Libyan Partners Make a Splash at Midlantic Sale

Fasig-Tipton has not been shy about its efforts to lure foreign buyers to its sales. The Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale has had a particular appeal to this segment of buyers. Mahmud Mouni, serving as representative for Tagermeen Racing—a group of five Libya-based owners—made a big splash May 20 at the sale, spending $2,795,000 on six head. Hip 334, a bay colt by leading sire Into Mischief and a Spendthrift homebred, netted an even $1 million. He was consigned by Kings Equine, agent. Mouni said the ownership group kept calling him, pushing him to land the highly sought-after colt. "Honestly, we are so happy what we did, but I was not expecting to reach that price, to be honest," he admitted. "But the horse deserves it; It had a very nice breeze, very smart." He said all of the horses purchased on Tuesday will stay in the United States and that the trainer for Hip 334 is undecided, but Mouni did mention Todd Pletcher and Steve Asmussen as possibilities. Mouni also signed tickets for a Galilean colt consigned by Wavertree Stables as Hip 187 ($700,000), Hip 136, a colt by Yaupon out of the Grassroots Training and Sales, agent, consignment ($700,000), an Uncle Mo colt consigned by Wavertree as Hip 147 ($290,000); a Blame colt consigned by Bryan Ford Training Stable, agent, as Hip 130 ($75,000); and a Vino Rosso gelding (Hip 471) consigned by Grade One Investments for $30,000. Mouni said he has asked the partners in Tagermeen Racing to consider buying fillies, but their racing interest, for now, lies with colts. "They would like to buy many fillies from the yearling sales... but for racing right now, they love the colts, so therefore they focus on the colts only," he said. Hip 334 is out of the Speightstown mare Quick Flip, who has seven other foals of racing age, including five winners. Among them is Following Sea, winner of the Vosburgh Stakes (G2) and second in the Haskell Stakes (G1) and Cigar Mile (G1), and third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1). She also produced a full sister to Hip 334, Gimmick, who was third in the Miss Preakness (G3). Mouni said that while all of the horses are slated to be based in the U.S., if the partnership is happy with their performances at the end of the year, they may send them to compete in Dubai in the winter.