OBS Winter Mixed Sale Ends With Gains

There was nothing new under the sun at the two-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Winter Mixed Sale that ended Jan. 29 and produced increases in every key statistical category.

Trends seen in other mixed sales continued, with the greatest demand for short yearlings, particularly those by fashionable sires perceived to have the best chance of future success either at a later sale or on the track, and continued weakness within the broodmare ranks.

As usual, the sale was well attended, with many owners, breeders, and agents on the grounds, whether trying to buy or conducting other business in the Sunshine State.

With 644 horses cataloged over two days, the sale consisted of three segments: the consignor-preferred session Tuesday that was followed by a horses of racing age section, and lastly an open session Wednesday.

After 164 head were withdrawn, there were 359 horses sold for an aggregate $4,957,800, up 11.2% over the 2019 gross of $4,459,900 for 399 horses. The average increased 23.5% from $11,178 last year to $13,810, and the median price of $7,000 represented a 16.7% gain. The initial 122 horses that went unsold were 25.4% of the total through the ring. (OBS results are updated later when private sales of initial RNAs are reported.)

During the closing-day session, the top price of $92,000 was paid by Renee Dailey for a Summer Front  colt (Hip 633) from Select Sales, agent. Bred in Florida by Machmer Hall Farm and Marco Medina, the colt is out of the Cherokee Run mare Diva Star, a half sister to multiple stakes winner and graded-placed Captain Serious.

"I thought he was a very good physical; very correct," Dailey said. "He is a good-walking colt, and I had struck out a couple of times today and I just wanted to get him. I had a Summer Front filly on the farm last summer that I absolutely loved. She was one of my favorite fillies."

Summer Front stands at Airdrie Stud for a $10,000 fee.

Also during Wednesday's session, Janice Woods paid $15,000 for Hip 452, the Jess's Dream  colt that was one of the feel-good stories of the sale. The colt, consigned by Bobby Jones, was bred and raised by North Marion Equine, a group of high school students at North Marion High School getting a real-world education in horsemanship.

The sale-topper was a just-turned yearling son of Union Rags  purchased by Brian Graves' Blue Sky Stables for $165,000 during the opening day consignor-preferred session. The colt, consigned by Pelican State Thoroughbreds as Hip 4, was bred in Kentucky by Mountmellick Farm.

Graves said he plans to offer the yearling later in the year at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in August, or the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

"(He is) a big strong colt, correct with a nice way of moving," Graves said. "Hopefully, he is a great type of colt for Saratoga or the weekend session at the September sale, depending on how he develops."

OBS sales director Tod Wojciechowski said the auction has gained momentum in recent years as a viable market in which to buy just-turned yearlings, drawing buyers from Kentucky and other locations.

"People up north realize there are some good yearlings here, and it gives them a good excuse to get out of the cold weather and see horses in a nice environment," he said. "We had some very nice horses during the preferred session that were well received by the public. The Union Rags  colt was a very nice horse, and they got awarded for it. It reaffirms the notion that a perceived good horse can bring anything. It's like the saying, 'You can't hide a good horse, and you can't hide a bad one.' The mare market is very cool."

Consignor Richard Kent of Kaizen Sales said he was pleased with the solid trade for yearlings that ticked all the boxes for buyers and that weakness in the mare market was due to a lack of willingness for those wanting racehorses to exercise patience.

"We had a couple of nice babies, and they brought fair market value," Kent said. "I had no complaints at all. Some of the ones with moderate pedigrees and any vet issues, there is no market for them.

"Mares today are very, very difficult to sell," Kent said. "It's like everything: Everybody wants immediate gratification. I sold a broodmare prospect for $2,000 that I thought was worth $20,000. A very astute breeder bought her to send to New York to be bred. He's willing to wait the 11 months to get a foal and has enough patience to see value."

Kent said the lack of competition for mares within the marketplace represents opportunity for those willing to take a chance with an individual that no longer fits the seller's program.

"There is a lot of opportunity, especially with mares from bigger farms where these horses don't fit into their long-range plans and they will move them along," he said. "That's not to say they won't work for somebody else. I've seen some incredibly bright people buy culls from big farms. It can work for somebody starting a broodmare band."