Numbers down at final OBS session

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s fall mixed sale ended with across the board decreases at the Wednesday session, one day after the consignor-preferred session rang up gains at its consignor-preferred session.

Wednesday’s open session sold 180 horses for $863,700, down from the $877,800 gross for 168 horses last year. The average price in 2010 was $4,798, down from $5,225 last year, and median fell from $3,000 to $2,700. The buybacks dropped, too, however, falling to 35 percent from last season's 41 percent.

The session-topper was Sweet Baby Jane, a $35,000 Kingmambo mare that Off The Hook, agent, bought form Ramsey Farm. The 11-year-old unraced mare is not pregnant.

The opening consignor-preferred session rang up increases across the board, selling 163 horses for a total of $2,572,600, compared with a 2009 opening-day gross of $1,467,900 for 132 horses.

Buoyed by Westbury Stables’ dispersal, the consignor-preferred session’s average price jumped 42 percent, from $11,120 last year to $15,783 this season, and median price climbed 25 percent, from $6,000 in 2009 to $7,500. Buybacks at the opening session decreased from last year’s figure of 40 percent to 36 percent in 2010.