Start of OBS March Sale Buoyed by State of Optimism

With the spread of COVID-19 slowly ebbing across the country, buyers and consignors on the grounds of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale agreed they are more than ready for a return to pre-pandemic life. 

In anticipation of the first Thoroughbred juvenile sale of the season, which kicks off March 16 in Ocala, Fla., buyers hoping to acquire the season's first offerings of race-ready talent have flooded the grounds and methodically worked their way through the catalog.  

"We've been out looking at the barns over the last couple days and we've been very impressed by the number of people on the grounds," said OBS director of sales Tod Wojciechowski. "The turnout for the under tack show was very good and it looks like there is a lot of activity in the barn areas." 

A total of 563 horses were originally cataloged to the two-day sale, at which sessions begin at 11 a.m. ET. As of March 15, 126 horses had been withdrawn from the sale. 

The 2020 OBS March sale was the first and last sale of the juvenile season to follow its original spot on last year's sales calendar. On March 11, one day before the start of last year's renewal, the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. After much deliberation by the OBS administration, the sale was allowed to continue, albeit with increased cleanliness protocols and limited attendance. 

While the same COVID-19 protocols that helped keep patrons safe throughout 2020 will remain in place on the grounds at OBS, horsemen arrived at the sale with an increased sense of optimism that while we haven't completely escaped the pandemic's clutches, there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

"It's quite pleasing to see all these people here compared to what we went through last year," said consignor Eddie Woods. "We didn't know what to expect this year even, but the atmosphere has been good all spring so I think we're going into a reasonably healthy market. I think it will be all toward the top end, but that's what we do any more." 

"I would say, and I may be mistaken, but it feels to me that after all the lockdowns and restricted travel that there is a real desire to come out and play," echoed consignor Nick de Meric of de Meric Sales. "I hope that that is reflected in the marketplace. We do feel there is a spirit of optimism on the sales grounds among buyers and sellers both." 

Adding to the pre-sale excitement are the results of the three-day under tack show—conducted March 11-13—which saw a higher number of horses than in past years achieve enviable breeze times. In total, 25 horses that worked an eighth-mile and are slated to sell through the ring were clocked in :9 4/5. An additional three horses achieved the fastest quarter-mile of :20 2/5. 

"We were very happy with the breeze show," said Wojciechowski. "It was a hair on the quick side. Leading up to the show we had a number of cool nights and moderate days which helped that, but the one thing I felt was that the track was fair each day and played true all the way through. The good news is, when I talk to people in the barn area, they felt like their horses all came back great." 

"The track is a quick track and a safe track," said Woods, who has a colt by Spendthrift Farm stallion Gormley   (Hip 531) that breezed in :9 4/5. "People buy fast horses, they don't buy slow horses. We've had a good consignment overall and it has gone well across the board. Anything that worked well has been very busy."

While the heavy presence of domestic buyers is certainly a welcome sight to consignors ahead of Tuesday's start, many consignors lamented the fact that international buyers were once again unable to be on hand because of continued travel restrictions. For those unable or unwilling to attend, OBS will once again offer online bidding. 

"We will definitely miss the Koreans," said de Meric. "But I think it's the same old story—the top half of the sale will be fine and after that, we just have to hope. Also, another thing I think we are fighting is that there are fewer regional tracks and outlets for second-tier type horses than there used to be. It is getting a bit harder to place those horses, but the good ones should do well." 

"While we're not over-wrought with certainty, it's certainly a lot better than last year," said Wojciechowski. "I think there is a lot of pent up energy and desire on behalf of the industry as far as people looking to move forward. We see racing picking up and racetracks having fans now … we're moving back to normalcy and I think that energy will play out well."