Hopes High for Consignors at OBS Winter Mixed Sale

Lisa McGreevy hopes there is another Gold Street in her vast group of horses consigned to the Ocala Breeders' Sales Winter Mixed Sale that will be held Jun. 28-29 at the OBS headquarters and sale pavilion near Ocala, Fla.

The son of Street Boss , bred in Kentucky by Eric Brehm and sold by McGreevy's Abbie Road Farm for $55,000 at the January sale in 2018, provided a timely jolt of positive news for the auction when he won the Jan. 24 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The victory improved the colt's record to 3-2-0 from six starts, bumped his earnings to $225,218, and marked his second consecutive stakes win.

Purchased at OBS by James Bredin, agent for David Ross, Gold Street was acquired by owner Mike McCarty for $150,000 from St George Sales out of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

"From the time we got (Gold Street) on the farm he was always good. He did everything right," McGreevy said. "He was smart; prepped easily."

Of her group cataloged to the 2020 OBS sale, McGreevy is particularly high on three well-bred yearlings that have proven popular with buyers. They are being offered during the sale's consignor preference session on opening day.

"We have some nice (short yearlings)," McGreevy said. "We have a really nice Liam's Map  colt (Hip 95), who has been very popular and a beautiful Tapiture  filly (Hip 40), who has been shown a lot. We have a beautiful Violence  filly (Hip 74), who has been pretty well-received and a lot of others mixed in there that hopefully people won't miss."

In addition to Gold Street, another grad from that 2018 OBS Winter Mixed Sale grad that had stakes success recently was Vacherie Girl, winner of the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in mid-December. Sold by Pelican State Sales for $60,000, the Tapiture  filly bred in Louisiana by Georgia State Sales was subsequently sold as a yearling for $60,000 and then as a 2-year-old in training for $87,000.

While sakes successes like those of Gold Street and Vacherie Girl do not necessarily attract buyers who otherwise weren't planning to attend the auction, it does provide a shot in the arm for the sale's credibility, according to OBS sales director Tod Wojciechowski.

"It gives buyers confidence they can come here and buy a good horse," Wojciechowski said.

With 644 horses cataloged over two days, the sale consists of three segments: the consignor preferred session Tuesday that will be followed by a horses of racing age section, and lastly an open session Wednesday. Horses included run the gamut, from yearlings, to racing prospects, proven race horses, and in-foal and maiden mares.

Wojciechowski said that with no significant changes in the marketplace or the U.S. economy in recent months, it is unlikely the sale will be vastly different than the Fall mixed sales.

"It may be a little bit different with the impact of some of the state-bred programs but everybody is dealing with the same landscape," he said.

The inspection process that took place Jan. 26-27 leading up to the sale indicated the buying base that typically shops mixed sales would be a factor at OBS.

Many Kentucky breeders and agents take advantage of the winter months to inspect other stock—especially 2-year-olds—transact business in Florida, and take in the OBS sale. Also, some horse industry professionals were expected to travel to Ocala after attending the Jan. 25 Pegasus International Series racing program at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.

"They can kind of zip over here and look through the horses and if they can find something they like, it's a bonus," Wojciechowski said.

The only yearling in the sale sired by American Pharoah , the Triple Crown winner who was leading first-crop sire of 2019, is Hip 37, from Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield Farm. Produced from stakes-placed Perfect Fit (by Majesticperfection), the filly foaled May 6, 2019, was bred in New York by Bev Hendry and Christine Hosier.

"This sale has been good for a good baby for awhile, so it's a good place to sell," said Vanlangendonck, adding that some of his clients prefer to sell in the OBS January market because there aren't as many horses as other venues and the individuals can stand out.

On Monday, horses cataloged in the horses of racing age section took part in the under tack show, with three 3-year-olds sharing the day's fastest time of :32 3/5 for an eighth-mile. 

They were:

• Hip 209, Sensationalist, consigned by Wes Carter, agent, a chestnut gelding by Wicked Rich out of the Stephen Got Even mare Matty's Sensation, a half sister to stakes winner Matty's Magnum.
• Hip 326, Allied Armada, a gray or roan 3-year-old colt by Normandy Invasion  consigned by Julie Davies, agent, out of stakes winner Mimi's Tizzy, by Cee's Tizzy.
• Hip 327, a 3-year-old chestnut Constitution  colt consigned by Eddie Woods, agent, out of the Speightstown  mare Miss Mary K, a half sister to graded stakes winner Eleusis.

The two-hour workout session was conducted in mild, sunny weather with high temperatures in the mid-60s and a slight breeze. The Jan. 28-29 sessions begin at 11 a.m. EDT daily.