OBS March Under Tack Show Off to Speedy Start

The opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale was frontloaded with juvenile speed March 11 as 16 horses shared top billing when running an eighth-mile in :09 4/5. All of the horses who breezed the fastest times did so within the first two of the three under tack sets. 

"It's rare to have that many :09 4/5 horses in March," said Torie Gladwell of Top Line Sales, which saw two of their horses achieve the fastest eighth mile time on Thursday morning. "It was cold last night so I think that helps keep this track pretty tight. There was also a really nice tail wind early on, and it stayed steady pretty much all day until it died off right there at the end in the third set. And it got hot, but there is nothing we can really do about that. But we had one go in :10 1/5 on the third page ... fast horses will go fast wherever you stick them." 

Among Top Line's horses to work in :09 4/5 was Hip 85, a colt by Spendthrift Farm's leading stallion Into Mischief   out of Minks Aprise , by Northern Afleet. Bred in Kentucky by Buck Pond Farm, the colt is the first foal for his dam, who was a stakes winner and multiple graded stakes-placed on the dirt at Woodbine. 

Offered by Buck Pond Farm to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the colt was a $290,000 RNA. 

"It wouldn't bother me at all if the track was a little slower and these horses came back a little sounder," said Gladwell. "Having close to 20 horses go in :09 4/5 ... the track could be a little slower and it wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings. As long as it's a fair track. That's what everyone wants." 

Ticking off a :09 4/5 work time for consignor Gayle Woods, agent, was Hip 127, a filly by recently repatriated Lane's End stallion Daredevil  . Named Devils Gonewile, the filly was bred in Florida by John Ropes out of stakes winner Oilgonewile  (by Montbrook). 

"We knew she was very fast," said Woods. "We never let her down completely—we never let anything down until the actual breeze show. She's a very quiet, classy filly. You wouldn't even know she's in the barn. She does everything right." 

Also breezing for Woods was Hip 98, a Carpe Diem   colt who worked a quarter mile in :21 1/5. Named Watsons Bay, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Dr. John E. Little out of the Notional mare Moms Mabley. 

Woods said the pair were among the standouts from her consignment. 

"The Carpe Diem and the Daredevil were what I consider the best two of mine in the sale," said Woods. "I know Carpe Diem isn't the flavor of the day, but he's a lovely, two-turn horse, and he galloped out really well in something like :47 flat. He's just a great horse to be around." 

Echoing other consignors on the day, Woods said the track seemed to play significantly slower during the third and final set. 

"The last section, the track was way too slow," said Woods. "It was probably two, maybe three seconds slower than in the earlier sets. I think they were harrowing it each break and it was getting deeper. They could have probably rolled the track more. But our two horses that went earlier went well." 

Only one horses breezed the fastest quarter mile in :20 2/5 on Thursday—Hip 163, a colt by Lane's End stallion Unified  . Consigned by Wavertree Stables, agent, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Gatewood Bell out of stakes winner Promise Me a Cat  (D'wildcat) and was purchased as a yearling for $190,000 by Redwings at the Keeneland September sale from the consignment of Michael and Julia O'Quinn. 

With two days of the under tack show ahead, and COVID-19 travel restrictions still in place in many states, Gladwell said she was pleased to see such a large preponderance of buyers on the grounds to watch the horses breeze. 

"The stands were full. I was actually quite surprised at how many people were in the viewing stands and upstairs at tables clocking the gallop outs," said Gladwell. "That's a great sign that everyone is back here, excited to be at the sale, and wanting to purchase some horses." 

The auction will take place March 16-17 in Ocala, Fla., with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. EST daily. The catalog consists of 563 entries and as of the conclusion of the March 11 under tack show, there were a total of 98 withdrawals. The under tack show resumes March 12 at 8 a.m. EST.