Maiden winner Bear Brian gets $150k at opening session of OBS winter mixed sale

Bear Brian parlayed a recent maiden score into the top price of the day, selling for $150,000 to top a wide variety of offerings at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s winter mixed sale.

Tuesday's first of two sessions of the OBS January sale was designated as a consignor-preferred session for broodmares and yearlings, and also included a section of horses of racing age. The second session, set for Wednesday, is an open session. OBS reported the figures for Tuesday's market segments separately, with the preferred mixed section posting declines in some figures, and the horses of racing age section producing gains. Both sections finished with solid buyback rates.

For the preferred section, 98 horses sold for a total of $1,893,300, compared with 85 horses grossing $1,912,300 in 2020. The average price was $19,319, a drop of 14 percent compared with $22,498 a year ago, while the median price was $10,050, down 23 percent from $13,000 last year. The buyback percentage improved to 31 percent after the similar offerings finished at 38 percent last year.

For the horses of racing age section, 73 horses grossed $1,676,500 compared with 70 selling for a total of $1,366,900 in 2020. The average was $22,966, up 18 percent from $19,527 a year ago. The median price was $13,000, improving 18 percent compared to $11,000. The buyback percentage ticked up to 12 percent from 11 percent.

Bear Brian, a 3-year-old colt by Tiznow, sold to trainer Kerri Raven from the horses of racing age section to lead the entire day. The colt won his debut on Jan. 9 at Sam Houston Park for Stonestreet Stables and trainer Steve Asmussen, rallying five wide to get up by a head in the maiden special weight. He was consigned at OBS by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield Sales, as agent for Stonestreet.

Off his debut win, Bear Brian merely galloped on the Ocala Training Center's all-weather Safetrack surface during Monday's under-tack preview show. The colt is out of the stakes-winning Super Saver mare Lil Super Bear.

Summerfield also consigned the opening day's most expensive broodmare, Be Fair, who sold for $35,000 to Jim H. Ballinger. The 15-year-old Exchange Rate mare was offered in foal to Gun Runner.

Be Fair won the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga as a 3-year-old, and the following year was multiple stakes placed, including a third in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn. The dam of six winners from as many starters, she is out of the winning Wild Again mare Go Donna Go, making her a half-sister to classic-placed Grade 1 winner Macho Again.

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