Sheikh buys Henny Hughes

Henny Hughes, the dominant winner of the Tremont Stakes and one of the favorites for Thursday's Grade 2 Saratoga Special, has been sold to Sheikh Rajid bin Mohammed al Maktoum, the son of Sheikh Mohammed.

Henny Hughes, who is 2 for 2, will race under the Darley Stable banner in North America, according to Omar Trevino, the agent directly involved in the sale. Henny Hughes will remain in trainer Patrick Biancone's barn.

Sources familiar with the sale said the purchase price was about $4.3 million. Trevino denied the price was that high and would not disclose the figure.

Henny Hughes was sold by the partnership of Gulf Coast Farms and Martin Cherry. Jerry Bailey, co-manager of Gulf Coast Farms, wouldn't disclose the price, but said "it was up there." Gulf Coast and Cherry purchased Henny Hughes, a son of Hennessy, for $180,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July sale and retained the horse after he failed to meet his reserve at a final bid of $370,000 at the Barretts sale in California in March.

Henny Hughes, a son of Hennessy, won his maiden at Monmouth Park by six lengths on June 17. On July 4, he came back to win the $107,000 Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park by 15 lengths.