Back to Class sold for $85,000 to top the consignor preferred session of Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s winter mixed sale Jan. 22.

Back to Class sold for $85,000 to top the consignor preferred session of Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s winter mixed sale Jan. 22.

Joseph DiOrio

OBS Winter Mixed Sale Off to Steady Start

Back to Class, full sister to Chapel Royal, tops session; increases in selling noted.

Broodmare prospect Back to Class, a stakes-placed full sister to multiple graded stakes winner Chapel Royal, sold for $85,000 to Adena Springs to top the consignor preferred session of Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s winter mixed sale Jan. 22.

Mark Roberts of Adena Springs signed the ticket for the 4-year-old daughter of Montbrook out of the Cutlass mare Cut Class Leanne. Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud and consigned by Journeyman Bloodstock Services (Brent and Crystal Fernung), agent, Back to Class finished third in the 2012 Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park for trainer Tony Wilson and owner Happy Tenth Stable. She won two of 13 starts in her career and earned $72,165.

"Her pedigree is great," said Roberts of the chestnut mare who sold as hip 236. "She has a really good family and traces to Fanfreluche (a Horse of the Year in Canada). "She's good physically, and she is an outcross for a lot of stallions. There's a lot to like about her."

The session topper paced a solid day of trading, fueling increases in all economic categories. All told, 146 horses sold on the day for gross receipts of $2,889,700 compared with 98 horses sold in the corresponding session a year ago for a total of $1,726,900. The average price was $19,792, up 12.32% compared with last year's average of $17,621. The median price was $15,000, an increase of 25% over last year's $12,000 median. Buy-backs rose slightly to 35.4% from 31.9% in 2013.

"It was steady all the way through the session," said Todd Wojciechowski, director of sales at OBS. "All the numbers moved in the right direction, and we're very pleased with the results."

In addition to consigning the session topper, Journeyman Stud also sold hip 79, Missy Rules, a 4-year-old stakes-winning daughter of Peace Rules, to Donato Lanni, agent, for $80,000.

Sold as a broodmare prospect, Missy Rules, winner of last year's Our Mims Stakes at Delaware Park, is out of the winning Silver Deputy mare Missy McKee and is a half sister to graded stakes winner Umpateedle. Bred in Florida by Porter Racing Stables, Missy Rules won four of 15 starts in her racing career and earned $146,270.

Strike Fighter, by In Summation , sold to Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Ramsey Farm for $75,000 to top short yearling offerings in the session. Mark Partridge, manager of Ramsey Farm, signed the ticket for the Florida-bred colt who sold as hip 149 out of the TdM Sales (Tristan and Valery de Meric) consignment.

"He's a nice, well-balanced colt to add to the Ramsey string," said Partridge. "He is a smart horse, and he should be a good one."

Bred by Eckland, Barber, and Theisen Family trust, Strike Fighter is produced from the unraced Jump Start  mare Shocking Pink, a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Imawildandcrazyguy.

Hip 64, a yearling filly by Lookin At Lucky , brought $67,000 from George Kerr. Consigned by Select Sales, agent, the filly is out of the unraced Master Command mare Lovin Ladie and was bred in Florida by Milan Kosanovich. A member of the board of directors of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association, Kosanovich originally intended to sell the filly at Keeneland last November, but opted instead to keep her at home.

"Milan wanted to support the Florida market," related Carrie Brogden of Select Sales. "It worked out great. The filly has a lot of stretch and scope, and we're thrilled with the price."

Hip 175, a yearling colt from the first crop of Uncle Mo , sold to BTSI, agent, for $67,000. Consigned by Highbury Farm, the colt is out of Turbulent Times, by Fusaichi Pegasus, and was bred in Kentucky by Christina Kelly.

Select Sales also sold hip 4, a yearling colt from the first crop of Archarcharch to Jeff Ralph for $65,000. A half brother to stakes-placed Big Cat Walks Late, the dark bay or brown colt is produced from the Meadowlake mare Fine Prospect.

Purchased as a weanling by Mauk Equine Brokerage out the 2013 Keeneland November sale for $12,000, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Seclusive Farm and Chester Prince.

"We liked him when we bought him at Keeneland, but we thought he had a lot of improvement in him," said Brogden. "He developed right along, and he was beautifully received here. We did well with him, and I'm sure his new connections will too."

The winter mixed sale continues Jan. 23 with a session devoted to horses of racing age. The sale will be streamed live at bloodhorse.com beginning at 10:30 a.m.