Captain Arturovico

[SeattleSlew]

Does anyone have any intel on what Burke paid for him?? Seems like $250-300k would be the right neightborhood for a 3yo gelding (if no physical hiccups)?? He set the pace for Sippinonasearoc for two weeks and I guess that raised his visibility to the buyers.

[Locked in with pace]

i would say nowhere close to those prices. Lexington times mean nothing. Came out of Canada, then Saunders had him early, then Debeck. Showed nothing special to merit $250,000. He'll do better with Burke training and a top-tier driver, but private sale prices have other benefits to the seller. No one will ever know the actual price.

[SeattleSlew]

Solid FFA and JFA (at maturity the possible level for this horse under Burke's tent) go for good $$; much higher than any of us think is "worthwhile."  Hillexotic, a 7 year old trotting gelding, was sold by Burke last summer for $330,000, and he, at that time, was probably somewhere between 6th and 15th in the older trotting ranks, with the expectation, when he was sold, that some of the top 3 yo (Karl, Sig Sauer etc.) would be coming back to the older trotting ranks this year.  Binge on Yankee, 5yo, is currently selling On Gait and is already over $100,000 (will be interesting to see who buys that one, unless Luther bids him back in.)

[Locked in with pace]

Harris will buy him and pay whatever it takes to get him