Following the record-setting fireworks of Monday's select session, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. continued to perform strongly Tuesday during the first of its four open sessions. The number sold, gross revenue, average price, and median price all were up from last year's inaugural open session."Things went well," said Tom Ventura, the OBS general manager and director of sales. "The numbers were up; it (the surging market) carried on from yesterday. Hopefully, it will continue through the rest of the week."Song of Arabia, a Songandaprayer colt, was the most expensive horse sold, bringing $160,000 from bloodstock agent Joe Brocklebank. He was acting on the behalf of Jeff Singer of Scarsdale, N.Y."He's spectacular to look at," said Brocklebank of Song of Arabia. "I don't know why he wasn't in the select session yesterday."However, the price was more expensive than Brocklebank expected."I was hoping to get him for $75,000," he said.Nancy Bauman consigned Song of Arabia as agent. Lucas Farm bred him in Florida. The bay colt is out of the 8-year-old unraced Sheikh Albadou mare Memory Rock, who is a half-sister to 1998 Miller Genuine Draft Cradle Stakes winner and $428,314 earner Mountain Range. Song of Arabia is a half-brother to winner Arabian Cat (by Tale of the Cat ).A filly from the first crop of Whywhywhy was Tuesday's second-highest-priced yearling, selling for $105,000 to New Jersey bloodstock agent Buzz Chace. Bill Poston, a builder from the Atlanta area, will race the gray or roan filly."She's a nice looking filly, with good size and all the right parts," Chace said. "He (Whywhywhy) has got a chance to be a (successful) stallion; he was a fast horse."Perrone Sales consigned the filly as agent. Spendthrift Farm bred her in Kentucky. She is the second foal out of the 8-year-old winning Prized mare Helen Cordelia, a half sister to stakes winner Lucky Lauren and to the winner and stakes producer Ashley Secret.In all, 216 yearlings were sold for a gross of $2,943,600, an average of $13,628, and a median of $8,000. The gross and average were up 12.2% and 10.2%, respectively, from 2005. The median grew 16.8%. Last year, 212 yearlings were sold during the first open session for a gross of $2,622,600, an average of $12,371, and a median of $6,850.The buy-back rate rose from 19.1% last year to 24.5% this year.After two days, this year's figures were 392 horses sold, a gross of $13,371,100, and an average of $34,110. Last year, during the auction's first two days, 433 horses were sold for a gross of $12,198,800. The average was $28,173.The OBS sale continues through Friday, with each open session beginning at 11 a.m. (EDT)
