Celestine's Win Timely for OBS June Sale

If success on the racetrack is the best advertising a sale company can get, Celestine’s victory in the June 11 Longines Just a Game Stakes (gr. IT) could not have come at a more opportune time for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June sale of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age.

The sale in Ocala, Fla., runs from June 14-17 with sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

A Scat Daddy   filly trained by Bill Mott for Phaedrus Flights, Celestine went through the OBS June sales ring via Gayle Woods in 2014 and was bought back on a final bid of $975,000. She is on the cover of Book 2 of this year's sale.

The filly had been purchased by Phaedrus for $100,000 from the Penn Sales consignment to the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale.

As the last sale of the year for 2-year-olds, the OBS auction plays a major role in offering horses one last chance to go through the ring. Pinhookers, who play a major role in the juvenile market, rely upon the proceeds to fund their yearling purchases.

The June sale also provides breeders and sellers with a marketplace for horses that needed more time to develop rather than being sold during the early season 2-year-olds in training sales.

“Pinhookers and partnerships kind of clear the deck in June so they can ramp up for their yearling sale purchases,” OBS president Tom Ventura said.

At last year’s sale, topped by the $680,000 paid by Charles Chu for Valiant Minister, a son of Candy Ride   consigned by Eddie Woods, agent, the gross was $24,548,500 for 616 sold, with an average price of $39,851 and an $18,000 median. Five years ago at the 2011, auction, 349 horses grossed $7,161,100 for a $20,519 average and $9,000 median.

“A couple of things have happened that have improved the June sale’s status,” Ventura said. “One is we have had some quality horses, which is always critical to advancing a sale. That all began with Goldencents  ’ back-to-back wins in the Breeders’ Cup. In addition, from a seller’s perspective the market at OBS—whether it’s March, April, or June—gives the seller a sense of confidence they can bring a quality horse to any of those sales and there will be people there to buy them. Consignors can wait until June rather than forcing the issue.”

A son of Into Mischief   purchased by Dennis O’Neill for $62,000 from the Southern Chase Farm consignment to the 2012 June sale, Goldencents won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) in 2013-14.

Included among the offerings are 2-year-olds by leading sires Tapit  , with three in the sale; Uncle Mo   (six); Curlin   (two); and leading freshman sire Bodemeister   (nine).

The sale was preceded by six days of under tack show works that ended June 10, with the fastest quarter-mile time of :20 4/5 shared by an Into Mischief colt, Hip 93, and a Majesticperfection   filly (Hip 1006). The six-day eighth-mile fastest time of :09 4/5 came from a Gemologist   colt, Hip 215.

“We have always done well in June,” said Ciarran Dunne of Wavertree Stables. “Believe me, you can’t hide a nice horse, and for the rest of them it doesn’t matter where you sell them—they will bring the same.”

With a paucity of activity in the barn area by potential buyers the morning of June 13, there was some concern whether there will be enough depth in the marketplace.

“It’s a little scary around here right now,” said Susan Montayne of SBM Sales, which has the speedy Majesticperfection filly in the sale. “It has never been this quiet around here at this point.”

Montayne said she hopes major industry players who might have been at Belmont Park for the June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) card or at other tracks over the weekend were planning to be late arrivals.

“There is no need to panic," said Randy Hartley of Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds. "This sale is usually slow getting started. All of the agents for the top-end horses have been here. All of my big buyers just came in Sunday night. And the guys who buy in the $30,000-40,000 range will be here today and tomorrow, because with the breeze show and the sale, it’s two weeks and that’s a long time to be gone.

"This is the last 2-year-old sale of the year. They will be here.”