Bull market for Prime Timbers

Four juveniles by New York sire Prime Timber averaged $103,750 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s select 2-year-old sale last Tuesday and Wednesday.

The figure is nearly 30 times the stud fee of $3,500 for Prime Timber, a son of Sultry Song who stands at Sez Who Thoroughbreds North in Stillwater, N.Y.

In 2005, Prime Timber's 42 juveniles sold at auction averaged $43,702.

"We were just very pleased with the sale," said Steve Silver of Sez Who Thoroughbreds. "I was exceedingly happy with the results of where we stood with the Prime Timbers, and I think he has borne out what we had hoped."

The 10-year-old Prime Timber was New York's leading freshman sire of 2005 with progeny earnings of $422,519.

Silver noted that his book for the 2006 breeding season is nearing 100 mares.

Prime Timber's quartet was topped by Hip No. 127, a colt consigned by Moonshadow Farm, agent, and purchased by Edgewoods Farm and M. Sulam for $140,000.

He is a half-brother to Swinging Ghost, who placed in the Mike Lee Stakes.

At $130,000 was a Prime Timber filly consigned by Woodside Ranch, agent, and purchased by Silverton Hill LLC as Hip No. 385.

She is a half-sister to Manor Prospect, who placed in the open Best Turn Stakes, from a family that includes stakes winner and sire Aaron's Concorde and French Group 1 winner Lianga.

Both of these Prime Timber juveniles are New York-breds.

Another Sez Who Thoroughbreds North stallion, Rizzi, had a single youngster in the sale, and she brought $130,000 as Hip No. 129.

The New York-bred filly, consigned by Ricky Leppala, agent, was bought by Harry J. Aleo, and is a half-sister to the multiple stakes-winning statebred Accurate, out of Silver Deputy's daughter Love Destiny.

The top-priced New York-bred at the OBS sale was a filly by Officer, consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent, and purchased for $230,000 by Zayat Stables.

Selling as Hip No. 47, she is a half-sister to recent Gulfstream Park allowance winner Ready to Please, who herself is a full sister to Ready's Gal, winner of the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Two New York-breds came in at $160,000 at OBS.

Hip No. 242, a colt by former state sire City Zip, was purchased by Pat Symons from the consignment of Indian Prairie Ranch, agent.

He is out of Repast, by Formal Dinner, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Fortunate Smile and earner of more then $300,000, plus stakes-placed Busheta Buck, who placed in the Grade 3 Tremont Stakes, and Railroad Lady, who placed in the Priscilla Stakes.

New York sire Wheelaway, who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, was represented by the other statebred at $160,000. She is a filly consigned by Leprechaun Racing, agent, purchased as Hip No. 351 by Sovereign Stable.

Out of Twist the Facts, a stakes-placed daughter of Known Fact, the Wheelaway filly is a half-sister to Spin Zone, winner of the open Fred "Cappy" Capossela Stakes at Aqueduct.

Wheelaway's first crop of runners are 2-year-olds of 2006.

Moonshadow Farm consigned a New York-bred son of Salt Lake purchased as Hip No. 101 for $150,000 by Tim Ritvo, agent for Paul Keating Sr.

Named A Strong Statement, he is out of the Meadowlake mare Lady Manolo, who descends from a top-notch family.

Lady Manolo's granddam is Twilight Ridge, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and Astoria Stakes in 1985 and the dam of La Rosa, winner of the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes.

La Rosa's daughter Taittinger Rose won the recent Grade 3 Sabin Handicap at Gulfstream Park, sending her career earnings to $382,503.

Overall, 32 New York-breds grossed $2,838,000 at OBS, for an average of $88,688.

There were 14 statebreds priced at $100,000 or more.

New York sire Chief Seattle, who stands at Highcliff Farm, was represented by a colt named Chief Seahawk, consigned as Hip No. 109 by Halcyon Hammock Farm, agent, and purchased by Michael Machowsky, agent.

He is out of Last Two States, a daughter of Alaskan Frost who placed in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes and who hails from a family that includes Queen's Plate winner Royal Chocolate.