Cairo Prince colt brings $340,000 at OBS fall yearling sale

A $340,000 colt by freshman sire Cairo Prince set a sale record as young sires powered improved figures during the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. fall yearling sale's opening session on Tuesday.

A total of 124 horses sold for a gross receipts of $5,464,000 during the opening session, billed as a select session. The gross is a 10 percent improvement compared to 115 yearlings sold for $4,959,400 during the comparable session in 2017. The average price was $44,065, up 2 percent compared with $43,425 last year, while the median was unchanged at $30,000. The buyback rate was 33 percent, compared to 34 percent in 2017.

John Oxley bought the Cairo Prince colt who topped the session. Cairo Prince, a son of Pioneerof the Nile, sits third on the freshman sire earnings list, and is the sire of Grade 3 winner Cairo Cat.

The colt, consigned by Stuart Morris as agent, is the first foal out of the Concord Point mare Minutia, a half sister to stakes winners Mykindasaint and Malibu Saint. It is the family of Grade 1 winner and Canadian champion Perfect Soul, and two more Canadian champions in Gentleman Conn and Queen Louie.

Young sires led the day, as the session's other top prices were a $210,000 filly by freshman sire Uncaptured and a $200,000 colt from the first crop of Commissioner. The yearlings were purchased by Stonestreet Farm and de Meric Stables, respectively.

The OBS fall sale continues with open sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. The 2017 edition of the sale consisted of just two sessions.