The first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s June auction of juveniles in training June 16 saw signficant declines in business, down nearly 50% in gross.
For the session, 146 horses sold for a total of $2,132,100 compared with 192 horses that grossed $4,003,200 at last year’s opening session. The average price was $14,603 compared with $20,850 in 2008, while the median price was $9,000, compared with $13,000 in the corresponding session a year ago. The buyback percentage was 29.8%; it was 15.8% in 2008.
The gross was down 47.14%, the average dropped $29.96%, and the median dropped 30.77%, number not out of line with many other auctions of 2-year-olds held this year.
A filly by Maria's Mon consigned by Wavertree Stables, agent, went to Shim Racing for $130,000 to top the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s 2009 June sale of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age June 16. The gray or roan filly, whose eighth in :10 1/5 was co-fastest at the distance at last week's under tack show, is out of stakes winner Merit Wings, by Silver Hawk.
The filly was sold at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale by the estate of Joan Phillips, Darby Dan Farm, agent, to Donver Stable for $130,000. She was then consigned by Wavertree as agent to the Fasig-Tipton February sale of juveniles in training but bought back on a bid of $80,000.
A Fusaichi Pegasus filly consigned by Harris Training Center, agent, was purchased for $122,000 by Christina Jelm, agent for Eamon Cleary. The dark bay or brown filly, who posted an eighth in :10 3/5 at the under tack show, is out of graded stakes placed Wandel, by Fitzcarraldo, and is a half-sister to Argentine champion Salt Champ (by Salt Lake) and stakes-placed Lucky Wish (by Lucky Roberto).
Like the Maria's Mon filly, the Fusaichi Pegasus filly was cataloged to the Fasig-Tipton February sale but was withdrawn from the auction.
Hitthejackpot, a Grand Reward filly consigned by SGV Thoroughbreds, agent, was sold to Frank Fletcher Racing for $70,000. The bay filly, who worked a quarter in :22 2/5 at the under tack show, is out of On the Town, by Pleasant Colony, a daughter of champion Laugh and Be Merry.
The Grand Reward filly was first sold at the 2008 Keeneland September sale by Crossroads Sales Agency, agent and purchased by Stedham Stud for $27,000. The filly was consigned to the OBS March sale by Eddie Woods, agent, and bought back for $29,000.
Stedham Stud in 2007 purchased a half-sister by Forest Wildcat to the Grand Reward filly as a yearling for $50,000. That filly was sold at last year's OBS March sale for $425,000.
The sale continues June 17 at 10:30 a.m.