Mixed figures at Ocala sale

One day after posting mixed returns in its opening session, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's winter mixed sale in Florida continued its four-day run Wednesday with a $160,000 El Corredor colt the early leader.

The Wednesday session was the second of three consignor-preferred sessions. As of 5 p.m., the market appeared polarized. Upper-market stock brought strong prices, but buy-backs also littered the results sheet, with 60 of the first 250 lots failing to reach their reserve prices.

The session-leading El Corredor colt is a Pennsylvania-bred yearling, the first foal out of the unraced Tale of the Cat mare Ataleoftwokitties. Beth Bayer, agent, sold the colt to B. G. H. Ranch.

Tuesday's opening session sold 175 horses for $3,441,900, down from last year's $3,655,700 gross receipts for 186 lots. The average price stayed nearly level, gaining slightly from last year's $19,654 to $19,668, but the median fell 13 percent, from $11,500 last year to $10,000. The buy-back rate rose slightly from 31 percent to 32 percent.

Tuesday's top price was the $265,000 that Matthews Stables paid for the Silver Ghost mare Lunar Star, in foal to Songandaprayer. Shadybrook Farm (Michael Yates), agent, sold the 9-year-old stakes performer.

The sale was to continue through Friday at the OBS pavilion in Ocala, Fla. Sessions begin daily at 11 a.m.