$1 million Maxfield colt tops opening session of OBS March sale

Freshman sire Maxfield continued his strong start in the commercial arena on Tuesday as the sire of a $1 million colt who topped the opening session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training.

The three-day OBS March sale begins the traditional breeze-up season in North America, and it opened in good fashion with gains in its average and median. OBS reported that 117 horses sold Tuesday for a gross of $15,902,000, compared to 167 sold for $21,859,000 in the first of three sessions last year.

Tuesday’s average price was $135,915, a 4 percent year-to-year, session-to-session gain from $130,892. The median jumped 42 percent, to $85,000 from $60,000. The buyback rate was 31 percent, compared to 19 percent last year, with the latter figure adjusted for private sale results.

Midway through the session, the Maxfield colt sold to Japanese-based trainer Mitsu Nakauchida to top the day’s action.

“He breezed really good. Physically, he looks really strong,” Nakauchida told OBS. “His movement was really smooth and nice, and I just liked everything about him. Hopefully, we get lucky with him.”

Multiple Grade 1 winner Maxfield, by Street Sense, will be represented by his first crop on the racetrack this year. The Darley stallion has been well-received in the commercial marketplace. Led by a pair of $1 million lots at the Keeneland September yearling sale, he averaged $197,589 from his 84 yearlings sold at public auction last year – more than 4.9 times his advertised stud fee of $40,000 in his first season.

Tuesday’s session topper, who is the second foal out of the stakes-winning Sky Mesa mare Eyeinthesky, was a successful pinhook. The colt was purchased for $75,000 by Polo Bloodstock from his breeder, War Horse Place, at Keeneland September. Six months later, he was offered at OBS by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables, as agent.

The colt breezed a furlong in 9 4/5 seconds into a strong headwind during last week's under-tack preview show on the Ocala Training Center's all-weather Safetrack. He was part of a large group of 40 juveniles tied for the second-fastest time of the show.

“He worked sensational on a day when horses were struggling to work, and he showed himself well all week,” Dunne said. “It’s not rocket science. He jumped through all the hoops and as cliché as it is, he vetted well, and he worked great. When they do that, it’s easy.”

For hip-by-hip results, click here.

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