Record-Priced City Zip Colt Tops OBS Sale

Topped by a sale record $800,000 City Zip   colt purchased by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s June 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale ended on a strong note June 17, bringing to a close the 2016 juvenile auction season.

The colt, Hip 926, was consigned by Stephens Thoroughbreds on behalf of Florida breeder Vicente Perez' Farm III Enterprises, which also teamed for the sale-topper at this year’s Barretts May sale when Kaleem Shah bid $290,000 for a son of Candy Ride   produced from the Point Given mare She’s Sensational.

The City Zip worked a quarter-mile during the under tack show in the session's co-fastest time of :21 1/5 and is out of the stakes-placed mare Successful Sarah, a daughter of Successful Appeal  .

“The good ones seemed to have cost a lot more all year," said agent Donato Lanni, who represented Fletcher in the purchase. "The horse did everything right. He worked fast and came back sound.”

“We knew he was going to sell very well by the people who were looking at the horse," said consignor John Stephens. "He’s a wonderful horse with a great mind. He’s a big horse who showed a lot of speed. Everyone who looked at him loved him, not liked, but loved him.”

The price exceeds the record $680,000 paid by Charles Chu last year for Valiant Minister, a son of Candy Ride consigned by Eddie Woods on behalf of Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings.

OBS reported that over four days, 637 horses sold for gross receipts of $18,574,400, down from the $24,548,500 for 616 sold a year ago. The average price of $29,159 was the lowest since 2012 and was 25.1% less than the $39,851 figure a year ago. The median price of $13,000 represented a decline of 27.8% and the lowest since 2011. The 200 horses that did not sell represented 24% of the total through the ring.

During the final session, 161 horses were sold for $5,383,500, an average of $33,117 and median of $12,000. Last year’s final session saw 146 head average $41,083 on gross receipts of $5,998,100 and a $15,000 median.

With eight purchases totaling $848,000, agent Nick Hines was leading buyer. With 16 sold for $1,094,500, Eddie Woods was top consignor.

OBS president Tom Ventura said the sale mirrored other sales this year, with strength at the top and weakness below the upper tier.

“The market has been fairly solid at the top,” Ventura said. “The buyers are here looking for those kind of horses. Below the top it has been a little light and that has been been consistent throughout the year and there is a concentration of those horses versues March and April (juvenile sales).”

Ventura noted that the June sale was coming off some robust years.

"In general, the 2-year-old sales have had some good years consecutively and it’s flattened out," he said. "The June sale has taken tremendous strides the last couple of years and it’s hard to keep that pace. Last year was little flat off a big jump. The fact there might be weakness on the lower end is a sign those buyers are not as active as they once were. If they wanted to buy a horse they would be here because there is one that would fit their criteria.

"I think at the end of the day there is going to be some value coming out of here. We like to talk about the $1 million horses we sell, but there are some horses we sell inexpensively that turn out to be nice horses."

Ventura said other factors—such as the world economy and the presidential election—could impact buyer decisions.

The day’s second-highest priced offering was Hip 936, a half brother to 2010 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Super Saver  , purchased for $375,000 by agent Christina Jelm. The colt by Distorted Humor   consigned by Eddie Woods, as agent, worked an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5.

Trainer Mike Puhich, who accompanied Jelm to the sale, said the colt will be owned by a group that will be put together later.

“He looks like a late developer, a really nice horse that will get better,” Puhich said. “Obviously when you buy a horse like that, you’re shooting for the moon. We think we got a bargain on him. Hopefully, he was a bargain.”

The colt also is a half brother to grade III winner and sire Brethren   and to the dam of grade I winner Callback and from the extended family of grade I winner Girolamo. He was bred in Kentucky by John Sikura's Hill 'n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Glen Hill Farm and bought back at Keeneland's September yearling sale for $275,000.

“I would say he’s the best bred horse sold at a 2-year-old sale this year," Sikura said following the sale.

Sikura said there were several factors in the colt’s buy-back last year and big sale this year.

“He was a little immature and there has been a lot of activity in the family,” Sikura said. “He needed a little time. Eddie did a great job with the horse. That’s the only reason he’s here in June. He had to overcome the stigma of why such a well-bred horse was here."

Sikura said Hill 'n' Dale focuses on yearling sales but does have some horses the end up in juvenile sales, such as last year’s June sale-topper.