Independence Hall Colt Brings $1 Million on OBS Day 2

A bidding war erupted for Hip 404, a colt by WinStar Farm's freshman sire Independence Hall, on Day 2 of the Ocala Breeders' March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The hammer fell at $1 million March 12 for the Eddie Woods-consigned colt to JPM Bloodstock. The bay colt will head to Southern California to be trained by Mark Glatt. He was bred in Kentucky by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. He's passed through the sale ring twice before, first selling as a weanling for $32,000 to Bourbon Barrel Stable at the 2023 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. He was then purchased by Quarter Pole Enterprises at the 2024 edition of Fasig-Tipton's The July Sale for $165,000. "I was very surprised," Woods said on the $1 million price. "I thought he'd sell well, maybe for half of that. Two guys got into it, and away they went, the two of them like a duel in the sun. It was really good." Hip 404 breezed :09 4/5 during the second day of the under tack show March 7. He is the third foal of the stakes-placed Harlan's Holiday mare Orecchiette, who is a half sister to 2022 Eddie D. Stakes (G2T) winner Lane Way. "He had an excellent breeze," said Mark Glatt, who will train Hip 404. "The horse really presented himself back at the barn well. He's just a very athletic horse. "It makes me really nervous," he said about the unknown of a freshman sire. "You never know which way they're going to go. But we looked up his (Independence Hall) numbers, and he ran very, very fast. He was consistently fast in all of his races. Independence Hall, a multiple graded stakes winner of $881,500, won the 2019 Nashua Stakes (G3) at 2, and the 2021 Fayette Stakes (G2) at 4. The son of Constitution was trained initially by Michael Trombetta, and later by Michael McCarthy for the ownership group of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Robert and Kathleen Verratti, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, and WinStar Farm. He entered stud in 2022 at WinStar, and currently stands for an advertised fee of $7,500. "He's an awesome-looking horse, strong and powerful," Woods said about Hip 404. "The best part about this horse is, if you look at his video, it's spectacular. And those horses that have the great videos are the ones that sell really well, because they keep watching, and it almost gets better every time you look at it. He gets quicker and quicker through the work. He looks wonderful, galloped out great, vetted well, and he's beyond handsome." "I'm extremely excited (to have him in the barn)," Glatt added. "It'll be great, and hopefully it was all worth it."