Sunshine Millions winner Shocking Grey tops sale at $170K; now trained by Papaprodromou

Three days after her win in the $126,500 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, the 6-year-old mare Shocking Grey sold for $170,000 at Tuesday’s winter mixed sale in nearby Pomona, Calif.

Shocking Grey, the most expensive hip of the one-day auction, was purchased by Francoise Dupuis, as agent for Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch. The mare will stay in training with George Papaprodromou.

On Wednesday, Papaprodromou said that Shocking Grey will be considered for an allowance race or the $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on March 16.

The price was a surprise to Papaprodromou, he said on Wednesday morning.

“I didn’t expect her to go for that much,” he said. “She’s a nice filly. She won impressively the other day. I’m excited.”

Jeff Mullins, Shocking Grey’s previous trainer, said he stopped bidding at $150,000.

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Shocking Grey, by Grazen, has won 3 of 14 starts and earned $250,750. The Sunshine Million Filly and Mare Turf Sprint for California-breds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course was her first stakes win.

Shocking Grey was the only horse to sell for six figures on Tuesday. Five others sold for $55,000 or more, including a yearling half-sister to Shocking Grey, by Corniche, purchased for $75,000 by Gayle Van Leer, agent.

Shocking Grey and her yearling half-sister were part of a complete dispersal of breeding and racing stock owned by Don Valpredo, who died last October.

The Valpredo dispersal, conducted by Adrian Gonzalez’s Checkmate Thoroughbreds, included 22 yearlings, 2-year-olds, racing prospects, and broodmares. Of those, 17 were sold for $444,000, or an average of $26,117. Four horses were withdrawn and one was listed as being bought back, according to sale company records.

The winter mixed sale was conducted by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

Overall, 83 horses sold for $1,228,200, according to sale company figures. The average price was $14,797, while the median reached $8,000. There were 49 horses withdrawn from a catalog of 144 horses and 12 listed as not sold.

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