Two Phil’s visited two Thoroughbred auctions in as many years but did not change hands at either one. Instead, it was trainer Larry Rivelli’s relationships, and a longtime client, that led to the private purchase of Two Phil’s, now a multiple graded stakes winner and prominent Kentucky Derby hopeful following his win in the Grade 3, $700,000 Jeff Ruby last Saturday at Turfway Park. Two Phil’s, by Hard Spun, was bred in Kentucky by Phillip Sagan. The colt’s dam, the Florida-bred General Quarters mare Mia Torri, was a multiple stakes winner and multiple graded stakes-placed in Sagan’s colors. Two Phil’s was sent to the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale, but failed to meet his reserve, with a high bid of $150,000. He was then entered at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s flagship spring sale of 2-year-olds in training with consignor Jimbo and Torie Gladwell’s Top Line Sales as agent. The Gladwells posted on their Twitter account that “all the credit” for the colt’s development goes to Grade One Investments of Nellie and Chetley Breeden. :: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales Two Phil’s breezed a furlong in 10 2/5 seconds on the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface during the under-tack preview show, but was then withdrawn by Sagan prior to sale day. Sagan then sent the colt to Rivelli, who he knew as a “friend of a friend” who could develop young horses, Rivelli said. “He sent him to me [to try to] get him to win and sell him,” Rivelli said. Two Phil’s impressed Rivelli with his training prior to his debut last June, and he wanted to keep the young horse in his barn. “I ended up liking him so much I wanted to sell him in-house to my guys,” Rivelli said. Sagan agreed to sell a majority share in Two Phil’s to Vince Foglia of Patricia’s Hope LLC, and kept a share for himself. Two Phil’s has won four of eight starts. The chestnut colt added the Ruby to a victory in last fall’s Grade 3 Street Sense at Churchill Downs, and will head to the Kentucky Derby with $683,450 in career earnings. “I’m so happy for the owners,” Rivelli said of his clients. “Patricia’s Hope, Vinnie, those guys, they stand behind me 100 percent.” A number of other connections will be standing behind Two Phil’s with a rooting interest on the first Saturday in May. “Over the moon happy for the connections!” the Grade One Investments Twitter account of the Breedens posted after the Ruby. “So proud of this colt, and cannot wait to cheer him on in May.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.