Bringing the Heat at the OBS October Sale

As the yearling sales season winds down, the October Sale at Ocala Breeders' Sales Company will showcase 209 Selected Yearlings Oct. 11 and 433 the following day as part of the open session this week. 

The mid-October Sale has continually seen runners with graded stakes caliber garnishing accolades, including Oct. 7 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T) winner Delight . The Mendelssohn   filly is pointed towards the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) next for owner Augustin Stable. 

"It's pretty exciting to start seeing these graduates get revved up," Tod Wojciechowski, OBS director of sales, said. "We have graduates from this sale heading to the Breeders' Cup this year; it's an exciting time for us. Not only our 2-year-old sales graduates but these yearling graduates have proven themselves. We try to always remind buyers that there are quality horses available here during the October Sale."

Other successful graduates of this year include: Chicago Stakes (G3) winner and grade 2-placed Lady Rocket ; Havnameltdown , winner of the Best Pal Stakes (G3) and second best in the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1); Florida-bred Hot Peppers  captured the Victory Ride Stakes (G3) and a runner-up finish in the Longines Test Stakes (G1); 3-year-old powerhouse Kathleen O.  added a win in the Davona Dale Stakes Presented by FanDuel (G2) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) to her resume; and the Not This Time   filly Midnight Stroll  captured the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies Stakes and Delaware Oaks (G3) in July.

The Selected Yearlings session, Hips 1-185, and supplements 186-209 will go under the hammer Oct. 11 beginning at 12:00 p.m., followed by the Open Yearling session Oct. 12 at 10:00 a.m. with Hips 251-660 in the main catalog and supplements 661-684 scheduled to go under the hammer. 

Wojciechowski added: "The yearling market has been buoyed by the success we have seen happen at the sales already this year, and we hope that that continues forward for us."

The two-day sale last year saw 388 yearlings change hands of the 471 through the sales pavilion for a gross of $9,931,500. Suitable for an average price of $25,597 and a median of $19,000. Eighty-three yearlings failed to meet their reserve to represent an RNA rate of 17.6%.

Two Florida-bred colts topped the sale last year, the first a Midnight Storm   colt out of stakes winner Sterling Madame , consigned as Hip 67 by Abbie Road Farm. Elusive Thoroughbreds purchased him for $170,000; the pinhookers purchased four yearlings for gross figures of $383,000 to be the leading buyer by gross for the sale.

During the second session, Lisa McGreevy sent the Ransom the Moon   colt out of Bold Lady  through as Hip 442, seeing him sell to $170,000 to the pinhooking operation Redwings.

Both colts returned to the sales ring as juveniles this year and have made starts on the track for their new owners.

Ocala-based consignor Summerfield (Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck) finished the sale as the leading consignor after seeing 58 of the 65 yearlings on offer from their draft sell for final figures of $1,361,000 at an average price of $23,466.

As of Monday evening, 65 yearlings had been withdrawn from the sale.