OBS Yearling Sale Rises Again Wednesday

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. August yearling auction remained ahead of last year's pace Wednesday in Central Florida during its second open session. Two two horses sold for six-figure prices. A More Than Ready   colt and a Texas Glitter filly each brought $110,000.

Florida pinhooker Nick de Meric purchased the More Than Ready colt from Sugar Hill, agent.

"I thought he stood out head and shoulders above most of what we've seen here in the last few days," de Meric said. "I wouldn't say head and shoulders above everything on Monday (during the select session), but certainly, in the last two days, he was the best horse I've come across. I love his sire. I think More Than Ready is finally getting the recognition he deserves. I bought him (the colt) for a client who races and sells. We haven't decided which direction we'll go with him."

English Range Farm bred the colt in Kentucky and was listed as the buyer when he was reported as sold for $15,000 during last year's Keeneland November breeding stock sale. The session topper is out of the 8-year-old unraced A.P. Indy mare Pulla Surprise. His second dam, Ampulla, was a grade II winner on grass. Another family member, Dunette, scored in the 1979 Prix de Diane de Revlon (French Oaks, Fr-I).

Speed Horse Racing bought the Texas Glitter filly from Peggy S. Dellheim, agent. Florida pinhooker Hoby Kight signed the sale ticket.

The bay yearling is out of the 11-year-old placed Robyn Dancer mare Robinfleir and is a half-sister to Marching On, a winner in Korea. Stakes winners Fragrant Princess, Mystic Obsession, and Ship Liner also are members of the family.

Raynell Poppell bred the filly in Florida. The yearling was a $19,000 buy-back earlier this year at the OBS winter mixed sale.

The figures for Wednesday's entire open session were 201 horses sold, a gross of $2,545,500, an average price of $12,664, and a median price of $8,000. The gross rose 22.0% from last year's comparable figure of $2,087,100 for the 188 yearlings sold. The average and median increased 14.1% and 28.0%, respectively. The 2005 average was $11,102, and the same year's median was $6,250.

The buy-back rate fell from 29.3% this year to 28.7% last year.

Through the first three days of this year's auction, which started Monday with a select session, the results were 593 horses sold, a gross of $15,916,600, and an average of $26,841. At the same point in 2005, 621 yearlings had sold for a gross of $14,285,900. The average was $23,005.

The OBS sale continues through Friday with open sessions. Selling begins each day at 11 a.m. (EDT).