Casse, Oxley pick up record $1.5M Curlin colt at F-T Midlantic

Trainer Mark Casse picked up a hot prospect by purchasing a horse by young classic sire Curlin for a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic record $1.5 million on behalf of John Oxley and Breeze Easy LLC on Tuesday. The previous record price at this sale, $1.25 million, was set by a filly by Curlin's sire, the late Smart Strike, two years ago.

"Trying to find a Preakness winner for next year," Casse joked, holding his hands apart to demonstrate the narrow margin his champion Classic Empire was edged by in last Saturday's classic.

The record-priced colt worked a furlong in 10 seconds flat, the co-fastest time of last week's under-tack show.

"Not many better sires than Curlin," Casse said of the sire of Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice and Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator. "He worked great. When you look at him, you can see he's a runner."

The colt was a successful pinhook for consignor Hartley/DeRenzo, which purchased him for a sale-topping $475,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale. Casse, the underbidder that day, has kept an eye on him since then.

"I've watched him train -- I was at the farm a few times and watched him go," Casse said. "He's not something that just got on our radar yesterday or the day before. He's been on our radar for some time."

The colt is out of the winning Stormin Fever mare Franscat, dam of stakes winners Swinger's Party and Hubba Shake, as well as Grade 3-placed Powhatan County. It is the extended family of Grade 1 winners Ogygian and Honour and Glory.