Two chestnuts weaned by Gunman lights up the sales arena at Keeneland on Day 3 of the November Breeding Stock Sale, with a foal of a widely successful stallion purchased for $550,000 and a male dog bringing in $425,000 la. These are the two highest priced drinks in the session.
Dean De Renzo, a snooker and delivery man with Randy Hartley, contracted to buy a pony (Hip 976) as AAA Thoroughbreds. Bred in Kentucky by Chisago Ranch, the foal is the second of the ponies Union Rags mare Twiga and deposited by Indian Creek
The first pony of the dam, How to joke (Realistic jokes ) was the first runner-up winner on October 30 at Churchill Downs for the Winchell Thoroughbreds and coach Steve Asmussen.
De Renzo on Hip 976: “I think he’s the best horse in the sale. I just love him.”
His son’s power is a further attraction.
“Gun Runner is probably a (successful) horse I’ve never seen in a Thoroughbred, and I think we’ve only seen his head,” said De Renzo. “It’s going to be great mares, and this is a really great mare. So we’re delighted.”
De Renzo said plans are yet to be determined for what’s next for the new acquisition. De Renzo and Hartley are best known for their adorable pinhooks at just 2 years old, though they also put some weaning purchases into aspirational sales.
3 years old now Taiba , another Gun Runner, was a coveted score for Hartley and De Renzo at the age of 2 when he sold to Zedan Racing Stables for $1.7 million in 2021 at The Gulfstream Sale, 2-year-olds. selected by Fasig-Tipton during revenue training. They bought him for $140,000 last fall. Taiba became a double 1st place winner this year and recently finished third in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) for Hall of Fame coach Bob Baffert.
Also on Day 3 of the sale, AAA Thoroughbreds purchased a Hip 761 consigned by Hunter Valley Farms, a weaner Evenly filly, for $160,000, and a Hip 885 consigned by Indian Creek, a product weaned by Real for $260,000.
Earlier in the Wednesday session, a Gun Runner was produced from Moon Malibu mare Magnificent Moon was also popular when it sold for $425,000 to Stonehaven Steadings. Co-breeder Pat Costello said he has seen the pony as a star since “the day it was born.”
The Hip 844, consigned by Costello and Gabriel Duignan’s Paramount Sales, was the most expensive weaning car in the session. Potential buyers were attracted by her good looks and brood, the top first crop of 2021 and now the top second crop of 2022.
Gun Runner consigned as Hip 844 receives final bid of $425,000
Bred in Kentucky by Costello’s Drumkenny Ranch and American Equistock, the Hip 844 is related to three race-age ponies, two starters, but no winners. Her beat is half-sister to win the bet Plan map .
Aidan O’Meara of Stonehaven Steadings says Gun Runner will return to the Keeneland sales floor next year. “She’ll be back here in September,” he said.
O’Meara said Stonehaven Steadings, a livestock and sales facility in Central Kentucky, has had a “very lucky year and we’ve invested some of the money back into the industry.”
Also on Wednesday, Stonehaven Steadings purchased a Quality Sugar wean filly (Hip 787) for $300,000 from Bedouin Bloodstock and Midnight Lute mare Diva at midnight (Hip 842) for $95,000 from Baccari Bloodstock.
