Valid Appeal Mare Brings $300,000 at OBS Tuesday

The stakes-producing mare Silk Appeal brought $300,000 Tuesday in Florida to top the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's winter mixed auction. George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stud Farm purchased the 11-year-old winning daughter of Valid Appeal from Kelli Mitchell, agent for the dispersal of E. Paul Robsham's breeding stock. Silk Appeal sold in foal to Montbrook.

Produced from the stakes-winning Medieval Man mare Silk Stocks, Silk Appeal equaled the Calder track record for 4 1/2 furlongs (:52.57) in 1995. She is the dam of Silk Concorde (by Concorde's Tune), winner of the Susan's Girl division of the Florida Stallion Stakes in 2000 and the Hurricane Bertie Stakes in 2001 at Calder. Silk Appeal also produced Concorde's Tune, who finished second in the Dr. Fager division of the Florida Stallion Stakes in 2001 and the Clint Essential Handicap in 2002 at Calder.

The top-priced yearling, at $120,000, was a son of Flame Thrower out of Remarkably Easy (by Regal Remark), a Canadian added-money winner who finished second in the 1991 La Brea Sakes (gr. III) and the 1992 Monrovia Handicap (gr. IIIT). Donato Lanni, agent, purchased the colt from Cloverleaf Farms II and Brent Fernung, agents. Gary Garber bred the colt in Florida. The colt is a half-brother to Significant (by Unbridled), who finished third in the 2001 Maheras Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

OBS reported that 130 horses were sold on Tuesday for a gross of $2,651,000, an average price of $20,392, and a median price of $10,000. The buy-back rate was 24.8%. In addition, 32 horses were sold in a major reduction by Irish Acres Farm. They grossed $316,500 and averaged $9,891. The median was $6,100.

The session Tuesday was the second of two consignor-preferred sessions. Last year, there was only one consignor-preferred session.

Excluding the Irish Acres horses, the combined figures for this year's consignor-preferred sessions were 290 horses sold, a gross of $5,778,200, an average of $19,925, and a median of $12,000. Compared to the single consignor-preferred session in 2003, the gross and average were up 81.0% and 23.6%, respectively. The median fell 14.3%. The buy-back rate dropped from 34.2% last year to 26.2% this year. During last year's consignor-preferred session, 198 horses grossed $3,192,400 and averaged $16,123. The median was $14,000.

The sale's open sessions are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, beginning at 11 a.m. (EST).