Juvenile season opens with robust numbers at Ocala Breeders' Sales' March auction

A colt by Violence and a filly by Munnings tied for the top price of the opening session at $550,000 as the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s March sale of 2-year-olds in training opened the season with gains compared to a tumultuous opening day a year ago.

OBS reported 163 horses sold on Tuesday, the first of two sessions in the juvenile sale season’s first auction, for a gross of $18,560,500. Last year's opening session, held as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was beginning to upend the Thoroughbred world – in fact, the sale began on the same day the Kentucky Derby was officially postponed to September – finished with 145 horses grossing $12,994,500.

Tuesday's average price was $113,868, spiking 27 percent from $89,617 in the comparable 2020 session. The median price jumped 20 percent, to $60,000 from $50,000. The buyback rate improved to 20 percent, from 40 percent last year.

Nine juveniles sold for prices of half a million or more during Tuesday's session, compared to two who did so -- including the $650,000 American Pharoah filly who ultimately topped the sale -- in the 2020 opener.

The co-session-leading Violence colt sold to Spendthrift Farm from the consignment of Kirkwood Stables, as agent. He 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 surface, making him one of 27 juveniles tied for the fastest time at that distance.

The colt is out of the winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Belle, dam of two winners from as many starters. Lemon Belle is out of multiple graded stakes winner Queenie Belle, making her a half-sister to Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic winner Unrivaled Belle. That millionaire is the dam of two-time Eclipse Award champion Unique Bella.

"So proud of [this colt] who did everything to perfection at OBS," Kip Elser's Kirkwood posted on Twitter. "We wish his new connections the very best."

Later in the day, the Munnings filly who matched that session-leading price sold to bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, who typically purchases for trainer Bob Baffert's clients. The filly, consigned by Eddie Woods, as agent, had breezed a furlong in 10 seconds at the preview show.

The filly is the first foal out of the winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Show Me, a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Aegean and stakes winner Light Bringer. Graded stakes winners I Rejoice, I'm A Thriller, Millencolin, No Advantage, and Sky Terrace also appear on the catalog page.

For hip-by-hip results, click here. The OBS sale concludes on Wednesday.