$700,000 Distorted Humor colt tops OBS July sale on final day

A Distorted Humor colt sold for $700,000 to provide some fireworks in the final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.'s July sale of 2-year-olds and horses of racing age, but the sale wrapped up its three-day run with declines Thursday evening.

OBS reported that 517 juveniles sold during the auction for gross receipts of $15,830,800 compared with 615 horses grossing $21,349,300 during the 2019 edition. The 2019 auction was held on its traditional dates in June; this year's renewal, the finale of the juvenile sale season in North America, was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The cumulative average price finished at $30,621, a relatively moderate decline of 12 percent from $34,714 a year ago. The median finished at $13,000, dropping 24 percent from $17,000. The overall buyback rate finished at an encouraging 21 percent, ticking upward only slightly from 19 percent last year.

The sale-topping Distorted Humor colt was purchased during the final session by Robert and Lawana Low, with West Bloodstock acting as agent. The colt, who was consigned by McKathan Bros. Sales, as agent, had worked a furlong in 10 seconds flat on the Ocala Training Center's all-weather Safetrack surface during the under-tack preview show.

The colt is the first foal out of the placed Tizway mare Tizacity, whose first two dams are the stakes winners Vindy City and Squall City. The dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Lady Chace, Squall City also is a half-sister to graded stakes winners Apriority and Bahamian Squall, both of whom were Grade 1-placed.

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