The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training quickly built up some momentum and finished ahead of last year’s pace in several important statistical categories on its opening day in Central Florida.
The average price increased 25% April 18 while the gross revenue grew 20.5% even though the number of horses sold fell 3.6%. The median price advanced 11.1%.
“It’s a typical Ocala sale where there are a lot of nice horses going through (the auction ring) and there are horses for everyone,” said New Jersey bloodstock agent Buzz Chace near the end of the first session. “When a real nice horse goes in, there are people here to buy it.”
The 189 juveniles that were sold grossed $5,517,900 and averaged $29,195. The median was $20,000. The buy-back rate of 30.8% was up from 25.8% in 2010.
Chace purchased the opening day’s most expensive horse, a $275,000 daughter of War Front , saying he was acting on behalf of Richard Santulli of Jayeff B Stable. The filly worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5 prior to the auction.
“She’s by the right stallion and she is just a very nice, sound-looking individual,” said Chace of his purchase. “It looked like there was a lot left in her tank. She got over the track so very well and was so nice around the barn.”
The dark bay or brown juvenile is a half sister to the winner Johnny Two by Four (by Yes It's True). Their dam, the Pleasant Tap mare Tappin for Gold, captured the Prairie Meadows Oaks and a division of the My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park in 2005.
“She has all the right parts,” said Chace of the session-topper. “She has a beautiful shoulder and she’s a strong filly with good bone. I think she really has a chance to be OK. I actually thought she would bring a little more (money) than she did.”
Alexandra de Meric and Brandon Rice, as agents, consigned the filly. New Mission Bloodstock bought her for $80,000 from Hinkle Farms, agent, at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling auction. Hinkle Farms bred the filly in Kentucky.
Chace said that he was the underbidder earlier in the day at OBS on the $200,000 Kafwain filly that was the first session’s second-highest-priced 2-year-old. Barbara Banke’s Grace Stables purchased the dark bay or brown juvenile from Eddie Woods, agent.
The New York-bred filly breezed a quarter mile in :21. She is the first foal out of the winning Chief Seattle mare Seattle Splash, who is a half sister to added-money winners Murani (by Distorted Humor ) and Splasha (by Twining). The last-named also is a stakes producer.
Grand Splash (by Bucksplasher), the $200,000 filly’s second dam, was an added-money winner.
Quarter Pole Enterprises purchased the filly for $31,000 from her breeder, Siena Farms, at the 2010 OBS August yearling sale.
The OBS spring auction runs through April 21, with each session beginning at 10:30 a.m. (EDT).
