By Michael Compton
A colt by Old Fashioned consigned by Bobby Jones Equine, agent, topped the final open session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s August Yearling Sale in Central Florida on Aug. 23, selling to trainer Greg Gilchrist for $55,000.
The Florida-bred colt, bred by BryLynn Farm, is out of the Storm Cat mare Catspaw.
“When you lead a good one up there that looks the part, they attract attention,” said Jones, who consigned 10 horses to the sale this week under the Bobby Jones Equine banner for the first time. “This colt stood out today. The good horses have a way of making you look smart.”
In addition to consigning the session topper on the final day, Jones also enjoyed solid returns during the select session on Aug. 21. He sold a Henny Hughes filly for $75,000, an Old Fashioned colt for $52,000 and an Exclusive Quality colt for $50,000.
“Overall, it was a strong sale,” Jones said. “You’ve got to put up with a lot of rain to see the rainbows. Well, it rained all week in Ocala and there were plenty of rainbows at this sale. If you had the right horse, it really stood out. The buyers recognized that and they flocked to the right individuals.”
All told, a total of 189 head sold during the final open session for a gross of $2,128,900. That compared to 198 sold at the corresponding session last year for $1,967,400. The average price escalated 13.4% from $9,936 last year to $11,264. The median rose 12.5% to $8,000 from $7,000 in 2011.
Buy-back percentage for the final open session was 21.9, compared to 23.9 in 2011.
For the two open sessions, a total of 397 yearlings changed hands for a $5,042,000 gross compared to 411 head sold last year for $4,603,800. The average price increased 13.4% to $12,700 from $11,201 in 2011. The median price of $9,000 this year was up 12.% from $8,000 a year ago.
“The sale certainly held up well through the open sessions,” said Tom Ventura, OBS president. “The combined select and open gross was the highest since 2008. I’m very pleased. We had strong two-year-old sales this year and we were hopeful the momentum would carry through to this sale. I believe the consignors can come away from this sale with some confidence in the market.”
Dapple Stud sent out the previous day’s session topper, a Kitten's Joy colt, and the Kentucky-based consignor was back in the thick of the action again to close out the sale. Dapple Stud, agent, sold the second-highest priced horse of the day to Nick de Meric, agent, for $50,000. The colt, byProud Citizen, is out of the Perfect Vision mare Wildcat Classic.
From the family of stakes winner Avenue Shopper, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Greg Partian, Cory Williams and Proud Citizen Syndicate. The colt sold to LMB Stables for $2,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale.
De Meric also went to $50,000 for a Kitten’s Joy filly from the same Dapple consignment on the final day. The filly is produced from the Lemon Drop Kid mare Indyan Lisa.
Next up for OBS is the Fall Mixed Sale, slated for Oct. 16-17.