Mixed sale lots decrease

Florida's Thoroughbred industry will be testing the economic trend in the post-Sept.11 era during the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company annual winter mixed sale on Monday and Tuesday.

Last year, the sale went four days and 1,160 lots were cataloged. This year, 720 lots are listed to sell, and the sale has been cut back accordingly to two days.

"Naturally, we won't have the gross we had last year," said Tom Ventura, general manager of the OBS. "But unless the hole in the economy is deeper than what the experts say it is, there should not be much difference in the basic numbers."

In all of 2001, the OBS sold 3,607 lots for $75,020,300.

"We had two seasons," Ventura said. "The 2-year-olds in training sales and the yearling sale were held before 9/11, and were strong. The mixed sale dropped off in October. The mixed sales of 2000, however, were led by the last of the Mockingbird Farm consignments and the dispersal of Fred W. Hooper. There were no similar consignments in 2001."

The 2002 winter mixed sale has two segments. The first is the consignors preferred, and it will take all of the first day of the sale. The open segment is the second session. Among the 346 lots cataloged the first day is the stallion Comeonmom, a 6-year-old by Jolie's Halo-Single Blade, by Hatchet Man. Comeonmom was foaled at Bridlewood Farm.

"We sold him at Keeneland as a short yearling and did not get much for him," said George Isaacs, general manager of Bridlewood Farm. "He did not look like much early on, but he matured nicely. When the won the Remsen, Sabine Stable sold him for $3 million. He went to the Middle East and he became among the first to go the desert route to the Kentucky Derby."

Comeonmom had been standing at Sean Kelly's Wycombe House Stud, the property of Darley Stud Management, which also stands the much-traveled Worldly Manner. "There's no problem with Comeonmom," a farm spokesperson said. "He covered his mares well. They got in foal. But he was overshadowed by the others standing here."

Largest individual consignor in the winter mixed sale is Frank Stronach's Adena Springs South. Team Stronach sends 27 broodmares and 16 yearlings to the auction. Among the mares is Hip No. 54 ,a young stakes winner by Sauce Boat who is carrying a foal from the first crop of the millionaire world-traveler sire Running Stag.

Charities auction Sunday

The FTBAO's Florida Thoroughbred Charities holds its annual auction and sports banquet at Steinbrenner's Ramada Inn Sunday evening. Tickets, which include dinner, are $35. Many stallion owners have donated no-return seasons in a silent auction.

But most stallion seasons will be offered live the next evening at the OBS sales pavilion, following the first sales session

Farms holding stallion shows include Double Diamond Farm, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and Bridlewood Farm at 4:30. Both shows are by invitation only.

On Sunday, T-Square Stud has a show from 10 a.m. to noon. Solred Farm will present its stallions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Meadowbrook Farm starts at 1 p.m.