Empire Maker filly brings $485,000 bid at first session of OBS Sale

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company saved the highlight for last Tuesday when the opening session’s final offering, an Empire Maker half-sister to stakes winner Passport, brought a session-topping $485,000.

The first of two sessions sold 91 juveniles for $11,877,000, up 15 percent from last year’s gross for 119. The $130,516 average was up 50 percent, and the $100,000 median climbed 75 percent. Buybacks also fell from last year’s 30 percent to 27 percent.

[LIVE VIDEO: Watch Wednesday's OBS session starting at 11 a.m. ET]

Frank Fletcher Racing purchased Hip No. 180, a Kentucky-bred daughter of the multiple graded-winning Lord at War mare Trip. The bay filly is from the family of Zensational. Harris Training Center, agent, consigned the filly. Hip No. 180 had breezed an eighth-mile in 10.2 seconds at the sale’s under-tack preview last week.

Hip No. 180 was one of four juveniles to bring prices at $400,000 or more on Tuesday.

The day’s highest-priced colt and second highest price overall was Hip No. 58, a $470,000 son of Montbrook and the stakes-placed Coronado’s Quest mare My Golden Quest. The dark bay or brown Florida-bred colt sold to Toyomitsu Hirai from Ocala Stud’s agency.

The colt had the co-fastest time, 20.8 seconds, for a quarter-mile work at the auction’s under-tack preview. He is a half-brother to the High Cotton filly Northern Cotton, a winner in three starts at 2 last season.

Hip No. 126, the sole entry by the now pensioned sire A. P. Indy, brought $425,000 from Mark Casse. The Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds agency consigned the Kentucky-bred, a dark bay or brown son of Grade 1-placed Sharp Susan, by Touch Gold. He’s from the family of Grade 1 winners Spring at Last and Sharp Lisa.

Hip No. 165, a Kentucky-bred Tapit colt, sold for $400,000 to Colts Neck Stables. The gray or roan colt, a May 4 foal, is out of the unraced Fusaichi Pegasus mare Swigert and also had posted a 10.2-second work for a furlong. Halcyon Hammock’s agency also sold that colt, whose family features Mutakddim and Frost Giant.

Trainer Bob Baffert, as agent, paid $300,000 early in the session for Hip No. 44, a Bluegrass Cat colt from Derby Dreams, agent. The Kentucky-bred bay colt is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Mesmerizing Lady. Like Hip No. 58, the $300,000 colt shared top honors for the under-tack show’s fastest quarter-mile time of 20.8 seconds.

The OBS March sale continues Wednesday with a second continuous session beginning at 11 a.m. at the OBS complex in Ocala, Fla.