Heavy fog and chilly temperatures greeted prospective buyers attending the first of two under tack previews for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s selected sale of 2-year-olds in training at Ocala Training Center March 7 in Ocala, Fla.
Postponed one day by a storm system that swept through Central Florida March 6, the well-attended preview featured Hip No.'s 1-206 breezing over the training center's SafeTrack synthetic surface.
Hip No. 139, a bay colt by first-crop sire Midshipman , sped an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5 to post the fastest work of the day at the distance. Consigned by Hal Hatch's Halcyon Hammock Farm, agent, the colt is produced from the unraced Montbrook mare Eye'll Be Fine, a full sister to Florida-bred champion and multiple grade II winner Amen Hallelujah.
Hatch acquired the colt, bred in Kentucky by Thorobeam Farm, for $120,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment.
"I expected a work like that," said Hatch of the only sub :10 drill of the day. "I knew he would go well. I bought him with an investor new to the business, so I really want to do well with this horse. "He's a strong-willed colt, like a lot of the Montbrooks, and he has the precocity of Midshipman," Hatch added.
"He's tall and balanced. He looks like a horse that will go two turns. He has a large amount of daylight under him when he stands over the ground."
Hip No. 51, a chestnut colt by Street Boss , turned in the fastest quarter-mile breeze of the preview, stopping the clock in :21. Consigned by de Meric Sales, agent, the colt is out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Albany County.
Old Gables and Hubert Guy bought the colt as a yearling for $105,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at last year's Keeneland September sale. From the female family of graded stakes winner Feverish, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Glencrest Farm.
"This colt captured our imagination before we even signed the ticket on him as a yearling," said Nick de Meric. "He's enjoyed an unblemished winter leading up to the sale. They don't come along like him very often. He's an exceptional colt."
Six juveniles recorded eighths in :10, including three—Hip No.'s 8, 32 and 37—from Eisaman Equine's consignment.
Hip No. 8 is a Kentucky-bred filly by Zensational out of the Mr. Greeley mare Thornless, a half sister to graded stakes winner Rydilluc and stakes winner Gold Wonder.
Hip No. 32, named Dreaming of Bailey, is a daughter of Belong to Me—Wild Country, by Unbridled. The Kentucky-bred filly is a half sister to stakes-placed Kens Cape.
Hip No. 37 is a New York-bred filly by Ghostzapper out of the unraced Mineshaft mare Wings of Gold, a daughter of stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Vision in Flight.
Halcyon Hammock, agent, consigns Hip No. 11, a Pennsylvania-bred colt by Into Mischief out of the E Dubai mare Touch Me Babe, a daughter of the stakes-winning mare Make Contact. Halcyon Hammock also consigns Hip No. 119, a Kentucky-bred filly by Midshipman out of Debit Or Credit, a half sister to graded stakes winner Alke by Cat Thief.
Hip No. 162, consigned by Eddie Woods, agent, is a colt by Henny Hughes--Giggly, by Distorted Humor . The New York-bred is from the female family of grade I winner Brujo and grade II winner Concave.
Turning in the second-fastest quarter-mile breeze in :21 1/5 was Hip No. 158, a son of Warrior's Reward consigned by Hoby and Layna Kight. The colt, a half brother to graded stakes winner So Long George and stakes winner America America, is produced from the unraced Mining mare Gal of Mine.
As a result of the postponement of the under tack preview on March 6, the sale has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 11 and will be held in one continuous session beginning at 10 a.m. The change will allow horsemen two full days to inspect prospective purchases.
The under tack preview resumes March 8 at 8 a.m. with Hip No.'s 207-411 slated to breeze. The under tack preview will be streamed live at bloodhorse.com/obs.
