Buyers Flood Grounds Ahead of OBS Spring Sale Start

Continued rainstorms could not dampen the spirits of buyers April 19 as they flooded the grounds one day ahead of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. With close to 1,000 juveniles ready to sell across April 20-23, there is value to be found in each of the sale's 20 barns. 

"The weather maybe delayed some people or got them off-kilter as far as timing, but as the weather broke this afternoon the barn area was hopping," said OBS director of sales Tod Wojciechowski. "Walking though the barns and looking at the horses the consignors brought, we are very pleased with the quality of horses consignors have brought and I think they will be rewarded."

A total of 1,217 horses were originally cataloged to the four-day sale. As of Monday afternoon, 257 horses had been withdrawn to bring the total down to 960.

"I'm really hopeful. I feel like we've been really busy," said Michelle Hemingway of Hemingway Racing and Training Stables. "We've had a lot of traffic and we had to order more cards.The right people are here and the right people are looking at horses. I like the energy behind the people and they way they're looking at horses. I'm definitely cautiously optimistic. 

"I was really lucky. My partner and I have 12 between the two of us and we have several that really stand out. March was strong but this was the first year I came in knowing that I would bring my stronger horses to April rather than March so I feel confident."

With eight horses to sell through the ring, Hemingway said she was pleased with the performances her horses turned in during the under tack show which ran April 12-17. 

"We have a Practical Joke   colt (Hip 271) that worked (an eighth-mile) :10 flat making a really big move. We have a Twirling Candy   filly (Hip 393) that again worked in :10 flat. She does everything right and she galloped out for a good, strong half-mile. We have a Candy Ride   filly (Hip 1204) that worked in :10 flat and we have Nyquist   colt (Hip 1046) that I think is really, very special. This year we're really blessed. We have a good group of horses so I think we will showcase well." 

Scott Kintz of Six K's Training & Sales, whose debut consignment came last year just ahead of the start of COVID-19 during the OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, said he's happy to be back and ready to move clear of the dark clouds of the pandemic that so adversely affected last year's juvenile market.

"I've got a pretty strong group overall," said Kintz. "All the rain really pushed everyone back but they'll be here. We've been really busy and we're really happy with the flow and the way people have been. There seems to be excitement here. We survived COVID-19 and it's like the opening of the gates here. Hopefully we will get some vet action and we will be good to go." 

As restrictions surrounding COVID-19 continue to be rolled back across the nation, the juvenile market has only benefitted from the increased certainty this season. As the largest 2-year-old sale in the world, the OBS Spring Sale is traditionally among the strongest sales of the season. 

"You never want to try and predict great things, but certainly the market in March was a breath of fresh air and we definitely hope that that continues," said Wojciechowski. 

Sessions begin each day at 10:30 a.m. ET.