OBS Spring Sale Highlighted by $2.2M Gun Runner Colt

The third session of the Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, April 27 at Ocala Breeders' Sales, went off in workmanlike fashion but sprung to life when a son of Gun Runner   drove the bidding up to $2.2 million to top the day. Agent Donato Lanni struck again to acquire the colt for Zedan Racing Stables.

The de Meric Sales-consigned son of champion Gun Runner became the highest-priced juvenile at auction for the Three Chimneys Farm sire Thursday.

"All of us in this business know it doesn't work out like that every time, so you need one of those every once in a while," consignor Nick de Meric commented after selling Hip 782. "That was outstanding. We couldn't be happier."

The colt will be headed to California to join the other Zedan purchases under Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's tutelage.

"The market is the same for the top, top horses, and the middle market seems to be holding pretty strong," Lanni said. "It's solid for the top-end horses; everybody is here. It's tough at both the yearling and 2-year-old sales."

Lanni was the Day 3 leading buyer with his single purchase at $2.2 million and continues to reign as the sale's leading buyer, spending a gross of $4,550,000 on three juveniles, all for Zedan Racing Stables.

"It was an exciting day with a $2.2 million horse; he was a beautiful horse," Tod Wojciechowski, director of sales for OBS, commented at the close of business Thursday. "It's very exciting, and we will keep marching on to Day 4."

Another wonderful looking colt has been added to @ZedanRacing! Hip 782 at @OBSSales. We picked up this son of Gun Runner for $2.2 million. Looking forward to watching him race! pic.twitter.com/gjYEm4vA4F

— Zedan Racing Stables, Inc (@ZedanRacing) April 27, 2023

Thursday's third session recorded 158 horses sold of the 214 through the ring for gross receipts of $21,001,000. An average price of $132,918 and a median of $66,000 was made. The buy-back rate was 26%, representing the 56 horses who did not meet their reserve.

During last year's third session, OBS reported 176 horses changed hands of the 206 on offer for receipts of $23,744,500, good for an average price of $134,912 and a median of $61,000. An RNA rate of 14.6% accounted for 30 horses that did not sell.

Session 3 leading consignor de Meric Sales sold four horses for gross receipts of $2,780,000. The Florida-based consignor is also the leading consignor for the past three days, with gross receipts of $6,989,000, accounting for 26 head sold.

Seven horses sold for over $500,000 and included sires Omaha Beach   (Hip 617—$550,000), Uncle Mo   (Hip 682—$675,000), Into Mischief   (Hip 777—$575,000 and Hip 793—$500,000), Gun Runner (Hip 782—$2,200,000), and Blame   (Hip 786—$700,000 and Hip 883—$550,000).

During the past three days of selling, 520 horses have been traded of the 647 on offer for gross receipts of $67,706,000, good for an average of $130,204, and a median of $65,000 was established. A buy-back rate of 19.6% represents the 127 individuals who failed to meet their reserve.

At this point last year, 551 horses had sold of the 637 to go through the sales ring, for a total of $73,294,000, resulting in an average price of $133,020 and a median of $70,000. A buy-back rate of 13.5% accounted for 86 horses that did not sell.

With The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Select Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, being canceled and leaving a void on the yearly juvenile sales calendar for a select sale, buyers are recalibrating their quotas for each sale.

"I think the buyers are confused; they don't know where to go," Coastal Equine's Jesse Hoppel commented. "The 2-year-old sales market now lacks a select sale, and it doesn't give you direction to where these middle market horses are going to be, where the expensive horses are going to be; they're scattered. These horses give the public an idea of where to go for the right horses."

"We have been very pleased with the March sale being good; it seems like that momentum has carried on through April," said Wojciechowski. "We set records last year, and here we are bumping up against them; it feels good and is a testament to the strength in the market right now."

The final day of the sale, April 28, will have Hips 919-1222 on offer, beginning at 10:30 a.m. As of Thursday afternoon, 73 horses had been withdrawn from the final session.