Catching up with 2016 OBS March Sale top sellers including Monaco, Master Plan

With Wednesday’s conclusion of a record-setting OBS March Sale, let’s revisit what last year’s top sellers have done so far.

The Smart Strike colt Formula One, who sold to Lane’s End Bloodstock for a sales-topping $1.7 million, has been unplaced in his two starts.

Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the Triple Crown nominee was sixth behind Good Samaritan and Ticonderoga in an August 13 maiden on the Saratoga turf. Formula One wasn’t seen again until a January 22 maiden at Gulfstream, also on turf, where he wound up fifth. Interestingly, last time his ownership was listed as Lane’s End Racing in partnership with his breeder, Brinker Hill Farm of Illinois.

Formula One, the first foal from the Grade 2-placed Unbridled’s Song mare Glamorista, hasn’t had a published work since February 11.

The $1.3 million Monaco, also a Triple Crown nominee, comes off a smashing maiden win for Coolmore and Repole Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher.

By Uncle Mo and out of the Grade 1-placed stakes winner Setareh, by Sky Classic, the May 17 foal was sixth to Reckling and Mo Town in his Spa unveiling on Travers Day. Monaco was shelved until January 7 at Gulfstream Park, finishing second to Fire for Effect as the 4-5 favorite in a 1 1/16-mile maiden. Primed for his next two-turn attempt at Tampa Bay Downs on February 12, he crushed them by 12 lengths at odds of 1-5.

Monaco has jumped right back onto the worktab at Palm Beach Downs. Brandishing nominations to a few upcoming Kentucky Derby (G1) points races, he bears watching.

Fellow Pletcher trainee Master Plan, an $850,000 purchase by Al Shaqab Racing, WinStar Farm and China Horse Club, is already a stakes winner and bound for the March 25 UAE Derby (G2).

The son of Twirling Candy and the Henny Hughes mare Sage Mist debuted on the Saratoga turf and finished fourth to It’s Your Nickel (the eventual winner of Turfway Park’s Battaglia Memorial). He duly obliged in a Gulfstream Park West maiden, likewise on turf.

Master Plan then tried the Pulpit S. at Gulfstream, only to have it rained off the turf and onto the sloppy, sealed main track, to the advantage of his stablemate – Tapwrit. Master Plan’s strong-closing second looks even better following Tapwrit’s track record-setting Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Switched to synthetic for the January 24 OBS Championship (restricted to sales alumni), Master Plan rolled from the back of the pack to win handily.

The UAE Derby promises to be the first attempt on a fast dirt track for the triple-surface threat. Although his Dubai venture suggests that he’s not regarded as one of the barn’s leading Kentucky Derby hopefuls, he is Triple Crown nominated.

Another Twirling Candy, the $825,000 filly Addictive, just scored smartly at first asking for LNJ Foxwoods. The Bill Mott pupil rallied from some way off the pace in a one-mile turf maiden at Tampa on March 5. Since her dam, the Menifee mare Felicitee, won on both dirt and turf, and both of her half-siblings to race have also won on dirt, Addictive should be just as effective on the main track.

LNJ Foxwoods bought the $675,000 War Front-Maryfield colt named Radio Silence, who is based in Ireland with Jim Bolger and co-owned in partnership with Mrs. Bolger. An odds-on debut winner at Leopardstown last July, he was subsequently fourth to Peace Envoy in the Anglesey (G3) and second to the all-conquering Churchill in the Futurity (G2) (in which Lancaster Bomber was last of four). Radio Silence concluded his campaign by trailing in a five-horse field in the Willis Towers Watson Champions Juvenile (G3) back at Leopardstown. He holds a classic entry in the May 27 Irish 2000 Guineas (G1), but as a son of champion sprint female Maryfield, Radio Silence may be stretched over the mile.

Undulated, a son of Curlin and Italian stakes-placed Polly Alexander, by Foxhound, fetched $625,000 from MMG Stables. If that name sounds familiar, MMG also owns El Areeb, and Undulated is his stablemate in the Cathal Lynch barn. But he’s not nominated to the Triple Crown.

After breaking his maiden at first asking in a Laurel turf sprint, Undulated was nailed at the wire in the Laurel Futurity over the same course and distance. He bounced back to take the Swynford on Woodbine’s Tapeta, but faded to a distant third after arguing with Irish War Cry in the Marylander on the Laurel dirt. Undulated was freshened from that New Year’s Eve bout and returned to the worktab March 11.

Triple Crown nominee Floroplus, secured by Tom Durant for $585,000, prevailed in his premiere in a Churchill Downs sprint September 30. The City Zip colt out of the Stroll mare Cap’s Legacy was fifth in his entry-level allowance try at the same track a month later. Wintering at Oaklawn Park for Randy Morse, Floroplus hasn’t worked since January 29.

The $575,000 Third Day is yet another Pletcher trainee on the leaderboard. Two-for-two so far, the Triple Crown nominee is engaged in a few Derby points races.

Third Day, a son of Bernardini and the stakes-winning Street Cry mare Onebadkitty, races for the partnership of Spendthrift Farm and Town and Country Racing. After skipping clear in his debut at Monmouth on Haskell Day, he didn’t resurface until February 8 at Gulfstream. Sent off as the even-money favorite in the non-black-type Just One More S., Third Day got up by a neck. He posted two works since his comeback score, but the most recent (as of this writing) was March 4.

Skipping around further down the list of pricey juveniles, it’s worth noting that the $550,000 Arch colt, now named Takeoff, was third in the Lecomte (G3); the $535,000 Uncle Mo colt named Tolstoy debuts for Pletcher in Saturday’s 10TH race at Gulfstream; and the $510,000 Tapit colt named Silver Dust, fourth in the Southwest (G3), contests Saturday’s Rebel (G2).

Addendum: Speaking of the Rebel, 2-1 morning-line favorite American Anthem is also an OBS March grad, going to WinStar and China Horse Club for $435,000 at last year's auction. From the first crop of Bodemeister, he's out of an A.P. Indy half-sister to champion Banshee Breeze.

Todd Pletcher photo credit: Cecilia Gustavsson/Horsephotos.com