Trade Remains Competitive Through Day 3 of OBS Spring

The April 22 penultimate session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale ended slightly earlier than its predecessors on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the day was not without its high notes. 

Once again, the buying bench at the Central Florida auction house showed there is tremendous depth in the market as the economy slowly recovers to pre-pandemic levels. OBS reported 155 horses sold during Thursday's session for $14,491,000. The average was $93,490 and the median $50,000. The 36 unsold horses represented an RNA rate of 18.8%

During last year's delayed renewal, OBS sold 163 horses during the third session for receipts of $11,151,000 at an average of $68,411 and median of $40,000. 

Cumulative totals through Thursday report 540 horses sold for gross receipts of $54,310,000 at an overall average of $100,574 and median of $50,000. The 98 unsold horses represent an RNA rate of 15.4%. 

"(There is) still plenty of activity," said OBS director of sales Tod Wojciechowski. "Maybe we had a natural ebb and flow of horses in the catalog, but there was still plenty of activity and a lot of horses sold well throughout the day." 

The top seller on the day was Hip 830, a bay filly by Hill 'n' Dale Farms stallion Curlin   purchased for $670,000 by Pete Bradley's Bradley Thoroughbreds on behalf of an undisclosed client partnership. Bred in Kentucky by John Oxley, the filly is out of grade 2 winner Funny Proposition  (by Medaglia d'Oro  ). 

The filly was the fourth purchase of the sale so far for Bradley. During the opening session he purchased an Empire Maker filly (Hip 207) for $310,000 from the consignment of Julie Davies, agent, and an Into Mischief   filly (Hip 226) for $120,000 from Stephens Thoroughbreds, agent. Bradley's smallest purchase came Wednesday went he spent $30,000 on Hip 431, a Liam's Map   colt from Top Line Sales, agent. 

"Ciaran (Dunne of Wavertree Stables) said it the other day that even the lower end of this market is more than surviving," said Bradley. "There are people there for $30,000 to $50,000 horses which we really need to see. 

"This is as strong as I've seen this market and given what this world has come through, it's still awash in money. This sale has been great for the guys who pinhooked this year, and people in this business have guts and short memories. That always helps in this game."  

While many international buyers, who usually help flesh out the middle market, where still unable to attend the auction due to COVID-19 restrictions, Wojciechowski said he was not surprised to see local buyers out in force purchasing horses at all levels this year. 

"Somebody had asked me about the lack of Korean buyers here because of the changes in what their government allows them to purchase," said Wojciechowski. "I said that I felt we had the capability of picking up that slack domestically, and it certainly has borne out that way." 

The second-highest seller of the day was Hip 644, a colt by Claiborne Farm stallion Flatter   out of grade 3-placed Co Cola  (by Candy Ride  ). Consigned by de Meric Sales, agent, the striking chestnut came into Thursday's session bearing possible classic connections, as his full sister, Search Results , currently sits atop the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) leaderboard with 150 qualifying points toward the April 30 race at Churchill Downs. 

Bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle signed the ticket in the name of an undisclosed client and MyRacehorse.com for $625,000. The colt will join the stable of trainer Tom Amoss. 

Carlisle's other two purchases were Hip 208, a Classic Empire   colt purchased for $250,000 from Lucan Bloodstock (Karl Keegan), agent, during the April 20 opening session and Hip 675, an $80,000 More Than Ready   colt purchased from Julie Davies, agent, later Thursday afternoon. 

"The market has been strong," said bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, who has purchased eight juveniles so far at the sale for receipts of $2 million. "We've gotten kicked out many times. We're all landing on the same horses. It's great to see it because of what everybody had to struggle through the last 15 months. It's good, there is a lot of energy here, and it's selective but that's nothing new. People will pay you for quality horses." 

"It's a fabulous sale," echoed consignor Eddie Woods, who had sold 19 of his 21 horses offered through Thursday so far. "It's a great sale top to bottom. I think there is more money here than there are horses to be bought. There is all kinds of money for the good horses." 

The final session of the OBS Spring Sale begins April 23 at 10 a.m. EST. Wojciechowski said he expects to see a little drop off in action as buyers who have been shut out from the top end during the earlier sessions will likely be back to try and fill their quotas. 

"I think it will be a good day," said Wojciechowski. "Certainly, people that have been maybe unable to buy anything for the last three days, maybe a sense of urgency sets in for those people. There are still plenty of really good horses tomorrow."