Numbers mixed on Ocala sale's Day 2

A day after ringing up gains in average and median price at its consignor-preferred session, Wednesday's open session at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's winter mixed auction did not produce a six-figure horse,and the median and average fell. But gross increased.

The two-day sale in Ocala, Fla., sold the $105,000 sale-topper on Tuesday when Mary K. Haire paid that for 4-year-old broodmare East Long Lake, carrying a Curlin foal. On Wednesday, the session-topper was Hip No. 305, a $57,000 yearling Dehere filly out of stakes-placed Seattle Moon, by Seattle Dancer. B & B Partners was the purchaser.

Wednesday's open session grossed $727,300 for 194 horses, resulting in an average price of $3,749 that was down 3 percent from last year. The median fell from $2,200 last year to $2,000. Gross receipts were up 8 percent from last year's total for 174 horses.

Wednesday's buy-backs improved from last year, reducing from the 2009 figure of 41 percent to 32 percent in 2010.

A gray or roan filly, Wednesday's top-priced horse sold as part of the Beth Bayer agency's consignment. She is a half-sister to Florida stakes-winners Vous, who earned $214,705 and also has placed in five stakes, and Mohegan Sky, an earner of $278,494 with one stakes-win and six stakes placings to her credit. The session-topper also is a half-sister to stakes-placed Deities Day.

On Tuesday, the opening session saw gross drop 37 percent on a smaller catalog, but the average price of $8,632 was up 13 percent from last season and median climbed 24 percent to $5,100.