Consignor Randy Hartley of Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds was optimistic about the OBS Calder auction, which will be held on Tuesday (Feb. 6)."We've had lots of lookers, and there is a lot of money here," he said.
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company reported there were no positive results of random drug tests taken on horses that worked out Jan. 29 in preparation for Tuesday's 2-year-olds in training sale at Calder Race Course.OBSC took blood samples from 21 horses that took part in the first Under Tack Show. An additional 22 horses were tested randomly during Sunday's second Under Tack Show."Everything went well," OBSC general manager and sales director Tom Ventura said of the testing. Due to the amount of time required to process the tests, Ventura said it is unlikely the results from the second set of tests would be available prior to the sale that begins at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.Meanwhile, a colt and a filly by Hennessy and a son of Storm Creek turned in the fastest workouts at an eighth of a mile during the second and final under tack show Sunday. Each was timed in :10 2/5 seconds on a warm Florida day with partly sunny skies and a gentle breeze.Both the Storm Cat colt, who is named Raging Creek, and the Hennessy colt are from the consignment of Murray Smith. Produced from the winning Sunny Clime mare Yardstick, Raging Creek was purchased by Smith for $80,000 at the 2000 OBS August yearling sale. The Hennessy colt, who is out of the unraced Alleged mare Quiet Rumor, was bought by Smith for $180,000 at least year's sale of New York-bred yearlings. Neither of the juveniles seemed to need much urging from their riders to go fast. Raging Creek breezed well away from the rail and seemed to keep up a strong and steady pace throughout. The Hennessy colt had a long, fluid stride.The quick-footed Hennessy filly, who is a member of Eddie Woods' consignment, was produced from the stakes-winning Relaunch mare Breech. The filly previously was offered at the 2000 Saratoga yearling sale, where she was bought back for $95,000. Her stride also was long and fluid.Six juveniles turned in the fastest quarter-mile workout time of :22 1/5. They were a Dehere -- Twilight Music filly, a Phone Trick -- Walkerton colt, a Montbrook -- Well Registered colt, a Flying Chevron -- Irene's Talkin colt, a Birdonthewire -- Loudmouth Time colt, and an Open Forum -- Mountain Affair colt named Mountain Forum.The crowd on hand to watch the works did not seem very large, but it included such well-known juvenile buyers as New Jersey bloodstock agent Buzz Chace, Lexington bloodstock agent John Moynihan, and trainer John Kimmel. Prospective Japanese buyers and their representatives included Shunsuke Yoshida of Northern Farm and trainer Akiko McVarish.