Fast Jackie's Warrior Filly Brings $2.3M Day 2 at OBS

A speedy bay filly by Jackie's Warrior claimed the title of sale topper near the end of the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale after bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington went to $2.3 million for her. Farrington bought the filly on behalf of prominent owner Fitriani Hay. The filly, consigned as Hip 570 by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, rewrote the record books, becoming the highest-priced filly to ever sell at the OBS Spring Sale, and the second-highest-priced juvenile to sell at the April auction, behind only Conquistador, who sold for $2.45 million during the 2017 edition of the sale. "It means a lot," said Dean DeRenzo of Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds. "This is home, and we sold the first $1 million horse ever sold here at OBS. It feels good, we are part of OBS, we're shareholders here, and it feels good to do it all at home, that's for sure. "We thought she was the best filly in the sale, and we thought we had the best colt (Hip 1056) in the sale. We were pretty confident about it because those kinds of horses don't come around very often. They stand out like a sore thumb. We were confident she would do really well." The filly was among six to work a furlong in the co-fastest time of :09 3/5 during the under-tack show. Her blazing performance is backed by a strong pedigree. She is out of the Indian Charlie grade 3 winner Brazen Persuasion, who is half sister to graded-placed stakes winner Thankful (American Pharoah) and stakes winner Behold de Buy (E Dubai). Hip 570's third dam is grade 3 winner and stakes producer Godmother. Alex Cole, racing manager for Hay, said they could find no faults in the daughter of Jackie's Warrior. "We wouldn't have spent that kind of money if there was any flaw," Cole said. Freshman sire Jackie's Warrior, a five-time grade 1 winner and 2021 Eclipse champion male sprinter, stands at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington, for an advertised fee of $25,000. Cole noted that the filly will head to Keeneland to join the barn of trainer Wesley Ward. Hay, who has been involved in the industry for more than 20 years, has horses stabled in the United States and the United Kingdom. Some of the most notable horses campaigned by Hay include grade 1 winner Highland Chief (IRE) and 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Starlust (GB). In partnership with Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor, Hay also campaigned multiple grade 1 winner and 2011 champion grass horse Cape Blanco (IRE). The Jackie's Warrior filly is the fourth horse purchased by Farrington so far during the four-day sale. At the end of the second session, 148 horses had changed hands for gross receipts of $25,522,000. The average of $172,446 and the $77,500 median showed increases of 14.9% and 29.2%, respectively, compared to last year's corresponding session. The gross was down from last year's $27,462,500, when 183 horses changed hands. Fifty-seven horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 27.8%. Farrington's two purchases totaling $2.58 million put him atop the leading buyers of the day. Hartley/DeRenzo led the consignors with their single offering of Hip 570 for $2.3 million. De Meric Sales led consignors with at least two sold on the day, selling five from their draft for $1,905,000. "I think the market's been fair," said de Meric said. "The same kind of trends we've been seeing the last few years, when you check the boxes, the results are spectacular. And, if they missed the mark, even by a little bit, it's difficult. "There's plenty of opportunities out there at all levels in this market, but the high end is very strong." Day 3 of the OBS Spring sale begins at 10:30 a.m. April 16 with hips 611-916 set to head to the ring. As of Wednesday evening, OBS had reported 97 outs.