Optimism Abounds Ahead of OBS October Yearling Sale

Seeking to continue the momentum of a vibrant yearling sale season, the Ocala Breeders' Sales' October Yearling Sale takes its place in the spotlight with a two-day offering Oct. 12-13 in Ocala, Fla. The sale kicks off Tuesday at 1 p.m. with a select session (Hips 1-152), followed by an open session (Hips 201-596) that begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The sale also features supplemental entries: 17 selected yearlings have been added to the first day and they will sell as Hips 136-152. A total of 32 horses have been added to the open portion of the sale and are slated to sell as Hips 565-590.

At the 2020 Sale, OBS carried out three sessions over two days selling a total of 381 horses of the 500 on offer. Grossing $7,361,400 in total while setting an average price of $19,321 and a median of $10,000. For the 119 horses that failed to meet their reserve representing an RNA rate of 23.8%.

2020 Session 1 offered 67 various offerings of 2-year-olds and Horses of Racing Age, seeing 30 head sold at a gross amount of $823,500. An average price of $27,450 with a median of $15,500 with seven RNA's. This session is not offered this year.

Session 2 comprised of 135 Select Yearlings, saw 91 head change hands with 44 RNA's. An average price of $40,115 was seen and a median price of $28,000 for total receipts of $3,650,500 for the session on October 13, 2020.

The final Session 3, offered 328 Yearlings in the Open section of the sale on October 14, 2020, seeing 260 youngsters sold. Final Figures for the session grossed $2,887,400, carrying an average price of $11,105 and a median of $7,750. 68 yearlings failed to meet their reserve.

On the eve of the auction under clear, sunny skies, action was brisk on the sales grounds with prospective buyers shopping prospects. Encouraged by the bustling activity, OBS officials and consignors, alike, are understandably optimistic heading into the sale.

"It has been a strong sale season and we certainly hope that strength continues into our sale," said Tod Wojciechowski, director of sales for OBS. "We have a number of nice horses in this sale in both the select sale and in the open side. I have been very encouraged by the horses that we saw over the summer leading up to the sale, and then also with the videos online—we're seeing a number of those videos now—and we're very pleased with the quality of stock that we're seeing."

Buyers—both end-users and pinhookers—have spent the better part of the last few months competing for and spending top dollar on yearling prospects at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton offerings. Wojciechowski anticipates the trend continuing at OBS this week.

"There's been strength in the market, and as normally happens, people (buyers) get pushed back as far as not being able to get orders filled," Wojciechowski noted. "That creates a downward cascading effect for all the sales."

Prospective buyers will have plenty of high-quality yearlings to choose from in the October sale, including numerous opportunities to acquire a yearling out of stakes-producing mares.

Consignor Stuart Morris entertains high hopes for Hip 35, a Florida-bred filly by Darley stallion Frosted   out of the unraced Distorted Humor   mare O'Toole, a full sister to grade 3 winner Witty  and grade 1-placed Helsinki  and a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner Well Armed . The filly, bred by Helen and Joe Barbazon, and Godolphin, is a half sister to stakes winner Lady O'Toole .

"She's a nice, big, strong filly," Morris said. "She has a big pedigree and a lot of quality. She's been looked at a lot today (Sunday). Hopefully, that translates to continued interest in her."

Morris also has lofty expectations for Hip 66, a filly by Ashford Stud stallion Practical Joke  , currently the third-ranked leading Freshman Sire, out of the stakes-placed Songandaprayer  mare Songofthecity . This is the family of multiple grade 1 winner Midnight Lucky  and grade 1 winner Hookenonthefeelin.

"She's a nice filly and a New York-bred," Morris noted of the filly who was bred by Lambholm. "Her sire and her New York-bred status are making her very popular here in the barn."

As far as what he expects to see in the market, Morris said, "We have already had a good response to our horses and a lot of activity in the barn. There are some new faces from out of town that typically aren't here, and I understand that more of them are on the way. We are seeing plenty of good traffic. I'm not going to say that I anticipate it is going to be exactly like it has been, but it sure looks like it can carry on. At least, I hope it does."

Summerfield Sales (Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck), agent, will lead over Hip 121, a bay colt by Hill 'n' Dale Farms' Kantharos   out of the winning Holy Bull  mare Gospel Girl. The Florida-bred colt is a half brother to grade 3 stakes winner Happy Farm  (by Ghostzapper  ), who captured the 2019 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The well-connected colt, bred by Rustlewood Farm, is a half brother to winners Take Charge Dude, an earner of $219,870, Corey, who has earned $115,471, and Good Fight, who has amassed earnings of $102,447.

"He is a really nice colt," said Francis Vanlangendonck. "He is coming into the sale really good. He is an athletic colt. Kantharos gets you a racehorse, and this colt is a big, long, stretchy Kantharos. He is a really pretty horse."

Yearlings by first-crop sires tend to attract their share of attention, and Vanlangendonck is encouraged by the prospects he is seeing by Ocala Stud's Girvin  . Summerfield has three yearlings by Girvin in the select session—Hips 1, 54, and 106.

"We have a few nice Girvins," he said. "They are all balanced, pretty horses with good bone, and they are correct. All three are staying on everyone's shortlist. Physically, Girvin is throwing some really nice horses."

Summerfield is also offering a flashy bay colt from the first crop of Pleasant Acres stallion Bucchero  . Named Fastforfun, the colt, who is produced from the unraced Dixie Union  mare Sapphire Ice and was bred in the Sunshine State by Jocelyn Dickey McKathan, he sells as Hip 53.

"He must be one of the nicest physical conformations in the book," Vanlangendonck said.

Commenting on what he hopes to see from the market in the coming days, Vanlangendonck said, "July was good, Saratoga was good, and Keeneland was better. The sales have all been good. If you look at the RNAs and the median, that's the meat and potatoes of a sale. If that's up, it means you had a good sale. What we want is a good completion rate.

"We sold on the last day at Keeneland and had more lookers at the barn on the last day than I've ever had," he continued. "They (buyers) came by the barn and said, 'I need 10, but only bought four.' So, there has been pretty good demand. I'm hoping they (buyers) show up. If they show up, they'll buy."

Richard Kent of Kaizen Sales expects the momentum from this season's previous yearling sales to continue in Ocala.

"I have no indication that it won't continue," Kent said. "We have shown more horses on the first day (Sunday) than I ever remember."

Among Kaizen's select session offerings is Hip 25, a gray or roan colt from the first crop of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner, and Gainesway stallion Tapwrit   out of the stakes-placed Gold Fever  mare Merrill Gold. The colt is a half brother to multiple stakes winner Isabelle (by Successful Appeal ) and hails from the family of multiple grade 1 winner and sire Runhappy  . Sally Andersen bred the colt in Florida.

"He is a big, rugged colt that looks like he will be a nice two-turn horse," said Kent. "He is a typical Tapwrit, and they have been selling really well."

Kent is also excited about Hip 78, a colt by Spendthrift Farm stallion Gormley   out of the unraced Will Take Charge   mare Will Take the Gal; Hip 33, a colt by Airdrie Stud stallion American Freedom   out of stakes-placed My Super Nova; and Hip 55, a filly from the initial crop of Mo Town  , who stands at Ashford Stud, out of the winning Mission Impazible   mare Scripted, a half sister to stakes winner and grade 1-placed Conquest Mo Money . This is also the family of Canadian champion With Approval  and grade 1 winner Touch Gold .

While first-crop sire Bucchero is well represented as a stallion in the October sale, buyers can buy a full sister to the graded stakes winner and near-millionaire Tuesday. Selling as Hip 22, the chestnut filly by Kantharos out of the General Meeting  mare Meetmeontime is consigned by Silver Oaks Farm (Danielle Loya), agent.

A host of yearlings have enhanced their catalog pages in recent weeks. Among the noteworthy updates selling in Wednesday's open session is Hip 287, a colt by Ocala Stud's Noble Bird   and a half brother to Jalen Journey , winner of last month's Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) since the catalog was published. Out of the Congrats   mare Petunia Face, the colt, named Fortheloveofart, is also a half brother to stakes winner Derek Adrian, a champion in Puerto Rico.

Hip 309 is a Mo Town half sister to recent Champagne Stakes (G1) winner and TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA (G1) bound Jack Christopher  consigned by Cuatro Caminos, agent.  The dark bay or brown filly is out of the Half Ours   mare Rushin No Blushin, a half sister to Street Boss  .

Topping last year's OBS October Sale was a filly by Taylor Made Stallions' Not This Time   out of Midnight Magic, by Midnight Lute  , bought out of the Abbie Road Farm (Lisa McGreevy) consignment for $225,000 by Tonja Terranova. Now named Midnight Stroll, the filly has started twice in maiden special weight company in New York for owners Gatsas Stables, R.A. Hill Stable, and Steven Schoenfeld, and trainer John Terranova II.