Colt by first-crop sire Epicenter sells for $1.95M to lead opening OBS April session
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A colt from the first crop of Epicenter set a high bar for the rest of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, selling for $1.95 million to lead an opening session that posted gains to kick off the proceedings.
OBS sells the bulk of the 2-year-old crop on offer in three sales in March, April, and June. This April sale is the company's flagship, and by far the largest catalog of the season. OBS reported that 159 horses sold in the opener for gross receipts of $24,578,000. In last year's first of four sessions of a sale, which ultimately finished with a record average price, 165 horses sold for $20,456,000.
Tuesday's average price was $154,579, up 25 percent from $123,976 in the 2025 opener. The median jumped 33 percent, to $80,000 from $60,000.
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The buyback rate prior to any private sales on Tuesday was 23 percent, compared to 17 percent following private sales from the 2025 opener.
The session-topping Epicenter colt was purchased by agents Justin Casse and Ben McElroy for AMO Racing. This is the first crop for classic-placed Epicenter, whose biggest win came in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes to help secure an Eclipse Award as outstanding 3-year-old male of 2022.
This colt, consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, as agent, had breezed a furlong in 9 4/5 seconds during last week's under-tack preview show on the Ocala Training Center's all-weather Safetrack.
“His performance was exceptional," Casse said. "I would say that we’ll look back through the years of being here and you’d say, ‘Remember that Epicenter when he breezed?’ It was that kind of a move. I have great respect for Ciaran Dunne and he has been very fond of this horse since January when he was first on his farm. He’s just beautiful.”
The colt is the first foal out of the winning Animal Kingdom mare Spanx Legacy, a full sister to multiple Grade 3-placed Delta's Kingdom.
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