Mixed results at OBS sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Topped by a $160,000 yearling Maria's Mon colt at its opening session, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's winter mixed sale concluded Tuesday with mixed results.

The company shortened the auction from four days last year to two days, one a consignor-preferred session and the other an open session. This year's preferred session on Monday sold 244 lots for gross revenue of $2,918,400, an expected reduction from last year, when 295 horses grossed $3,726,200. But the average price at the opening session also fell 5 percent, from $12,631 last year to $11,961, and the median slid 19 percent, from $8,000 to $6,500.

The top of the market still appeared strong. The $160,000 Maria's Mon colt, a son of the Farma Way mare Cowgirl and half-brother to the winner Elsie (Party Manners), surpassed last year's sale-topping price of $105,000. Ken and Sarah Ramsey bought the Maria's Mon colt from Nancy Bauman, who consigned the colt for Bob Seeger.

At Tuesday's open session, 250 lots brought a total of $1,313,500, down 21 percent from last year, when 390 horses brought proceeds of $1,671,200. But the open-session average and median both rose 23 percent to $5,254 and $3,700, respectively.

Top lot at the open session was the 8-year-old Dixieland Band mare Southern Swing, who is carrying a foal by Eltish and brought $42,000. Tom McCrocklin, agent, bought the mare from Live Oak Stud. A daughter of stakes-winner Lien (Never Bend), Southern Swing is a half-sister to stakes-winners Nephrite and Jaded Dancer.