NEWS
Smart Strike colt raises
the ceiling in Ocala
Posted: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 5:21 PM
by John P. Sparkman
Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Kaleem Shah, paid $400,000 for a colt by Smart Strike on Tuesday just past the halfway point of an unexpectedly vibrant OBSC March sale of selected two-year-olds in training in Ocala.
Consigned by Niall Brennan, agent, the half brother to stakes winner Holiday Runner was bred in Kentucky by Peter Blum out of Dixie Holiday, by Dixieland Band, and worked an eighth in :10.20, co-fastest of the day, during the first presale breeze show.
"We bought Lookin At Lucky as a two-year-old last year, and this colt reminded me a lot of Lucky," Lanni said. "He has a great disposition and obviously worked very well. Smart Strike, Dixieland Band … he has a stallion's pedigree."
Mike Pegram paid $475,000 for Lookin At Lucky, who also is by Smart Strike, during the 2009 Keeneland April sale of selected two-year-olds in training and he earned an Eclipse Award as champion two-year-old colt.
Bob Baffert, who conditions Lookin At Lucky, will train the colt.
"You never know for sure until they walk in the ring, but I had him valued between $350,000 and $500,000," said Brennan. "You just can't beat a pedigree like that. He may not be overly big on the shank, but he's a big horse on the racetrack."
John P. Sparkman is bloodstock editor of Thoroughbred Times
