Three Amigos Secures $1M Yaupon Colt at OBS March Sale

Early into the March 12 final session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Three Amigos went to $1 million for a colt (Hip 576) by the 2025 leading first-crop sire Yaupon. Three Amigos is the nickname for California owners and longtime partners Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, who have campaigned many graded stakes winners with trainer Bob Baffert, including 2025 Best Pal Stakes (G3) winner Desert Gate, who they purchased as this sale last year for $260,000. The Yaupon colt breezed a furlong in :09 4/5 during the under-tack show for consignor King's Equine. The purchase marked the seventh horse to sell for $1 million or more at the OBS March sale, which equals the seven-figure purchase record for the auction as of Thursday afternoon. "He was beautiful and fast and sound, came out of the work really good," said Donato Lanni, who signed the ticket on behalf of Three Amigos. "These horses that bring this kind of money, they just have to do everything right. "He was a horse that did good; love the sire, big Yaupon fan. So it's kind of expected (the price). They're precocious, they're quick. They look very forward." The colt made two trips to the sales ring prior to his sale Thursday, once as a short yearling selling for $50,000 to Paul Neatherlin at the 2025 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, and again for $235,000 to Jose D'Angelo at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Consignor Raul Reyes of King's Equine had high expectations for the colt coming into the sale. "There was a lot of interest in the horse, so we knew he would probably be seven figures, and he barely made it, but he made it. "He's a very beautiful horse. He's got everything people want in a horse. He looks really good, and he's very fast. I'm grateful. The 2-year-old sales look pretty good to me. There's a lot of interest in people buying 2-year-olds." Hip 576 was bred in Kentucky by Cem Ozbelge out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Balbina, who is out of grade 1-placed, multiple graded stakes winner Ready's Gal. Balbina is a half sister to graded stakes winner Machen (Distorted Humor). Three Amigos purchased one other horse at the sale during the second session, Hip 322, a colt by Charlatan for $250,000. He is out of the Uncle Mo mare Santa Elena, and hails from the family of multiple grade 1 winner and millionaire Pure Clan.