New player JR Ranch scooped up two mares Feb. 5 during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, both will be headed to 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage for this year. Sitting with agent Ramiro Restrepo, Jose Aguirre signaled a final bid of $290,000 for the grade 3-placed stakes winner and racing/broodmare prospect R Adios Jersey.
“We have a new partnership group, JR Ranch,” Restrepo said. “They have purchased a few properties in Ocala, Florida, and we have bought horses at Goffs and Arqana this summer. They are new to the game, and we are very excited. There are some 2-year-olds running and a 3-year-old we bought at the Royal Ascot Sale; they are game and love the business.”
FTKFEB, Hip 191: R Adios Jersey, racing or broodmare prospect, m, 2018, Adios Charlie—Marion Theatre, by Montbrook
Breeder: Ocala Stud & J. Michael O’Farrell Jr. (FL)
Consignor: Gainesway
Buyer: JR Ranch
Price: 290,000
Sale History: 2020OBSMAR $12,000.
Gainesway consigned the 6-year-old Adios Charlie mare as Hip 191; she is an earner of $393,245 in 15 starts with a record of 7-2-3, including placing in the Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G3) and Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3).
“We have a couple of breeding rights and seasons in Mage,” Restrepo said. “We were looking for mares with speed, and R Adios Jersey ran some impressive figures at our home track in Gulfstream, so we had an up close and personal look. She’s a beautiful filly with terrific conformation; we are over the moon and happy to get her. Now we have two fillies for Mage from this sale.”
The group also purchased Hip 119, Luna Belle for $100,000 from Bill Reightler; the Great Notion mare ran out $391,680 in 13 starts with a record of 6-1-3, accumulating five stakes wins and being awarded the 2022 Maryland-bred 3-year-old filly of the year.
Restrepo added: “When I look for mares, I want size and speed, fillies that were able to win at a nice black-type level; I have the thought process that the stallion will give them the class they need to take them over the top, and Mage was a horse that naturally had a lot of talent at a mile, he had a lot of heart and fight, and these mares show similar qualities. If those two things come together, we will have some nice prospects.”
