$10.5 million Flightline colt smashs records at Ocala

Cover image courtesy of OBS Sales

Following its third of four sessions on Thursday, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training needed just north of US$14 million (AU$19.5 million) to secure its highest-ever gross. That amount was almost entirely secured on Friday through the sale of one horse when Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, went to all-time high US$10.5 million (AU$14.6 million) to acquire a colt by champion Flightline from the Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbred consignment.

Healthy at the top of the market

“I think at the top, and we saw it in March as well, there were multiple players at the top end and that is healthy for what we do,” OBS President Tom Ventura said. “Day one in March when we sold three horses for a million and none of them were heading to (Bob_ Baffert, that was a sign the top is pretty strong. And that repeated itself here in April.”

OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski saw strength even beyond the traditionally strong top of the market.

“I do think you saw some depth to the market here in April,” Wojciechowski said. “The top typically takes care of itself, but there was plenty of money on that second and third tier all through the week.”

Wojciechowski continued, “It was impressive all week, not just the domestic buyers, but the increased interest we saw from all the regions of the world–a deeper buying bench from Japan, more Middle East buyers coming in and European buyers coming in. It just continues to grow. It's a function of the horses that the consignors bring and what they are doing on the racetrack.”

Longtime OBS consignors Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo had already had a big week–led by a daughter of Jackie's Warrior who became the sales company's new highest-priced filly when selling for $2.3 million on Wednesday– when they led a strapping son of Flightline to the ring Friday for his historic US$10.5 million (AU$14.6 million) sale.

“Dean and Randy were really the first true believers in the April sale,” Ventura said. “People were totally committed to the select sales and April was an open sale and Silver Charm was the first horse to put them on the map. And they also put us on the map.”

Hartley/DeRenzo sold the future GI Kentucky Derby winner for US$100,000 (AU$139,000) at the 1996 OBS Spring sale.

“They also sold the first million-dollar horse here,” Ventura continued. “They've been doing it a long time here. And they aren't doing it with 50 horses a year. They are doing it with a relatively small group of horses. Kudos to them for keeping the horses. You have to have the quality to start with, but they obviously know what they are doing.”

Zedan fights off underbidders of Flightline colt

When the colt by Flightline (hip 1056)–perhaps the most-hyped horse in OBS history–made the short stroll from the Hartley/DeRenzo barn to the back walking ring, he came with an entourage that one onlooker likened to the Derby walkover. And when the strapping colt strode into the sales ring, it was standing-room only in the pavilion.

Jane Lyon, whose Summer Wind Farm bred Flightline, sat front and center in the pavilion watching the bidding on the colt as Bill Farish of Lane's End and Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds–her partners on the champion during his racing career–were out back. Amo Racing's Kia Joorabchian, alongside agent Ben McElroy, stood bidding by the back wall of the pavilion, while bloodstock agent Justin Casse, standing nearby relayed the action into his phone.

Bidding settled into a staccato ricocheting from out back and into the press box, where bloodstock agent Donato Lanni was camped out, and back again through several million-dollar increments with Lanni, bidding on behalf of Amr Zedan, ultimately prevailing with an OBS record bid of US$10.5 million (AU$14.6 million). It was the second most ever paid for a 2-year-old at auction, surpassed only by The Green Monkey, who sold from the same Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds consignment for US$16 million (AU$22.3 million) at the 2006 Fasig-Tipton February sale.

“I'm a little numb,” Lanni admitted after signing the ticket on the record colt. “Amr is tough. He is an emotional guy who is great for the sport. He loves the racing. His enthusiasm is unbelievable. I didn't know he was going to do that, but Amr was riding me pretty hard. Everybody had different numbers on what he could bring, he could bring six, he could bring seven, I never thought (he could bring that), honestly. But that's why there is a horse auction. You never know what they are going to bring.”

Zedan already owned the OBS record price after purchasing Brant (Gun Runner) for US$3 million (AU$4.18 million) at the 2025 March sale, but the Saudi businessman said he had no intention of letting this colt go.

“One needs to respect the amount, it's a lot of money, but this is what it takes to buy quality,” Zedan said. “This is the game. So I was ready to go to what was necessary to buy the horse, as much as necessary and as low as possible.”

Zedan continued, “I don't want to sound arrogant, but I hate losing as much as I love winning. And I have been losing a lot lately, so I figured, why not just go?”

There was already plenty of chatter about the bay colt by Flightline earlier this spring, but the hype went into overdrive when he blitzed through a bullet furlong in :9 3/5 during last week's under-tack preview.

“(Trainer) Bob (Baffert) said the only other horse that he reminded him of was Unbridled's Song,” Lanni said. “He said this horse reminded him of him a lot. Bob loved him the first time he saw him.”

Zedan acquired future Grade I winner Taiba (Gun Runner) from the Hartley/DeRenzo consignment for US$1.7 million (AU$2.4 million) at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale.

“I have a great relationship with Hartley/DeRenzo,” Zedan said. “We have a gentlemen's agreement, we sort of have a conversation and, man to man, just let us know he's a good one. And then when you have someone like Bob Baffert in your corner, and he absolutely says that he hasn't seen a horse like that in the longest time at OBS, you've got to take note. And that's what we did.”

Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo, acting on behalf of Tom Durant, purchased the colt for US$575,000 (AU$801,000) as a weanling at the 2024 Keeneland November sale. He is out of stakes winner and graded-placed Lucrezia (Into Mischief), whose daughter Lyudmila (Gun Runner) sold for US$1 million (AU$1.39 million) at the 2024 Keeneland September sale. The colt had originally been slated to head to that auction as well.

“Originally, he was in September with Marshall (Taylor),” Hartley said. “They were getting him as a yearling, but he got on the fence and cut his hind ankle and had to get stitches two weeks before the sale. We were upset about it because we felt he was the best Flightline yearling going to a yearling sale. But we moved forward, you put your pants on, now we are going in this direction.”

Hartley continued, “I thank Tom Durant so much and the guy who runs his ranch out in Texas, Jack Bruner, believing that we could do this with this quality of horses because it's a big investment and a lot can happen. I promise you that it was probably one of the hardest thing for Tom to sell the horse. But he knows that this is what we do for a living. He wants to support our farm and our team.”

Of the record-setting colt, Hartley said, “He is just an amazing horse. We very rarely see these kind of horses come through the 2-year-old sales. He never missed a beat with nothing. When you're around him five seconds, you can see he breathes different air than other horses.”

Hartley also acknowledged the underbidders on the colt.

“I thank the Farishes and Ms. Lyon for coming in to support their stallion,” he said. “If you are going to buy one, you would want to get the one that everyone wants. I know they are disappointed they didn't get him, but at the same time, I am sure they must be happy for the stallion.”

Bidding on behalf of a group that included West Point Thoroughbreds and Lane's End Farm, David Ingordo was the direct underbidder, going to US$10 million (AU$13.9 million) for the partnership.

“He was a lovely horse and he made a lovely price,” said Ingordo, boarding a plane to leave Ocala. “I don't even know what to say about a sale like that. Obviously, we love the stallion. That was what our interest in him was.”

Ingordo, of course, put together the partnership who bought Flightline at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, which included Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and Summer Wind Farm, who stayed in for a share.

The result put an exclamation mark on the week for Hartley and DeRenzo, who consigned the highest-priced filly to sell at OBS Wednesday when a daughter of Jackie's Warrior sold for US$2.3 million (AU$3.2 million).

“We had the first $1-million horse here when they still had pay phones,” Hartley said with a laugh. “And you always want to be the best. That's what we strive for and you always want it. When that filly became the highest-priced filly, we really wanted to have both (the highest-priced colt and filly).”

Second-last lot adds one more millionaire to the mix

Keeping the momentum going all the way to the very end, the second to last horse through the ring on Friday, a filly by Girvin (hip 1221), brought the house down with Robert and Lawana Low striking the US$1.6 million (AU$2.23 million) final bid.

A US$165,000 (AU$230,000) Keeneland September grad for CMT Rentals (Carlo Vaccarezza, Martha Gladwell and Torie Gladwell) and consigned Friday by Jimbo and Torie Gladwell's Top Line Sales, this filly blitzed a furlong in :9 3/5.

“For the quality, the money is always here,” Gladwell said. “That filly, Torie and my dad and Carlo (Vaccarezza) had to have her at the Keeneland sale and she's just done better every day we've had her. And she showed up here in a big way and brought the house down here at the end. We're very happy. (We) wish Jacob West and the Lows the best of luck with her.”

Jacob West's West Bloodstock handled the bidding duties on the phone for the Lows.

“Girvin's known for getting some pretty high-class fillies,” Low said. “He's a very good stallion and out of a Curlin mare, and it's a young mare. It's a deep family and she was an absolutely beautiful filly. We bought her from people that are known for getting horses to run really fast, and then go run really fast in graded stakes.”

First dam Soma, though unplaced herself, as a US$8000 (AU$11,150) pick up for West Bloodstock at the 2022 Keeneland January Sale. She's produced one foal who won earlier this year at Santa Anita for Michael McCarthy. The mare is a half-sister to graded winner Celestial City (Uncle Mo) and from the family of Grade 1 winner Hymn Book (Arch).

West could find nothing to criticize on the filly, including her under-tack preview in the sale's co-fastest time. He also confirmed that the seven-figure filly would head to top trainer Todd Pletcher.

“There's nothing you can pick apart on her breeze,” West said. “She went incredibly fast down the lane and galloped out really well. This is what happens when at these sales when you're good looking and you go fast, you get a lot of money!”