OBS spring sale: Strong opener posts significant across-the-board gains

Paced by 34 juveniles who sold for $100,000 or more, Monday’s first session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training in Ocala, Fla., resumed the momentum from last year’s record auction as it posted sizable gains in gross, average, and median.

For the first session, OBS reported 189 juveniles sold for total receipts of $11,372,500. That marked a 51 improvement compared with the first session in 2012, when 186 sold for $7,533,000. The average price jumped 49 percent, from $40,500 last year to $60,172, while the $37,000 median spiked 48 percent from last year’s mark of $25,000. The buyback rate improved slightly, to 19 percent compared with 20 percent in the first 2012 session.

A filly by Grade 2 winner and West Virginia-based sire Limehouse sold for $320,000 near the end of the session to lead the results. Alex and JoAnn Lieblong purchased the chestnut filly from Eisaman Equine, as agent. She breezed an eighth of a mile in :10.1 seconds during the pre-sale under-tack show.

Bred in Kentucky by Lavin Bloodstock and Kenowa Stable, the filly sold for $28,000 at last fall’s Keeneland September sale. She is out of the stakes-placed winning Housebuster mare Dominica, who is a full sister to stakes winner Find the Treasure. It is the family of Grade 1 winner and graded stakes producer Past Forgetting, Grade 2 winners Concerto and Sweet Fervor, and Grade 3 winners Codified and Illusioned.

Two juveniles sold for $290,000 as the co-second highest prices of the day. Bloodstock agent Steve Young signed the ticket on the first, a well-bred son of freshman sire Colonel John, who stands at WinStar Farm in central Kentucky.

The bay colt is out of the winning Dixieland Band mare Always Ready—a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and international sire More Than Ready—who is the dam of three winners from four to race. The colt’s page also includes Grade 1 winners Bail Out Becky and Stephanie’s Kitten, Peruvian champion Fly Lexis Fly, and Peruvian Group 2 winner Sheriff Pete.

Consigned by de Meric Sales, agent, the colt breezed one furlong in :10 seconds flat during the pre-sale under tack show. The colt was bred in Kentucky by WinStar, and was a $70,000 purchase by consignor Nick de Meric, as agent, at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.

The last hip to go through the sales ring on Monday also sold for $290,000, as Japan’s K.K. Eishindo purchased a bay colt by Walmac Farm stallion Henny Hughes. Consigned by Ciaran and Amy Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, the colt is out of the stakes-placed Tricky Mister mare Dressed for Succes, who is a half-sister to the late multiple Grade 3 winner and Mid-Atlantic star Gators N Bears. It is the family of multiple Grade 2 winner and millionaire Friendly Lover and stakes winners Red Mountain, Quiet Pansy, and Karma Police. The colt breezed two furlongs in :21 seconds flat at the under-tack show.

The sale resumes with its second of four sessions on Tuesday, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Eastern, and continues through Thursday. To view a live video feed of the sale, click here.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.