Led by a $1.9 million first crop sire law Bought by Michael Lund Petersen agent Donato Lanni, the Ocala Breeders four-day spring sale of 2-year-olds in training showed steady strength throughout the second session April 17 .
All told it was an eventful session, 171 horses changed hands for a total of $25,841,500, compared to 189 horses sold for $24,022,000 in the corresponding session in 2023. The median price was $151,120, up from a median price of $127,101 a year ago. The median price is at $75,000, up 25% from last year’s median price of $60,000. Forty horses fell short of their stocks on Wednesday, creating a buyback rate of 19%.
The cumulative total for the first two days shows 324 horses were sold this year for a total of $46,428,500, on par with the 364 horses sold for $46,768,000 in the first two sessions on 2023. The cumulative average this year is $143,298, compared with $128,484 a year ago. The cumulative average price from the beginning of the year to now is 80,000 USD; This time last year it was $65,000.
“It was a great day,” said Tod Wojciechowski, chief sales officer at OBS. “As I said yesterday, there are a lot of good horses left to sell, and it’s clear that they’re sold out today. Quality horses sell very well, and we are fortunate to have a group of high quality horses. What a good day.” Hopefully we can continue for the next two days.”
OBS Sales Director Tod Wojciechowski
Leading consignors in the second session was de Meric Sales, which sold 10 for $3,165,000. Tom McCrocklin followed closely behind, selling eight horses for $3,164,000. Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, with Donato Lanni as agent, led all buyers on the day, spending $2,175,000 on three horses.
Topping the sale for the first two days is the $1.9 million Tiz the Law, sold as the Hip 365. Consigned by McCrocklin, the famous youngster made a splash at the preview yet full, passing a quarter mile to set a record of:20 1/5.
Acquired by McCrocklin for $170,000 from the Highgate Sales consignment at last year’s Keeneland September sale, this filly is no longer a bet. Sky Mesa mare Moonlit sky half-sister to the 2017 champion 3-year-old filly Abel Tasman and a full sister to rank the winner Sky girl . CHC bred the session leader in Kentucky and she will be trained by Bob Baffert in Southern California.
Tom McCrocklin, the $1.9 million session consignor heads Tiz the Law
Two colts achieved the second highest price of the session and sold over two sessions: Hip 371, a colt by American Pharaoh who sold for $925,000 to Donato Lanni, representative of Frank Fletcher Racing Operations; and Hip 603, one into mischief The colt, consigned by agent Scanlon Training and Sales, sold to Naohiro Sakaguchi at the end of an eventful day of trading.
The American colt Pharoah, trained by Bill Mott, was the first colt to win. Uncle Mo mare Add roses My half-sister won first prize in class 2 Merneith (by American Pharoah). Bred in Kentucky by DC Goff, the colt was purchased under the Piltown Bound banner for $115,000 out of the Four Star Sales consignment at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. He got a quick eighth place: 10 in the rough preview.
“He was a beautiful horse from day one,” noted Tristan de Meric of de Meric Sales. “He never made a mistake. We can’t take credit for buying him, but we were lucky to have the horse sent to us. He’s a very easy guy to get ready. He did everything right all year long for us.”
The Into Mischief colt was produced from a Grade 1 prize horse Candy cart ride mare Division of power , winner of the 2018 Trial Stakes (G1) and 2017 Frizette Stakes (G1). Bred in Kentucky by Hunter Valley and Mountmellick Farms, the bay colt was a $350,000 acquisition by Scanlon Training and Sales from the Hunter Valley Farms consignment at the 2023 Saratoga Sale, sale Fasig-Tipton annual selected prices.
The colt, selected by trainer Makoto Saito, finished eighth at :09 4/5 in the preview under tack. Through an interpreter, Saito said that he liked the colt’s action and his pedigree and that he should enter races in Japan. This colt is the first racehorse for Sakaguchi, a newcomer to the industry.
“He was a really straight colt over the winter,” David Scanlon said of the colt who arrived in Japan. “At the yearling sale, he was a little tender but had very good hips and walked very quickly. He looked like a speed horse, like a real 2-year-old. We were really excited.” happy to have him. he came.” went to the farm and did very well. We spent time with him, and he really matured. He was just a really calm colt and did everything right.
“We steered him to this sale instead of (OBS) March just to give him a little more time,” Scanlon added. “He’s got great speed and is a really honest horse. I love his breeze. He’s very low and very trying. He’s got a super pedigree. Mom is a really fast horse. That’s it.” is an archaic phrase, and I hate to use it, but he ticked all the boxes.”
A pair of colts worth $800,000 were also the highlight of Wednesday’s trading session.
Hip 351 is one Bolt d’Oro The colt was consigned by McCrocklin, who sold to Lanni, agent for Three Amigos. The gray or roan colt is out of stakes and graded under Master Command Miss Pippa and is a half-brother to the winner Paluxy . The colt was Champion Equine’s $160,000 acquisition from Taylor Made Sales Agent’s consignment at last year’s Fasig-Tipton July sale. This colt was bred in Kentucky by Monarch Farms. He covered the quarter mile in :20 3/5 at the preview under tack and will be trained by Bob Baffert.
“He’s a fast horse,” Lanni said. “He came home from work in a very good mood. He has a good disposition. He is beautiful and looks like a racehorse. The sire did very well. He came out of the wind very well, and he kept it all together. What mattered was that Bob loved him, and that was what mattered.
Lanni, as representative of Zedan Racing Stable, also signed Hip 411, a colt named Rookie Racer. The black horse or brown colt is the first of the season to win a level 1 prize Vekoma consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent of Chester and Mary Broman. The New York-bred mare was out of the winning Bernardini mare Newbie and is a half-brother to the graded stakes winner Classy version and multi-stakes winner Newly minted .
Carlos Manresa, chief executive officer of Sequel Bloodstock, said the colt had been well received and forwarded.
“During the winter, he was a favorite on the farm,” Manresa recalls. “We’ve had a lot of trainers come to the farm to see our horses. We’ve had nothing but good comments about him. He’s always been a beautiful horse handler. We’ve been in front of almost everyone. every trainer and agent, and everyone has the same thoughts: beautiful body, beautiful page and beautiful work. We are really pleased with the results Mr. Broman achieves every year producing great mares to great sires.”
The spring sale continues on April 18 with the 605-906 hips scheduled to enter the ring at 10:30 a.m. ET. As of Wednesday evening, 71 horses had been withdrawn from the session.
