Agent Mahmud Mouni landed a full brother to multiple graded stakes-placed Shoplifted during the third session of Fasig-Tipton's October Yearling Sale for $450,000 from the Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services consignment. Hip 855 hails from the family of grade 1 winner Miss Shop and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey.
The bay colt by Into Mischief was bred in Kentucky by Newtownanner Stud, and became the fifth purchase for Mouni on behalf of client Emad Tablci during the sale, totaling $1.02 million for the five purchases thus far.
He said the original plan was to buy two or three horses, but in the last five minutes they decided to go after Hip 855.
"But when you see a diamond, like this horse (Hip 855) you can't forget it. So therefore, we decided to buy it," said Mouni.
"He's very interested, he's a new client for the horse business," said Mouni of Emad Tablci. "We would like to keep the horses here for one year, and we are planning to discuss with the seller to go to (Todd) Pletcher. The main target is the Arabian and Dubai World Cup for the next year, or the year after when we see the horses getting good results here in America.
"Maybe if they do a good job as 2-year-olds, then we're going to wait for the Kentucky Derby, the dream to everyone."
Mouni said with horse racing jumping and booming, it's worth it to invest in horses now. He has purchased horses in the past from France and England and wants to increase the quality of horses they purchase.
"In Libya, the level of horses is less, we can't buy horses for half a million for Libya right now. But, you know the target for the quality (horses) is to go to Saudi Arabia, to go to Dubai, to race here in America, the Kentucky Derby," he said.
Mouni secured four yearlings from the Oct. 22 second session of the sale—Hip 429, a colt by Good Magic out of Malibu Dawn for $270,000; Hip 517, a colt by McKinzie out of Moonlit Fantasy for $95,000; Hip 615, a colt by Good Magic out of Pacific Dancer for $180,000; and Hip 778, a Justify colt out of Runninwiththewind for $25,000.
"We are looking for the best pedigree, the best horse for racing, this is our target. I would like to buy from the new generation, the new stallions such as Good Magic, Maxfield, or McKinzie," he said.
"They have many, many clients still interested until the end of the sale."
