Sir Cat Colt Among Fastest in Second OBS Under Tack Show

A Sir Cat colt was among the standouts Sunday during the second and final under tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's February select sale of 2-year-olds in training. The handsome bay zipped a quarter mile in 21 1/5 over a Calder track that had been soaked by rain overnight and early in the morning. It was the fastest clocking for the distance. His effort eclipsed the swiftest quarter of :21 3/5 during the first under tack show for the auction on Jan. 26.

Consigned by Tony and Robin Hendrix' Equine Legacy Farm, agent, the Sir Cat colt is a half-brother to stakes winner It'sallinthechase (by Take Me Out), who finished second in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. II) and third in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II). Their dam is Limestone Landing, a 15-year-old daughter of Red Ryder. Southern Cypress Stable purchased the Sir Cat colt for $65,000 at last year's Keeneland September yearling sale. He worked an eighth of a mile in 10 2/5 during the OBS sale's first under tack show.

Among the workers at an eighth on Sunday, five shared the fastest clocking of :10 1/5. They were a Meadowlake -- Launching Shot colt; a Yankee Victor -- Rare Ruby filly; a Good and Tough -- Saratoga Ball filly named One Good Gal; a Successful Appeal -- Wicked Diablo filly; and a Scatmandu -- Anelda filly named Princess Anelda.

"It seems to be a good, solid bunch of horses," said New Jersey bloodstock agent Buzz Chace. "A lot of the horses worked well. But there doesn't seem to be a real standout, at least so far. I haven't seen another Chapel Royal (who sold for an OBS record of $1.2 million last year) yet."

Dr. Steve Carr of Centennial Farms expressed a similar opinion.

"A lot of people want to buy horses to bring into their stable, and there are a lot of solid, useful horses here," he said. "But I don't see the standouts that I've seen in previous years."

Consignor Mark Casse of Moonshadow Farm was optimistic even though Mike Gill, the sale's biggest spender in 2002 and 2003, has said he won't be participating because of a dispute with Calder.

"It will hurt," said Casse of Gill's absence. "But there seems to be a lot of interest. Even though the first workout show was a poor one for us, a lot of people looked at our horses afterward."

The OBS sale is scheduled for Tuesday at Calder, beginning at noon (EST). It is the first major auction of the 2-year-old selling season.