OXO Equine's Best goes to $1.8 million for Keeneland yearling
Larry Best and his OXO Equine, LLC already campaigns Instagrand, the early Breeders' Cup Juvenile favorite, but certainly isn't done yet.
On Monday, Best turned the focus to his next generation, going to $1.8 million for Hip 211, a Curlin colt, at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
"It’s a good pedigree; I think it’s flawless,” Best said. “Now the big question is can he run? I don’t have a Curlin. I’ve always wanted to find a quality Curlin, and now I’ve found one.”
The bay colt was the fourth yearling of the sale to pass the million-dollar dark as the bidding began. He was consigned by Summerfield, an agent for Stonestreet Bred and Raised, as Hip 211.
The dam, Molly Morgan, by Ghostzapper, was a multiple graded stakes winner. Her biggest victory came in the Grade 1 La Troienne. The Curlin colt is her first foal.
Curlin earned 2008 Horse of the Year honors, with his biggest wins in the 2007 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic and the 2008 Group 1 Dubai World Cup. He has sired juvenile champion Good Magic, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and 2016 Preakness winner Exaggerator. Both of those sons also won the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational.
Among Best's other horses, most of whom are trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, is Instilled Regard, the Kentucky Derby's fourth-place finisher now in the care of Chad Brown. Instilled Regard is targeting the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 22 for his next start.