

From the consignment of Paul Sharp, agent, the colt cataloged as Hip 350 was bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West Stables out of the Tapit  mare Our Love Tap. He is from the extended female family of La Brea Stakes (G1) winner Dearest Trickski.

The colt breezed an eighth-mile in :10 3/5 during the under tack show and was a $200,000 yearling pinhook purchase by the Crow-Sharp Venture from the consignment of Paramount Sales to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. 

Durant, who is represented by agent Josh Stevens, had bought an American Pharoah filly out of the Pulpit mare Tap of the Day, a full sister to leading sire Tapit , for $275,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Both juveniles will be sent to trainer Bret Calhoun, who trains Allied Racing Stable's Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner By My Standards, also a sale purchase by Stevens. 

"We had bought an American Pharoah for him that was from Tapit's family, so this colt being out of a Tapit mare pushed us over the edge because we've been really happy with that filly," Stevens said of the Midlantic sale purchase. "This is a colt that is prototypical of what the 2-year-old sales do for you. Physically when he stands in front of you, he has a little bit of growing up to do. But on video and tape and the numbers, he was one of the top horses in the sale for us.

"Having an owner like Tom who is willing to turn him out and let grow up a little bit gave us a little more confidence to go after a horse who is going to get better as he gets older," Stevens added. "Tom wants classic style horses. What we have been trying to do is find horses that will compete at the top level without going to the top of the price range."

Liz Crow said parting with the colt was emotional because, "He's so easy to be around. He is so calm and carried himself with class. He's done everything we asked him to do like it was nothing."

Crow said she and Sharp were disappointed the colt had not gone faster during his under tack show breeze, with those workouts playing a key role in a 2-year-old's final price tag.

"I am very pleased with the price, but we were a little disappointed he went in :10 3/5 because I know what it takes to bring a $1 million-plus at these sales and we thought all year he could be that kind of quality horse," Crow said. "We're really happy he went to a good home, too. I think he is special and we'll see him down the road.

"Sometimes when you know how talented they are, it's hard to let them go, especially since we have a racing stable. But this pinhook partnership was designed to sell horses, and we sell everything that comes through our operation."

Durant purchased one other 2-year-old at the Maryland sale. During the opening May 20 session, he spent $260,000 on Hip 97, an Into Mischief  colt consigned by McKathan Bros., agent. Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, the colt is out of the Grand Slam mare Cool Spell.