Gun Runner Colt Tops Strong OBS Sale at $3 Million

An Eddie Woods-consigned colt by Three Chimneys Farm's Gun Runner sold for an Ocala Breeders' Sales record when the hammer dropped at $3 million at the closing session of the OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale March 13. The previous sale record was $2.45 million for the Tiznow colt Conquistador, established in 2017 at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket on the colt, consigned as Hip 654, on behalf of Zedan Racing. The gray or roan colt breezed the co-fastest eighth-mile of the sale, recording a furlong in :09 3/5 during the under tack show. Hip 654, bred in Kentucky by PTK, was purchased by St. Clair Stables for $200,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is the first foal out of the Liam's Map mare Tynan, a half sister to graded stakes winners Pappacap (also by Gun Runner) and Boppy O. "Gun Runner's a tremendous stallion," Lanni said. "He worked really good, he galloped out good, and he did everything you want one to do. We're excited about him. He's a nice horse and we're here to find nice horses. "This is what the boss wanted, that's what Amr (Zedan) wanted. He's pretty excited." Zedan Racing also purchased last year's sale topper, Nooni, for $1.8 million. The daughter of Win Win Win won the Sorrento Stakes (G3) and was second in the Oak Leaf Stakes (G2) at 2. Woods said he was surprised at the $3 million price for Hip 654. "No, $3 million I couldn't see coming," said Woods. "Baffert called me about the horse (Hip 654) a little while before he came up in the ring. And he said, 'honestly how much do you think he'll bring?' I said $2 million. He says 'oh God, my guy can't do that.' And then he said, 'well, that's what happens when you bring a Rolls Royce to a scrap yard. Everyone wants to ride.' "He's a special horse. That's what it takes to get that thing done." Although the Gun Runner colt's career is just starting to take shape, Woods announced he will be retiring. A longtime fixture in the 2-year-old sales arena, selling multiple champions in his 30-plus year career, Woods' last consignment will come next month at the OBS Spring sale. When asked what it's like to go out on top with a record-breaking horse, he was overcome with emotion. "It's like winning the Olympics," Woods said. "Yeah, oh my God, the only way to go out is on top. "Thirty-one years in April we started selling here. That's a good time. We've done well here, we've made a lot of money here, lost a lot of money here. It's just the way it is." "Eddie has been a big part of OBS for a number of years," said OBS director of sales Tod Wojciechowski. "Not only is he one of our top consignors, but he's also a member of our board. He's been instrumental in the growth and the evolution of the 2-year-olds in training sales. "You'd like to see anybody have a $3 million horse, but yeah, it was kind of special to see him be able to go out like that." Gross, Average Increase at March Sale The OBS March Sale finished strong after a slow start with a gross of $65,815,500 from 432 horses sold, just above last year's $65,239,100 for 454 sold. The average also increased 6% to $152,351, from $143,698 in 2024. The median was down 2.8% at $70,000, compared to $72,000. An RNA rate of 17.6% represented the 92 horses who failed to meet their reserve, down compared to last year's 24% for the 143 horses who failed to change hands. "We had a great day," said Wojciechowski. "The quality of horses was shown in the prices. We set an OBS record with a $3 million horse, and a March (Sale) record for the number of horses sold for $1 million or more (seven)." The highest-priced filly of the sale was Hip 721, a filly by Darley's first-crop sire Maxfield out of All in With Aces, sold to Marquee Bloodstock, agent, for $1.25 million. She went an eighth in :09 4/5 during the under tack show and was consigned by de Meric Sales. "Those horses stood out," said Wojciechowski on the success of the freshman sires. "People really flocked to them." Top Line Sales sold 22 head from their draft for $6,954,000 to be the leading consignor. They sold Hip 486, a filly by Good Magic, on the second day of the sale for $1.1 million to Kimmel and Sallusto, agent for Flanagan Racing. Zedan Racing's single purchase of Hip 654 for $3 million put it atop the buyers. Hideyuki Mori purchased eight horses for a total of $2,090,000. For the first time, OBS offered a new entry option of gallop only, where sellers could enter their horses with the designation on the catalog page. Two of the three gallop-only hips offered sold, both from the Niall Brennan Stables, agent for Mt. Brilliant Farm, consignment. A Curlin colt consigned as Hip 224 sold for $300,000 to trainer Michael Maker, and a Munnings colt consigned as Hip 661 was purchased by D. J. Stable and Robert Cotran for $210,000. "There was strength all the way through," he said. "A number of the gallop-only horses sold well. The international trade, we were very happy with that. What we've seen in the stock market the last few days didn't really seem to affect the market very much. I felt like it was strong throughout the whole three days."