Record 2-Year-Old Tops OBS March Opening Session

A New York-bred Tapit  colt sold for a sale-record $2 million was the highlight of a vibrant opening session March 12 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

OBS reported 144 head sold for a gross of $22,134,000, an average price of $153,708, and an $83,500 median. During the 2018 opener, 129 horses grossed $20,327,000 at an average of $157,574 and median of $95,000. The 61 horses that did not sell represented an RNA rate of 29.8%.

With two seven-figure transactions Tuesday, the top of the market surpassed last year's entire sale, in which the sale-topper was a Scat Daddy filly sold for $875,000. The day's second seven-figure 2-year-old was a son of Pioneerof The Nile  (Hip 194) purchased by Larry Best's OXO Equine for $1.2 million from Hoby and Lanya Kight.

"The $2 million was a record for our March sale, and I thought it was a very good day," OBS director of sales Tod Wojciechowski said. "There were some very nice horses up today and consignors were well-rewarded. You bring a quality horse to market, buyers will reward you. Our gross was up quite a bit, but yet average was slightly under last year's and the median was slightly under last year's which tells me not only were the expensive moving, but the lesser priced horses were also selling."

The record-priced juvenile was produced from multiple grade 1 winner Artemis Agrotera and was consigned as Hip 33 by Sequel Bloodstock as agent for New York breeders Chester and Mary Broman. The gray or roan colt was purchased by Lane's End Bloodstock, agent for a group consisting of West Point Thoroughbreds, Rob Masiello, and Siena Farm, with the Bromans staying in as a partner as well. 

The colt, named Chestertown, is the first foal out Artemis Agrotera, a daughter of Roman Ruler who won three graded stakes including the Frizette Stakes (G1) and Ballerina Stakes (G1) for the Bromans. The colt's second dam is the stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Indy Glory, a half sister to grade 1 winner and late sire Stephen Got Even. Artemis Agrotera produced an Uncle Mo  filly in 2018 and was bred to Arrogate  for 2019.

"That's the most expensive horse we've ever bought," said West Point's Terry Finley, adding that the partners plan to retain the Chestertown name. "We didn't think we would have to give that much, but we were really happy when that hammer fell."

Finley said the colt came on his radar screen during the under tack show workout when he breezed an eighth-mile in :10 1/5, but he was unaware of the juvenile's outstanding pedigree at the time of the work.

"During the breeze, at the sixteenth pole he swapped leads and went back over to the right and leveled out and did it the right way. I looked down at the pedigree because I really don't look at the page when they breeze, and I saw that he was a Tapit out of a grade 1 mare, and I said 'Wow.' I have been thinking about this colt all week. I thought we would have a chance to get him, but didn't think I would have to go that far. A year from now, we may look pretty smart."

Sequel's Becky Thomas said the colt, one of a group being offered for sale at OBS in March and April as Broman is cutting back on his holdings as part of estate planning, was a standout for her consignment.

"He's the best-pedigreed horse I've ever brought to the sale that I thought was a nice horse," the veteran horsewoman said. "I have sold some nice horses but they didn't have the pedigree he has."

Thomas, who also prepped Artemis Agrotera and Indy Glory for racing on behalf of the Bromans, said she had to change the colt's training regimen because he was going too fast.

"He is really forward," she said. "I removed him from galloping in company in November because I didn't want him to go too fast. I didn't want him being more competitive that early."

Thomas said the colt has a unique personality that has earned him the nickname "Dennis the Menace" around the barn, with one of his favorite items being a ball suspended in his stall. "He will throw it out at you and then back in and back out. And he eats. He just can't wait for the next meal."

Broman has a large racing stable, Thomas said, and is in the process of reducing his broodmare band to help his estate and to fund an equine-related charitable organization.

"It was a decision based on Mr. Broman's estate planning to sell everything here in March or April," Thomas said. "He's reducing a big number of mares. He has a lot of racehorses and doesn't want to leave them for the estate, so he's going to shrink some numbers down and race. He enjoys it (racing) tremendously. His plan is to make sure charities benefit from these horses. He's in the process of setting up a charitable organization for the horse industry."

The OBS March sale concludes March 13 with a second session that begins at 10:30 a.m. EDT.