Any time a horse sells for seven figures at public auction is a cause for celebration for consignors and breeders alike. For Torie Gladwell of Top Line Sales, the $1 million sale of a bay filly by American Pharoah to agent Donato Lanni during the second session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, proved especially sweet. Lanni signed the ticket for the precocious filly on behalf of Susan and Charlie Chu’s Baoma Corp. following a spirited round of bidding that concluded with a light round of applause from inside the sale pavilion.
“Susan and Charlie Chu are amazing people. They do so much for the horse industry; people don’t even know what all they do,” commented Lanni. “I had a feeling (Hip 532) was going to bring a lot. When you come to these sales and you ask these horses for so much, very few are able to do what they do. We have had some luck buying fillies. Last year we got Eda (grade 1 winner) at this sale, and for half the price, I think.
“This filly had everything,” Lanni added. “She’s a homebred and she is just a queen. I’m very happy… this was the one I wanted for them. The Chus came (to the sale) just for her. I told them I needed them here. They are so good for the industry. This filly will go to Bob Baffert and we are pumped. Bob was here and he liked her a lot. If anyone knows what a good American Pharoah looks like, it would be him. The filly is very sweet. Good things happen to good people.”