$180,000 Stay Thirsty filly tops first day of OBS June sale

The opening session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June sale of 2-year-olds and horses of racing age trailed last year’s record pace, led by a $180,000 filly from the first crop of Stay Thirsty.

A total of 135 juveniles were reported sold at the end of Tuesday’s session for revenues of $3,427,000, down 38 percent from the first day of the 2015 sale, when 151 horses brought $5,557,600.

The average sale price fell 31 percent from $36,805 to $25,385, while the median price dipped 17 percent from $18,000 to $15,000.

The buyback rate rose to 38 percent after last year’s first session finished at 26 percent. Notable among the buybacks were the two horses that would have been the highest-priced offerings of the day had they sold – a $245,000 Gemologist colt and a $195,000 Bodemeister colt.

Seven horses changed hands for six-figure prices Tuesday, down from 11 during last year’s opening session. There were no horses sold for $200,000 or more this year, while five eclipsed that mark at the same point in 2015.

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Stanley Hough, as agent, purchased the session-topping Stay Thirsty filly who is out of the stakes-winning Seeking the Gold mare Broadway Gold.

The filly is a half-sister to five winners from six foals to race, including Grade 2 winner Broadway’s Alibi, Grade 3 winner Golden Lad, and Grade 1-placed stakes winner R Gypsy Gold. She is from the family of Grade 1 winner and freshman sire Dialed In.

Bred in Florida and consigned by Ocala Stud, the session-topping filly breezed a quarter-mile in 22 2/5 seconds over the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface during the pre-sale under-tack show.

Ocala Stud sold Broadway Gold for $950,000 at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale. While the mare has had daughters bring as much as $2.15 million as broodmares and broodmare prospects, Tuesday’s session-topper was the second-most expensive foal sold at a pre-racing sale out of the dam, trailing the Congrats colt Toasting Master, who went for $220,000 at the 2014 OBS March sale.

Eddie Woods was the session’s leading consignor, with six horses sold for revenues of $353,000. Leading the way was a filly from the first crop of The Factor, who sold to SAC Racing for $150,000.

Mike Hall’s Breeze Easy was the day’s leading buyer, with three purchases totaling $320,000. The operation purchased two of the three horses that tied for the second-highest price of $150,000 – a Harlan’s Holiday colt and a Distorted Humor filly.

The OBS June sale continues through Friday, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Eastern daily.