The 2-year-olds in North America in training season got off to a strong start March 15-16 at Ocala Breeders’ Sales, where four horses topped the market for seven figures.
Such strong results at the top would be expected to boost the overall average, especially since the 2021 edition of the sale didn’t generate any 7-figure purchases. True to form, this year’s average is up 13% to $132,416 from $116,831 for 2021. These four big prices aren’t solely responsible for the dramatic rise in the average, however. Excluding the top four, revenue this year still averages $122,253, which is nearly 5% higher than in 2021.
In a word, OBS’s March results are profound. According to an analysis by BloodHorse MarketWatch using deciles, growth occurred at all price levels. A comparison of sales in 2022 and 2021 shows average double-digit price growth for 9/10 segments, and the strongest growth occurs in the mid- and lower-end segments of the market. .
Decile analysis of the March 2022 Sales of Ocala Breeders during the training sale.
The top assortment shows buyers are more willing to stretch out on the horses they deem the best, with the spread for the top 10% increasing from $450,000 last year to $890,000 this year . The price of the cheapest horse as the top 10% rose modestly to $310,000, up from $300,000 a year ago.
Prices were more stable in the second highest tier, with an average of nearly 5% higher than the equivalent tier for 2021. Lowest prices in this tier also increased slightly from $190,000 to $200,000.
Demand remained strong throughout the sale as indicated by the average double-digit price increases seen in the third through 10th segments and the presence of the six-digit average through the top four segments. compared to 2021 when only the top three products had an average greater than $100,000.
On average, among the leading males of the sale, the American Triple Crown winners take center stage.
Ocala Breeders Sales March 2 during the Top Sale of Boars training
American pharoah , the 2015 Triple Crown winner, leads the overall sire chart with an average of $576,667 from three of the four sold on offer. His best seller is 1 million dollars from Forest camp The Just Parker mare that Top Line Sales sold to bloodline agent Donato Lanni, who bought her back on behalf of Susan and Charlie Chu of Baoma Corp.
Evenly , who won the Triple Crown in 2018, leads the freshman brood rankings with an average of $358,333 from three sold out of three on offer. His best seller is $425,000 colt out of Tapit Dancinginherdreams ponies that Parrish Farms as agent sold to Conor Foley and Jim Hatchet’s Oracle Bloodstock on behalf of Rosedown Racing Stables. Justify is represented by the third highest overall male average.
Both American Pharoah and Justify stand at Ashford Stud.
Spendthrift Farm Newborn Masturbation Bolt d’Oro also ranked among the top five sires according to the overall average. His $307,857 average from 14 sold out of 15 offered for sale was the fifth-highest average among stallions with two or more sold. Others of the top 5 are generally North American three-time leading males Into Mischief ($543,000) and the mainstay of WinStar Farm More than ready ($345,333). The $1.2 million sale was a More Than Ready pony that Kaleem Shah purchased from Wavertree Stables consignment.
The More Than Ready colt labeled as Hip 318 on the ring at the OBS March Sale
Rounding off the top five male freshmen are Mendelssohn ($230.182), Tapwrit ($180,000), and West Bank ($179,800).
