$2.3 million Uncle Mo colt leads Day 1 at OBS spring 2-year-old sale

A $2.3 million colt by Uncle Mo set the bar high as the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s flagship spring sale of 2-year-olds in training opened its four-day run Tuesday.

OBS reported 161 juveniles sold during the opening session of this sale, which catalogs the largest number of horses of the season, for gross receipts of $22,149,000. During last year's opening session, 194 horses brought $18,362,900 en route to the auction posting a record total gross.

Tuesday's average price was $137,571, soaring 45 percent from $94,464 in the comparable opening session last year. The median jumped 50 percent, to $75,000 from $50,000. The buyback rate was the only figure that did not improve, checking in at a selective 24 percent, compared to 14 percent last year.

The session-leading colt, by classic sire Uncle Mo, was purchased by bloodstock agent Gary Young, on behalf of owner Amr Zedan. This is the highest price for a juvenile at OBS since the 2017 spring sale, when a Tiznow colt sold for $2.45 million. That Tiznow colt, later named Conquistador, began his career for the Coolmore group and partners before changing hands several times. He is 6 for- 24 lifetime.

"Zedan Racing secures another knockout colt at OBS April," the owner's Twitter account posted. "He will be headed to the barn of Bob Baffert."

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The colt, who was consigned by Top Line Sales, as agent, breezed a furlong in 9 4/5 seconds during the under-tack preview conducted last week on the Ocala Training Center's all-weather Safetrack surface. He was one of a large contingent of juveniles tied for the second-fastest time overall.

"He was just a tremendous athlete,” Young told the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association. “Everything about his preview was good. When we went to the barn he was very nice. . . . This horse acts like he can do anything to me. He’ll probably get a month off at Barry Eisaman’s to just unwind before going to join Bob's stable."

Baffert is currently serving a 90-day suspension that ends in July.

The session-topping colt is the first foal out of the Astrology mare Borealis Night, a half-sister to Grade 2-placed Kinsley Kisses and Grade 3-placed Spooky Woods.

The colt was a successful pinhook after being purchased by Scott and Evan Dilworth for $250,000 out of last year's Keeneland September yearling sale. Terrazas Thoroughbreds consigned him there, as agent for breeder Corser Thoroughbreds LLC.

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