OBS Winter Mixed Sale Gets Florida Going

The year's first Florida sale is the Ocala Breeders' Winter Mixed Sale, Jan. 23-24, beginning at noon ET both days. The catalog contains 476 offerings, including short-yearlings, broodmares, racing/broodmare prospects, and horses of racing age.

The 76 horses of racing age took to the all-weather surface Monday morning during the undertack show, which began at 9 a.m. An unraced 3-year-old colt by St Patrick's Day  , Saint George, fired a bullet, working 3 furlongs in :32 1/5 to be the fastest of the day. Consigned as Hip 262 by Journeyman Bloodstock Services (Brent and Crystal Fernung), the chestnut is out of the Aldebaran mare Crowninshield, a half sibling to the graded stakes-placed Quiet Cash .

"We had good weather, the track was in good condition, and all the horses seemed to perform well," said OBS director of sales Tod Wojciechowski.

This year's catalog edition boasts short-yearlings bred in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, and Oklahoma by sires popular in those states.

Broodmares in foal to Florida-based sires include Awesome Slew  , Battalion Runner , Brethren  , Chitu , Colonel Liam  , Gone Astray  , Gretzky the Great  , Gunnevera  , Khozan  , Magic On Tap  , Noble Bird , No Never No More  , Roadster  , Rogueish  , Seeking the Soul  , St Patrick's Day  , Sweetontheladies  , Tunwoo  , Uncle Chuck  , Valiant Minister  , and Win Win Win  .

"We've had an opportunity to get around and look at many horses over the last day or two. We are pretty pleased with the quality of our yearlings on the grounds," Wojciechowski said. "The mixed sale is a difficult thing for us, with the declining foal crop in the state—it puts a dent in our numbers, but there are several consignors who bring horses from out of state because they know they can do well with a yearling down here in the winter. We do attract a lot of attention from out of state. Many people like to come down this time of year and get out of the colder weather."

He added: "It's the start of a new year, as far as the market is concerned, and I haven't seen a lot of change in the trends over the last few mixed sales."

During last year's three-session sale, 380 horses of the 427 on offer were sold for a gross of $6,346,200, for an average price of $16,701 and a $9,500 median. The 47 horses who failed to attain their reserve price represent an RNA rate of 11%.

Last year's catalog comprised 218 yearlings, 85 broodmares, 64 racing or broodmare prospects, 27 racing or stallion prospects, 21 racing prospects, and 12 juveniles.

Richard Kent's Kaizen Sales concluded the sale with receipts of $728,900 for 42 horses sold, at an average of $17,355, to be the leading consignor.

During the preferred session, 99 of the 114 horses through the ring sold at an average of $27,239 and a $20,000 median, grossing $2,696,700. A yearling colt by Tapit   out of Heat Street took top honors, selling for $225,000 to Dave Cannizzo, agent from the Stuart Morris banner.

Cannizzo was the leading buyer with his single purchase.

This year, the preferred session comprises Hips 1-137 on Jan. 23.

During the horses of racing age session of 2023, 95 prospects sold of the 110 through the ring at an average of $16,672, a $10,000 median, and grossed $1,583,800.

This year, the horses of racing age session offers Hips 201-276 and gets underway after the preferred session on Jan. 23.

The opening session saw 186 horses traded of the 203 on offer at an $11,106 average, median of $7,500, and grossed $2,065,700.

The open session for this year includes Hips 401-663 on Jan. 24.

As of Monday afternoon, 97 horses had been withdrawn from the three-session sale.