Looking Back and Looking Forward

A recap of 2023 and some exciting news for 2024

With 2023 officially behind us, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the progress this blog has made over this first year of existence and recap the auction selections posted here.

In this first year of doing bloodstock work full time and publishing this blog, over 500 people have subscribed and over 75 of you have been gracious enough to support me monetarily on this platform. I’m so grateful for this growth and excited to see what 2024 brings - my hope is to double both of those figures by this time next year!

I am excited to announce that I will be taking the lead on Little Blue Bird Stables’ first breeding partnership, as we are breeding our filly Often Tipsy this year. Shares in her 2025 foal are available now, as are shares in some other exciting partnerships that you can read about on Little Blue Bird’s website.

As you likely know, I published quite a few blogs this past year with pedigree-based selections from public auctions. Today, I’d like to look back at every horse I selected out of two-year-old sales in 2023 and recap their careers to date.

OBS March

I published my OBS March selections on March 13th, highlighting seven horses who I found interesting. This post has aged quite well, with multiple winners, including a few horses who have been attempting stakes company.

My top selection of the sale was She’z The Law, a daughter of Constitution out of the Super Saver mare Back Flip. She’z the Law debuted December 29th for trainer Mark Glatt but failed to make an impact after a troubled start.

Bolt of Aurum sold for $300,000 at the OBS March sale and was a winner on debut at Monmouth Park. After finishing 5th in the Rocky Run Stakes at Delaware Park, he picked up a stakes placing in Laurel’s James F. Lewis III Stakes, where he was beaten a length by Copper Tax in that colt’s fifth consecutive victory. He has not had a workout since that November 11th effort.

My Awesome Dancer sold for $40,000 and has won both of her career starts at Camarero, but has not had any activity since her July 29th allowance win.

Digital Ops was a $600,000 purchase who finished sixth in his career debut on October 6th at Aqueduct’s Belmont at the Big A meet for trainer Chad Brown. He was well back and wide throughout in that mile race, and was not highly regarded, going off at over 17-1 for a trainer whose first time starters often get play. He has not had a workout in the last 60 days.

Laila Bella Girl, who sold for $500,000, has also not shown much in her two starts to date, both in maiden special weight company at Gulfstream Park for trainer J. David Braddy. She has not had any activity since her last race on August 27th.

Ruddy Buddy sold for just $10,000 but has already banked over seven times that in his seven career starts. He debuted at 40-1 in a Colonial Downs maiden special weight going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, finishing third behind Tok Tok, who would win a stakes in his next start and contest the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Ruddy Buddy broke his maiden by over three lengths in his next start at the same track and distance, then tried stakes company in four consecutive starts before dropping back into an allowance optional claiming spot at Tampa Bay Downs on December 8th, finishing second. He finished out the year with a second place finish in another Tampa Bay allowance on December 31st. As expected, he looks to have been a good value purchase for his connections, with $76,015 in earnings in his eight two-year-old starts.

The final selection in that blog post is Lovin the Pavels, who was withdrawn from the sale and has yet to debut.

OBS April - Part One

I split my OBS April selections into two blog posts, with the first being published on April 10th and highlighting six horses from the first half of the sale. This is one of the more impressive groups of auction picks, led by a multiple graded stakes winner who raced in the Breeders’ Cup.

My top selection from that half of the sale - and the most successful horse highlighted on this blog to date - was Dreamfyre, a daughter of Flameaway who sold for $140,000 and won her first three starts, all in stakes company, including the G3 Sorrento and G3 Surfer Girl Stakes. She tired after setting the pace in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and has since returned to the worktab at Golden Gate. I’m very excited to see what the future holds for this lightning-fast filly who has shown the ability to win on both dirt and turf, at distances ranging from 5 1/2 furlongs to a mile.

Cheeky Gal sold for $135,000 at that sale and broke her maiden on debut for Peter Miller going six furlongs on the dirt in a Del Mar maiden special weight. She proved to be overmatched in the G1 Del Mar Debutante and the Anoakia Stakes, but came back to finish second in an allowance going five furlongs on the turf at Del Mar November 10th. She was most recently well-beaten going six furlongs on the dirt in an allowance optional claiming race at Oaklawn on December 17th.

Murphy’s Gift sold for $235,000 but has been well beaten in two Churchill Downs maiden special weights for trainer Brendan Walsh. She has not had any activity since November 11th.

Dunkin’ Run sold for $70,000 and has yet to make a start.

D’Lightful Summer was withdrawn from the sale, but made a winning debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt at Monmouth Park on July 29th for trainer Gerald Bennett. She was beaten 2 1/2 lengths when finishing 5th in Monmouth’s Sorority Stakes in her second start, then ran second as the favorite in an allowance optional claimer at Delaware Park. She was a well-beaten fourth in the White Clay Creek Stakes at that same track, then tried the turf at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing third of four in an allowance optional claiming race.

Practitioner was also withdrawn from the sale and has not raced or posted a public workout in the last 60 days.

OBS April - Part Two

This post released on April 25th and included five additional picks from the second half of the sale. Most of these horses have yet to race, but there was a promising winner last month.

Al Albaani was a $40,000 purchase and has not had a race or public workout.

Al Munthir sold for $160,000 and has also not posted a public workout or started in a race.

Absolute Miracle sold for $110,000 and has been working steadily since the beginning of November and is entered for her debut at Fair Grounds on January 6th.

Do Tap sold for $250,000 and has raced twice in Japan, finishing second on debut and third in his second start.

Hades carries this group of horses, as a $130,000 purchase who rallied impressively to win on debut at Gulfstream Park for trainer Joseph Orseno, then returned to dominate an allowance at that same track by eight lengths yesterday. This son of Awesome Slew figures to improve with age, and it will be interesting to see how he progresses as a three-year-old and beyond.

Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds

I highlighted five horses from the Fasig-Tipton Timonium sale on May 22nd, but none of them have started as of yet, and most have not even posted any public works.

Million-dollar purchase Nuit Magique recently posted her first public workout at Oaklawn Park on December 19th.

Let’s Go J J was working steadily from October 27th through December 8th, but hasn’t worked since then. This son of Maclean’s Music sold for $450,000.

Hip 186, a daughter of Uncle Mo out of the Blame mare Gabriellestoblame, sold for $625,000 and has not been named or posted a public work.

Courtly Banker sold for $65,000 to Sackatoga Stable but has yet to post a public work.

Bloody Colors Wave was a $160,000 purchase and has not worked or raced.

Overview

Of the 23 horses I highlighted from two-year-old sales in 2023, there have been 12 starters, with seven winning as two-year-olds. There is a single stakes winner and a stakes placed winner in the group. Their combined race record is 37:11-4-5 with $654,481 in earnings.

I think there are some interesting prospects among the group, particularly Dreamfyre, Bolt of Aurum, and Hades of those who have started. Ruddy Buddy is a horse I’ve been particularly proud of, earning $72,765 for his connections in the eight months since they purchased him for just $10,000. Although he’s been a step behind stakes company as a two-year-old, he’s bred to improve with age as a son of Mshawish and should at the very least continue to earn his keep on the track.