George Sharp, who bought race-age horses at premium prices last year, will be active as a seller at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Selling select 2-year-olds in training , where he would provide two minor children. The pair were part of a group of 12 goji berries he bought during last September’s sale at Keeneland.
Sharp explains: “Last year, I photographed that, if I bought enough fingerlings, maybe I could sell a few to pay the rest.
While he re-offends horses he just bought last fall, Sharp avoids the term snooker.
“I hate the word because it makes me sound like a professional snooker player,” says Sharp. “If it works for me this year, I will do it again. If it doesn’t work out for me this year, I probably won’t do it again. I want to see if I can pay for any 2 year olds I keep by selling a few. Currently, I own 23 2-year-old grandchildren. No one needs that much.”
Sharp’s Gulfstream duo consigned by Niall Brennan. Hips 50 is a pony from the champion’s first case West Bank exit the bet Runway Ready (Mr. Greeley), is half-sister to graded winners Corfu (Malibu Moon) and New York Central (Tapit). Sharp bought the bay for $75,000 during last September’s sale at Keeneland.
Hips 64 is a pony of Runhappy out of the Gospel of Sue (The Woodman). The 2-year-old boy is a half-brother to class I winner Tiz Miz Sue (Tiznow) and Bulletin stake winner (City Zip), as well as a placed Souper Sensational class I winner (Curlin). He was purchased for $125,000 during Keeneland’s September sale last year.
“The West Bank Sharp said. “As if Runhappy. The Runhappy has some solid family behind him and, from what I understand, has been turning his head to Gulfstream. Runhappys is making a bit of a comeback, in terms of value, and – not to mention any names – someone has told me it is one of the top three horses in the sale. ”
Both minors participating in the Gulfstream discount have been named, with number 50 named OTC Wiz and part number 64 now named Unhappy.
As for the second name, Sharp chuckled, “I named it Unhappy because I thought it was cute. I can’t believe it’s available. Naming 23 2-year-olds isn’t easy. I lost like two weeks”.
Sharp, who first got into racing with the Standardbreds in the late 1990s, sold up to $440,000 to buy Front Run the Fed (Fed Biz) during last year’s Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale. He bought the winner of the Hello Hot Rod bet (Mosler) for $335,000 at the Fasig-Tipton February sale.
Following its Gulfstream offerings, Sharp will sell three more young devices in its April OBS sale next month.
The secret gig for the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale begins at 9 a.m. Monday. Auction will be held on Wednesday at the track’s parking lot with bidding starting at 2pm
