Another Record price for Hartley/DeRenzo . . .
Everything in the lead-up to the final day of trade at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training indicated that the benchmarks for determining all-time levels of achievement at the bellwether auction would need to be adjusted to a higher setting.
The level of commerce over the first three days inside the OBS pavilion was such that, heading into the final April session, it was all but certain multiple key indicators were going to conclude at a record level – besting last year’s exercise that ranked as one of the best of its kind.
Accompanying the buzz generated by the results themselves was an extraordinary level of anticipation for a certain colt set to sell on the final day, a youngster that had many participants convinced that Hip 1056, as he is currently known, would make the best kind of spectacle of himself in the ring.
Expectations are one thing. Reality can be something different. But when the final gavel fell on the 2026 edition of the OBS April Sale, even the loftiest of predictions had been dwarfed, overtaken and obliterated by a level of excellence rarely seen inside any public auction arena.
The weeks leading up to the signature sale on the OBS calendar featured a hype track for the ages, inspired by a bay son of unbeaten champion Flightline set to be the glittering jewel of the boutique Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds consignment. With one record already in their pockets after selling a record-priced filly earlier in the week, Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo helped orchestrate the biggest moment in the sales company’s history when Hip 1056 justified his paparazzi like following by selling for an all-time OBS record of $10.5 million to agent Donato Lanni on behalf of Zedan Racing on the final day of a Spring Sale that set new highwater achievements across-the-board.
Before a capacity crowd that overfilled the pavilion and erupted in cheers when the final bid was cemented, the Flightline colt shattered the previous record OBS price of $3 million established when Zedan Racing purchased future Grade 1 winner Brant at the 2025 March Sale. He also ranks as the second-highest priced horse to sell at any 2-year-old sale, a fitting milestone for a horse that had every major buyer in the marketplace clamoring to claim him, especially in the wake of his effortless :9 3/5 breeze during the under-tack show.
“There was a lot of hype on this horse. He followed through with the hype,” Lanni said after signing the biggest ticket in the annals of OBS. “When he worked, everyone got on that rail and watched and he delivered. He did everything that was asked of him. (Hall of Fame trainer) Bob (Baffert) loved him, the first time he saw him he loved him and Amr (Zedan) is tough, he’s tough to outbid. He’s an emotional guy and he’s great for the sport. His enthusiasm is unbelievable.”
Even before Friday’s session got underway, the April auction had already seen its share of highlights including Hip 570, a dark bay or brown filly by Jackie’s Warrior consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo that became the highest priced filly to sell at OBS when she elicited a final bid of $2.3 million from Dermot Farrington on behalf of Mrs. Fitriani Hay during the sale’s second session.
As the Flightline colt left his stall in Barn 5 and headed toward the back walking ring to ready for his star turn, however, flickers of the biggest fireworks show in Marion County this year began popping off throughout the Ocala pavilion.
The crowds that gathered 4-5 deep in the back ring trying to get a glimpse of the would-be record-setter soon made their way into the pavilion, creating a palpable buzz as the colt out of the multiple stakes winning and graded stakes placed mare Lucrezia, a daughter of leading sire and OBS graduate Into Mischief, began his historic time in the ring. The opening $1 million bid was a salvo of what was to come as the board climbed in $200,000 and $300,000 increments, soaring past the previous record OBS mark in moments and drawing gasps as the eight-figure stratosphere was breached.
“I had no idea it was going to hit that,” Lanni said. “I talked to everybody and everyone had different numbers, could bring $6 million, could bring $7 million. I never thought that. But that’s why there is a horse auction. You never know what they’re going to bring.”
Added OBS President Tom Ventura, “The best description of this horse is LeBron James coming out of high school. He was just that much heads above the class. Let’s hope he keeps that and it translates on the racetrack. His imposing physical is one thing. The way he did it on the track was effortless. But the class was in the ring. It was hectic, they followed him. But when he came in the ring and there was a lot of chatter going on, he was just all class.”
Twenty-five years ago, Hartley/DeRenzo sold the first seven-figure horse at an OBS juvenile auction when they consigned Warners for $1.05 million to Eugene Melnyk at the 2001 March Sale. A quarter of a century after that hallmark moment, the two stalwarts of the juvenile marketplace reflected on the fact they continue to raise the bar on their own lofty standards.
“You always want to be the best, that’s what you strive for,” Hartley said. “When you bring these kinds of horses to the sale and the horses we’ve sold in the past, people have high expectations and sometimes things don’t work out, and people get so disappointed. It’s hard to stay at that level because there are so many good people doing it now. They’re all trying to buy the same horses.
“This was just an amazing horse,” Hartley continued. “We very rarely see these kinds of horses come through the 2-year-old sales. But he never missed a beat with nothing. From the breeze to showing, when you’re around him for five seconds, you can see that he breathes different air than other horses.”
The 2026 OBS April Sale also put itself into rarified air as a record gross, average, and median were all established at the close of business Friday. The overall gross receipts of $113,823,000 from 637 head sold soared past the previous record mark of $92,129,000 established in 2022 and well surpassed the $88,496,500 generated by 638 head sold in 2025.
The cumulative average of $178,686 bested last year’s record mark of $138,709 with the median of $80,000 finishing ahead of last year’s number of $65,000 and toppling the prior record figure of $70,000 set in 2024.
“I do think you saw some depth here. The top typically takes care of itself but there was plenty of money in that second and third tier for horses all through the week,” said Tod Wojciechowski, Director of Sales for OBS. “That was the impressive thing all week was not just the domestic buyers but the increased amount of interest we saw from all regions of the world. A deeper bench of buyers from Japan, more and more of the Middle East buyers coming in, European buyers. It just continues to grow.
“We are the largest 2-year-old sale in the world. No one sells more 2-year-olds over more days than OBS. And I think it just continues to prove itself as the 2-year-old source to the world.”
The RNA rate came in at 17.8% compared to 16.6% in 2025.
A total of seven horses sold for seven figures during the April Sale, including Hip 1136, a dark bay or brown filly by Not This Time that went to Asagi Stables for $1 million during Friday’s session. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), the filly is out of the winning and graded stakes placed Uncle Mo mare Moana, an OBS April graduate who is a half sister to the dam of Grade 1 winner Ceiling Crusher. She worked in :9 4/5 during the under-tack show.
Proving the money will wait for the right horse, Hip 1221, a bay filly by Girvin from the female family of OBS April graduate Cy Fair, made sure the record auction ended with an exclamation point when she sold to Robert and Lawana Low for $1.6 million as one of the final offerings in the ring.
Consigned by Top Line Sales, the Girvin filly is out of the Curlin mare Soma, who is a half sister to graded stakes winner Celestial City. The filly, who posted the co-fastest time of the sale when she breezed in :9 3/5, has a page overflowing with Grade 1 talent with champion Calendonia Road and top-level winners Hymn Book and Data Link all in her female family.
“For the quality the money is always there,” said Jimbo Gladwell of Top Line Sales. “She’s just gotten better every day we’ve had her. She showed up here in a big way and she brought down the house here at the end.”
Not surprisingly, Hartley/DeRenzo led all consignors by gross with three head sold for $13,550,000 with Zedan’s historic purchase making him the leading buyer.
“Honestly, Dean and Randy were the first true believers of the April Sale,” Ventura said. “They were totally committed to the select sale. (Hall of Famer and Hartley/DeRenzo OBS April graduate) Silver Charm put us the map. And they also sold Warners. They’ve done it for a long time and they’re not doing it with 50 horses a year, they’re doing it with a relatively small group of horses. Kudos to them.”
Other top prices on the day included:
Hip 1037, a dark bay or brown filly by Early Voting purchased by Three Amigos for $850,000. Consigned by Hoppel LLC, the filly is out of the American Pharoah mare Lipstikliesnlovers, a daughter of graded stakes winner Cherokee Queen from the female family of Grade 1 winner Domestic Product. She breezed in :20 2/5, the co-fastest time at the distance during the under-tack show.
Hip 1027, a gray or roan colt by Essential Quality that sold for $775,000 to MorPlay Racing / Marquee Bloodstock / MyRacehorse. Consigned by Hoppel LLC, the colt is out of the winning Pomeroy mare Let’s Parlay, a half sister to the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Mind Control. The colt breezed in :20 4/5 during the under-tack show.
Hip 1102, a bay filly by Life Is Good purchased for $750,000 by Donato Lanni, Agent for Glassman Racing LLC. Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo, the filly is out of the Bodemeister mare Mezinka, a half sister to Grade 1 winner and sire Pioneerof the Nile. The filly breezed in :10 flat during the under-tack show.