Officer colt sells for $1.4 million

POMONA, Calif. A colt by Officer was purchased by the Maktoum familys Godolphin stable for $1.4 million at Tuesdays Barretts March sale of 2-year-olds in training, the highest price among the first 150 horses in the 200-horse sale.

John Ferguson, agent, purchased the colt on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed and said the colt will be based with trainer Saeed bin Suroor in Newmarket, England, this year.

The colt breezed once in the pre-sale workouts, zipping a quarter-mile in 20.80 seconds on March 12, the fastest time at that distance. The colt did not record a time at Sundays preview.

Ferguson described the colt as arguably one of the most attractive colts Ive seen at a 2-year-old sale this year. His breeze time compared with some of the best horses that have breezed here over the years.

Ferguson said that Sheikh Mohammed considered the horse a prospect for European racing on turf instead of dirt racing in the United States. He looks like an athlete, Ferguson said. He looks like a talented horse.

The Officer colt was consigned by B.C.3 Thoroughbreds, agent. The colt is out of Rovie Wade, a 9-year-old mare by Silver Ghost. Rovie Wade did not start and has yet to produce a winner.

The colt was purchased for $190,000 at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale by Ferguson Valley Ranch. The B.C.3 Thoroughbreds consignment is operated by Utah pinhookers John Brocklebank and Shane Chipman.

Tuesdays one-day sale was marked by a large number of withdrawals and buybacks. Of the first 101 horses in the catalog, 39 were sold, 34 were not sold and 28 were withdrawn.