Opening day for the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale saw strong results early when Hip 81, a colt by Army Mule , was purchased for $950,000 by St. Elias Stable. Army Mule, an $825,000 juvenile purchase himself, raced in the colors of Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable before being retired to stud at Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa in 2018.
The dark bay or brown colt was consigned by de Meric Sales, agent on behalf of his breeder Machmer Hall. The colt was scratched from the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale due to a small fragment found on a radiograph and that led to the colt being pointed to the March sale. He is the third foal out of the Violence mare Diplomatic Miss.
"We're really, really excited," said Monique Delk, who signed the ticket on behalf of St. Elias Stable. "He's a lovely colt, beautiful horse. We love Army Mule, so to be able to support the stallion like that, and to buy a horse that we love, we're really, very honored.
"He'll get a little time off, and from that he'll go to the farm for a little bit and kind of regroup, and then we'll make decisions," she added.
Army Mule was undefeated in three starts, with his last win coming in the 2018 Carter Handicap (G1), where he romped by 6 1/4 lengths for trainer Todd Pletcher. He stands for an advertised fee of $20,000.
Hip 81 breezed an eighth of a mile in :10, during the first day of the under tack show March 6, battling a strong headwind.
"We knew he was going to do very well," said Tristan de Meric about Hip 81. "Everybody on the grounds wanted him. The horse did everything right all year, we're very lucky to have him in the barn.
"You can't teach a horse to have a mind like he has, and then he had all the angles, he had the leg you want. He had all the parts to be a really nice horse, and everybody here saw it on the track."
Carrie Brogden of Machmer Hall said the colt was always the spitting image of his sire.
"He was always a magnificent animal," she said. "He never turned a hair, just very straightforward. There were no surprises, the only surprise that I just went through was the price. I had no idea he would bring that much, but I'm delighted and I hope he turns into as good of a horse as his stallion. We're delighted he's going to be part of our (Machmer Hall) legacy. It's a dream come true."
