A Macho Uno colt topped the opening session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. (OBS) spring sale of 2-year-olds in training Monday in Central Florida, bringing $250,000 from Terri Pompay, who was acting on behalf of Klaravich Stable. Bryan and Holley Rice’s Woodside Ranch consigned the gray or roan juvenile as agent to the auction, which suffered statistical downturns in its early going.
Bred in Kentucky by Frank Stronach’s multiple Eclipse Award-winning Adena Springs operation, the colt is a half-brother to the six-time winner Unknown Variable (by Lucky Lionel). Their dam, the 11-year-old Storm Catmare Enterprizing Cat, failed to win or place in two career races. However, their second dam, Family Enterprize (by Tri Jet), scored in the 1992 Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) and produced added-money winner Silver Bird (by Lit de Justice).
Bryan Rice purchased the Macho Uno colt for only $19,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling auction. Prior to the OBS spring sale, the colt worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5.
OBS reported that 188 horses were sold during the first session for a gross of $4,867,400. Their average price was $25,890, and their median price was $18,000. The buy-back/no bid rate was 30.6%,with 83 of the 271 horses offered failing to find new homes.
Compared to auction’s 2007 first session, the number sold declined 7.4% from 203 while the gross dropped 18.2% from $5,952,000. The average fell 11.7% from $29,320, and the median declined 5.3% from $19,000.
The second-highest-priced horse during this year’s first session was a Yes It's True colt that sold for $160,000 to Bear Stables. He is the first foal out of the 7-year-old Forestry mare Frenchglen, who captured the 2004 Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont Park and finished third in the same year’s Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park.
Niall Brennan Stables, as agent, consigned the colt, which breezed an eighth of a mile in :10. That was the auction's fastest time for the distance, but 17 other horses turned in the same clocking. Equine Investment Group bought the colt for $52,000 last September at Keeneland.
The other horses that sold for six-figure amounts were a $140,000 Concorde's Tune – Call Me Dancer colt named Dance Caller and a $110,000 Mr. Greeley– Behaving filly. Frank Fletcher Racing purchased Dance Caller from Ocala Stud. TG Race/Sales bought the Mr. Greeley filly from Peacock Ridge (Becky Boyd), agent.
The OBS spring sale continues through Thursday, with each session beginning at 10:30 a.m. (EDT).