As far as consignor Raffaele Centofanti of Centofani Thoroughbreds is concerned, Ocala Breeders’ Sales saved the best for last during the opening session of its Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training April 19. That’s when Centofanti Thoroughbreds sold a Union Rags filly (Hip 306), the last horse through the ring on the sale’s first day, for $525,000 to Tim Cohen’s California-based Red Baron’s Barn or Rancho Temescal.
Centofanti began consigning horses under his family’s Centofanti Thoroughbreds banner just two years ago. Along with his father and mother, he operates a private training center in Citra, Fla.
“My goal when I started consigning was to sell a horse for $300,000,” he related. “This is the most expensive horse I have sold. It feels awesome.”
Bred in Kentucky by Oscar Benavides, Montesacro Farm, AEMC Thoroughbreds, and Victor Escalona, the chestnut filly is produced from the graded stakes-placed Aldebaran mare Corderosa and is a half sister to stakes-placed runners Orecchiette (by Harlan's Holiday) and Lane Way (by Into Mischief ). The latter is a course record setter at Santa Anita, having won a six-furlong turf sprint last year at Santa Anita in 1:06.60. This is also the family of Celtic Melody, winner of the 2002 Human Distaff Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Scott and Evan Dilworth acquired the filly as a weanling for $90,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale where she was consigned by Eaton Sales. She was an RNA for $105,000 the following year at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and she breezed a fast eighth in :09 4/5 at the under tack preview for the Spring Sale.
“We picked her up in September. She was an RNA at Keeneland and Scott gave me a chance to consign her,” said Centofanti. “She has been forward all year in her training. In September, she didn’t look like she looks today. She’s an April foal and is a beautiful horse. She does everything right. She’s never given me a hiccup.
“I don’t breeze them fast, and she went out there and did it all on her own, really,” he added of the filly’s impressive performance at the under tack show. “I’ve loved her all along. I was going to bring her to the March Sale, but I thought she could use one more month. She has a great female family, and she’s just been fantastic all year.”
The filly is headed to California.
“She had a nice breeze, and she looks like a good filly,” said Cohen. “It’s always nice to buy something with a little pedigree and maybe get some residual (value). She was one of the standouts for us today. I didn’t want to let her go. It’s a tough sale. Buying anything with quality is tough to do.”
