Bernardini colt shatters Fasig-Tipton Midlantic record at $3.55m

Months after Amr Zedan's Medina Spirit was stripped of his title in the Kentucky Derby, the owner's Derby fever is evidently stronger than ever.

The owner of Zedan Racing Stables was relentless in his pursuit of the strapping hip 385 as he stepped into the ring on Tuesday's second day of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, encouraging bloodstock agent Gary Young to bid higher and higher for the colt that he believed could land him back in the winner's circle come the first Saturday in May next year.

The bidding skyrocketed within minutes as a battle ensued between Young and Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds. Zedan's persistence paid off, and the handsome son of Bernardini dropped the hammer for a Midlantic sale record of $3,550,000.

The dark chocolate-coloured colt named Berning Remarks shattered the previous record of $1.8 million for a horse sold in Maryland at a public auction. He also is the most expensive offspring of the late Bernardini ever sold worldwide.

"The colt was a standout, and obviously for other people, too," Young said. "Mr Zedan was on the phone with me [during the bidding]. Originally, we were going to go to $2.5 million. I said, 'The ball is in your court,' to Mr Zedan. Up to $2.5 million the bidding was in my hands, but after that was all Mr Zedan. I kept asking, and he kept answering. Without hesitation, Mr Zedan kept saying yes."

Gary Young said Amr Zedan was very determined to buy the coltCredit: Fasig-Tipton Photos/photos by Z

Consigned by Sequel Bloodstock on behalf of longtime clients Chester and Mary Broman, the colt with a composed attitude and flowing stride zipped the fastest eighth-mile seen in ten years at the Timonium bull ring when he stopped the timer in :9 4/5.

"He did everything, he went in :9 4/5. Sometimes on the breeze videos when they straighten up on the stretch they are pretty well spent, but he just kept firing up the backstretch," Young said. "His third furlong was super. You know we will know in about five to six months how this turns out. We like this horse a lot.

"I was a little surprised, you don't really think of Bernardinis as being forward horses as much as he's been a good sire. You just don't think of them as :9 4/5 horses as much as you think of them as running long."

Bernardini won the Preakness Stakes, Travers Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2006. He sired 16 Grade 1/Group 1 winners.

The team at Sequel Bloodstock knew they had a potential game-changer on their hands with hip 385 come ring time, which beckoned the appearance of the colt's breeder, New York stalwart Chester Broman.

"Whenever we think there's going to be something that's going to be really exciting, [Broman] likes to be there for it," said Carlos Manresa, assistant to Sequel head trainer Becky Thomas. "He just enjoys the game so much. This was certainly an event that called for him to be here."

To continue the myriad records established on Tuesday afternoon, the colt also became the most expensive New York-bred juvenile ever sold at public auction. The previous record also belonged to Broman, whose Tapit homebred Chestertown fetched a final price of $2 million at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, also with consignor Sequel Bloodstock.

The colt is a fourth-generation homebred for the Bromans, who campaigned his second dam Seeking the Ante, a Grade 2 winner, and third dam Antespend, who won at the Grade 1 level.

His dam, the winning Medaglia d'Oro mare G Note, is closely related to New York-bred stakes winners Mineralogist and Can You Diggit as well as to the stakes-placed Risk a Chance, the dam of this year's Rebel Stakes victor Un Ojo.

The son of Bernardini, consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, took everything in his strideCredit: Fasig-Tipton Photos/photos by Z

"It's huge, it just goes to show how they can be rewarded for breeding these mares, keeping these families at home," Manresa said. "The expense of going to these stallions is not lost on them. They have sensational mares and a sensational program."

Back at the barn, less than hour after the ring fireworks culminated, Manresa was quick to reflect on the accomplishment of the Sequel Bloodstock team.

"Anytime you can be a part of a horse that brings seven figures it's very special, not just for me but for everyone at the farm," Manresa said. "Everyone's watching from home and sending texts of cheers and congratulations from the grooms to the guy who takes care of the track, the blacksmith, everyone. This is just a wonderful team win.

"I think that this is probably a record that will remain at this sale for a little bit."

Cumulatively over the past two days, 391 horses sold of the 482 on offer for gross receipts of $37,297,700, an average of $95,391, with a median of $47,000. An RNA rate of 18.9 per cent represents the 91 horses who failed to meet their reserve.

Comparably to the cumulative results of last year, 357 head of the 426 through the ring sold for final receipts of $33,692,000, at an average price of $94,375 and a median of $50,000. Sixty-nine horses failed to meet their reserve to represent an RNA rate of 16.2 per cent.

"It was a great day; we exceeded records. We sold the highest-priced juvenile of the year for all two-year-old in training sales, which says a lot," Fasig-Tipton Midlantic director of sales Paget Bennett said. "We had buyers from all over the world and our stalwart regional supporters here buying racehorses. We are tickled to death."

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