As the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training heads into the homestretch of its four-day run, consignor Jesse Hoppel is poised to make a strong final impression, leading over a duo of fast, well-related prospects likely to be on prospective buyers' radars.
Hip 994 is a Florida-bred son of Gun Runner out of the winning and multiple stakes-producing Henny Hughes mare Drumette, making him a half brother to multiple champion and two-time Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner Monomoy Girl and graded stakes winner Mr. Monomoy. Superstar Monomoy Girl won a remarkable 14-of-17 lifetime starts, banking $4,776,818. Champion 3-year-old female of 2018 and champion older dirt female in 2020, Monomoy Girl took out seven grade 1 races for trainer Brad Cox, including the 2018 Kentucky Oaks (G1). Mr. Monomoy won the 2020 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and earned $327,162 during his racing career.
Bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm, the colt, whose dam was acquired by Bridlewood for $1.85 million in foal to Mastery at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale in 2018, breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the under tack preview.
"He is a big, pretty horse," Hoppel said of the Gun Runner colt. "He has a lot of the Gun Runner attributes physically, the way he looks, and everything. I see a lot of Gun Runner in him. He has been popular at the barn, so we are expecting something good out of him."
As for the colt's breeze, Hoppel said, "I was happy with it. He's a horse that wants to run on farther. He's never going to be entered to go one furlong."
Hoppel also has a colt who bolstered his stock with a bullet work during the April 11 session of the under tack preview. Hip 1017, a son of Maclean's Music , turned heads when breezing a quarter-mile in :20 2/5 to tie for the fastest clocking at that distance of the day.
The Maclean's Music colt is produced from the winning City Zip mare Embur's Zip, a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner and 2011 Canadian champion older mare Embur's Song. This is also the family of 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Exaggerator.
"I love the City Zip attitude I am seeing in him," Hoppel said. "We've dealt with a lot of City Zips in the past when he was still around. I love that mentality and drive that those City Zips express. He's a really pretty horse. I think he's a precocious horse who is really talented."
As for the market, Hoppel expects to greet the talented duo in the homestretch of the OBS Spring sale. Hoppel said, "March was a good, strong indicator. Typically, that's a leading indicator of our 2-year-old market. When we start strong, a lot of times we finish strong. I expect it will carry through this sale. We had busy days showing, even during the breeze sale. Hopefully, that correlates to a good sale."
The Hoppel-consigned Hip 875, a son of Yaupon , sold for $625,000 to Spendthrift Farm during Thursday's session. Hip 875 had also breezed a quarter-mile in :20 2/5 during the April 11 under tack show.
