O'Callaghans Strike Big With $750K Honor A. P. Colt

The Sept. 19 opening session of Book 3 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale started with a bang for Peter and Jenny O'Callaghan, whose pinhook—a colt by Honor A. P.—brought a lucrative final bid of $750,000 from CHC, Maverick Racing, and Light Post Ventures. Last fall, the husband-and-wife duo of Woods Edge Farm purchased the colt (Hip 1167) for $60,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale from the Paramount Sales consignment. "He was the most beautiful foal," Jenny O'Callaghan said. "We bought him in the later books, and he was gorgeous then, too. "He's a big, scopey horse. He's a dark bay with four white socks and a white face. So, straight up, he's a picture. But his natural athleticism and scope just translated to his walk. He had amazing movement and presence, and we just loved him." She noted that he was one of only three foals by the stallion in the entire November sale catalog, and they knew he would be a standout physically. The O'Callaghans pinhook a handful of weanlings each year with great success. Jenny said the pinhooking game gets harder each year, and there are so many great eyes for talent scouting horses at the sales. "Less foals are coming on the market for proven sires, but there's still the same amount of buyers of foals. The prices of those foals are getting more and more competitive, and the margins are getting thinner," she explained. "And as you can tell by this sale, if you have an Into Mischief, Gun Runner, or Not This Time, those are foals that aren't coming on the market anymore, so it's really hard to compete. We've got to find value, and that horse (Hip 1167) is a good example of taking a punt. That stallion hadn't kicked on." Honor A. P. began to turn heads when Counting Stars won back-to-back stakes at Oaklawn Park as a juvenile for West Point Thoroughbreds and trainer Mark Casse. This summer, Counting Stars propelled her sire to new heights by capturing both the Acorn Stakes (G1) and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. "If the stallion hadn't kicked on, we probably would've been in Book 5. That's the way it goes. But that's where the value is at," she said. "It's just buying the physicals you love and the horses that you know that you can't leave without." Jenny said they wanted the colt to be forwardly placed in the (September) sale so the right people could see him. She added that despite the scorching temperatures every day, Hip 1167 showed unbelievably well. "We're delighted that WinStar got him. They are a wonderful operation. They're an incredible team," she said. "They work really hard. (WinStar's general manager) David Hanley had seen him on the farm prior to the sale and loved him. We're so excited and grateful to watch him. "When things fall into place and you get them in front of the right people, that's when you can have a good day." Maverick Racing is the buying arm of WinStar Farm. Jenny said that although they were very high on the colt out of the Quality Road mare Silent Wings, the final price of $750,000 surpassed her expectations. "We set our reserve and let the market take care of it, and it really did. There were just bids flying everywhere," she said. Woods Edge Farm finished the day selling 14 from their draft for gross receipts of $4,125,000. The same trio of CHC, Maverick, and Light Post Ventures also bought Hip 1493 from Woods Edge, a colt by Jackie's Warrior for $350,000. Beyond the well-deserved respect from their peers and the financial milestones, this week's success holds a profoundly personal significance for Peter and Jenny as they grieve the passing of Peter's mother. "(The success) means an awful lot. This sale has been incredibly tough for us," Jenny said. While Peter flew to Ireland, Jenny held down the fort at Keeneland to sell the horses on her own. "It's a testament to Peter and all his hard work—how well the horses were received today, and also the support of the industry," she said. "Everybody has been checking in on me throughout the day, asking if I need anything. "It's a tough place to be grieving because it's so public but, at the same time, we feel so loved and supported by everyone who has passed on their condolences."