$375,000 Aptitude Colt Tops OBS Spring Sale's Second Session

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A colt from the first crop of multiple grade I winner Aptitude brought $375,000 Tuesday to top the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training. Tom McCrocklin, agent for Robert and Lawana Low, was the buyer, and Eisaman Equine, agent, was the colt's consignor.

The gray or roan colt worked a quarter-mile in :21 3/5. He is out of the 10-year-old Wolf Power mare Wolfer, a winner who finished second in the 1998 Martha Washington Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. IIIT). Wolfer is a full sister to Wolf Alert, who captured the 1999 Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT).

Eisaman Equine, operated by Dr. Barry Eisaman and his wife, Shari, purchased the session-topping colt for only $25,000 at the 2004 Keeneland September yearling sale. The Eisamans, acting on the behalf of Martin Cherry, also were the consignors of the $900,000 Yes It's True   – Kit Kat Kitty colt that topped this year's OBS March select sale of 2-year-olds in training.

In all, 206 horses were sold Tuesday for a gross of $6,672,100 and an average price of $32,389. Compared to the second session a year ago, when 223 horses were sold, the gross rose 10.3% from $6,048,600 and the average increased 19.4% from $27,124. The median price advanced 14.7%, from $17,000 last year to $19,500 this year. The buy-back rate was 23.9%.

The cumulative figures for the OBS spring sale through two sessions were 411 horses sold for a gross of $11,995,600 and an average of $29,186. In 2004, 396 horses were sold during the first two sessions for a gross of $10,617,700 and an average of $26,812.

The second-highest price this year during the sale's second session was the $280,000 brought by a colt from the first crop of Unloosened (by Unbridled). The bay colt is out of the 22-year-old winning Tunerup mare Am Tuned Up, who is a full sister to stakes-placed Amber Princess and a half-sister to stakes-placed Gin Buzz. Amerman Racing bought the colt from Ricky Leppala, who was acting as the agent for himself and W. D. North.

Leppala purchased the colt for only $35,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling auction. The colt worked a quarter in :21 4/5 prior to the OBS spring sale.

Amerman Racing also bought the session's highest-priced filly, $210,000 Morning Praise, who is a daughter of Menifee. Morning Praise was one of the auction's fastest workers at a quarter-mile with a :20 4/5 clocking. Only two other horses covered the distance as fast as she did.

Consigned by Nick de Meric, agent, Morning Praise is a 2004 graduate of the OBS August yearling sale, where she was purchased by Jockey Club Farm, agent, for $24,000. She is out of the 12-year-old winning Eastern Echo mare Sinful Morning, who is a half-sister to 1994 Oaklawn Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) winner Morning Meadow and to another added-money winner, Wake Up Alarm. Morning Praise is from the family of grade I winners Sultry Song and Solar Splendor.

The OBS spring sale runs through Thursday. All sessions begin at 10:30 a.m. (EDT).

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