Colt an Ocala record at $975K

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's April juvenile sale in Ocala, Fla., set a sale record Wednesday in its third session when a Distorted Humor colt brought a $975,000 final bid from Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum's agent, John Ferguson.

On April 16, the colt had breezed an eighth-mile in 10 seconds, the fastest time for the distance at the auction's under-tack show. He is out of Grade 2 winner Zuppardo Ardo. Niall Brennan, agent for the John Franks estates, consigned the colt.

The four-day auction had sharp gains Tuesday at its second session, with increases across the board and its buy-back rate reduced dramatically.

Tuesday's session sold 223 lots for $6,048,600, nearly double last year's $3,202,500 for 170 lots. At last year's second day, 29 percent of the horses offered went unsold. But this year the buy-back rate dropped to just 13 percent.

The second-session average price rose 44 percent, from $18,838 to $27,124, and the median jumped 42 percent, from $12,000 to $17,000.

The sale was to continue through Thursday.