In 2019, bloodstock agent Jacob West bought a son from Liam's Map 's first crop for $1.2 million at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training for Robert and Lawana Low. The hefty gamble paid off, as that colt turned out to be multiple grade 1 winner and now sire Colonel Liam .
On Sept. 10, the third day of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, West signed a ticket on a colt (Hip 546) by another first-crop sire in Jackie's Warrior for $1.3 million for the Lows—the stallion's highest-priced foal to date.
"He was probably one of the best horses of our generation," West said of Jackie's Warrior. "We've had a lot of luck buying freshman sires. People thought we were crazy when we bought a Liam's Map colt for $1.2 million, he ended up being Colonel Liam. It's worked out pretty well for us."
Five-time grade 1 winner and 2021 champion male sprinter Jackie's Warrior was the first horse in Saratoga Race Course history to win a grade 1 race from ages 2-4. He won 12 of his 18 starts, retiring with earnings just shy of $3 million. Entering stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2023 for a $50,000 fee, Jackie's Warrior stood the 2025 season for an advertised fee of $25,000.
West said Hip 546 was one of the best physicals he has seen.
"He was right up there with any of the other horses that were in Book 1, or even (Fasig-Tipton's) Saratoga (Sale)," he said. "I went by the barn this morning and he walked out and just oozed class. All the good horses I've been around, they all have a great mind, and that's what this horse looked like.
"He fit the bill of what we're hoping is a big, fast horse that wins a lot of big races for us."
The bay colt is out of the Trappe Shot mare Taking Aim, who is the dam of three winners from three foals of racing age, including grade 3 winner Taking Candy and grade 3-placed Rascality. He was consigned by Woods Edge Farm, agent.
Hip 546 was bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms, and purchased under Bolter Bloodstock as a weanling at last year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $385,000, making him the highest-priced pinhook offered during the first session of Book 2.
"He was a very special horse," said Peter O'Callaghan of Wood's Edge Farm. "In my personal opinion, he was the best foal in the whole (Keeneland) November Sale. I overpaid for him at the time as a freshman sire, but I wasn't leaving the sale without him.
"The athleticism, the natural strength of him, the conformation were flawless. He had that beautiful head, and good expression ... everything moved. He takes one step and he's halfway down the lane, those horses are hard to come by."
West purchased two other horses for the Lows during Book 1 of the sale—Hip 253, a colt by Upstart out of 2012 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Believe You Can for $425,000 and Hip 335, a filly by Medaglia d'Oro for $525,000.
Among the Lows' other top horses they have campaigned was 2018 Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Magnum Moon, whom West also purchased for the Lows at the September sale in 2016 for $380,000.
"We're extremely grateful to Jacob West and to Mr. and Mrs. Low for buying him, and all the people that were interested and bid for him," O'Callaghan said. "It's a privilege for us when we bring a horse to the sales and so many people like them. There is so much risk involved, so many problems on a daily basis, but this is what we do it for; to bring our best horses to auction and for people to like them."
