927 cataloged for final OBS juvenile sale of season

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. hosts the June sale of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age from Wednesday through Friday, hoping to end what has been a strong season in strong fashion. The sale is the third and final 2-year-old auction of the season at OBS.

Including supplemental entries, there are 927 horses in the catalog. The vast majority are unraced juveniles, with 20 older horses entered in the racing-age portion.

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Last season’s 2-year-old sale season was turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic, with cancellations or postponements for all three major North American auction houses. This season has not only represented a return to a normal calendar, it has rebounded with strong, even record-breaking figures, and market enthusiasm. OBS’s March and April sales both posted double-digit year-to-year gains in the average price, and the April sale recorded a record gross. Meanwhile, the boutique Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, which was canceled in 2020, finished with strong figures, and that company’s Midlantic sale three weeks ago posted record figures across the board.

The OBS June sale is one of the final auctions of the 2-year-old season, with the Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita sale on June 23 closing out the marketplace.

Three juveniles emerged with the fastest furlong at last week’s under-tack preview for the OBS June sale. Breezing in 9 4/5 seconds on the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface were a filly from the first crop of Midnight Storm, a filly from the second crop of Frosted, and a colt by Quality Road.

The filly by Midnight Storm, who recently recorded his first winner, is consigned by Scanlon Training and Sales, as agent. The filly is out of the Afternoon Deelites mare Ava G., dam of five winners from as many starters, including stakes winner Miss My Rose.

Frosted already has three winners, including stakes-placed Bohemian Frost, from his precocious second crop. His OBS June bullet worker, consigned by Top Line Sales, as agent, is out of the Grade 3-winning Slew City Slew mare Jody Slew, from the family of champion Epitome.

The Quality Road colt is out of the Grade 3-placed Congrats mare Tulira’s Star. He is consigned by McKathan Bros. Sales, as agent.

A Shackleford filly stood alone with the fastest quarter-mile of 20 3/5 seconds at the preview. Consigned by Navas Equine, she is out of the Covee mare Moondancer, dam of two winners from as many starters.

A filly from the first crop of Neolithic led those working three furlongs, going in 32 4/5.

Multiple Grade 1-placed Neolithic, by sire of sires Harlan’s Holiday, recently recorded his first winner from his first starter. His bullet-working filly is consigned by Rolling Meadows Farm. The Florida-bred is out of the stakes-winning Waquoit mare Frost Princess, dam of five winners from eight starters, including stakes-placed Gran Greyfrost.

Among the horses of racing age to have raced are Playera and Island Bonita, each coming off a maiden claiming wins, at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay, respectively.