OBS April finishes with gains in gross and average over record 2022 session
With a $2.2 million Gun Runner colt leading a trio of seven-figure juveniles, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. completed its spring sale of 2-year-olds in training on Friday night with record figures.
OBS reported 699 juveniles sold during the four-day sale for gross receipts of $90,805,000. That is a new high-water mark, surpassing the $90,723,000 spent for 705 horses established last year.
At last year's spring sale, five horses sold for $1 million or more - two more than this year - led by a $2.3 million colt who would go on to be named Arabian Knight, and who is a graded stakes winner this year.
This year's OBS spring average still finished at $129,907, edging last year's record of $128,685.
Median price is considered a key figure in assessing market health overall, as it may not be influenced as much by the higher priced horses sold as the average and gross. This week's median was $65,000, tying the record set in 2022.
The buyback rate trended upward all week in a selective marketplace, ultimately finishing at a respectable 17 percent. It was 16 percent last year.
The sale-topping Gun Runner colt, who went through the ring on Thursday, led a busy week for owner Amr Zedan. His Zedan Racing, with Donato Lanni acting as agent, came away with three of the top four lots of the sale, including a $1.45 million Arrogate colt who fetched the week's second highest price.
"We are thrilled with our purchases from OBS and looking forward to watching them race with great anticipation," Zedan Racing posted on Twitter.
Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year, shattered the North American freshman earnings record when his first crop went to the races in 2021. That crop included 2022 Preakness winner Early Voting. Gun Runner's second crop includes current Kentucky Derby hopeful Disarm.
The sale-topping colt, from Gun Runner's third crop, worked a furlong in 10 1/5 seconds during last week's under-tack preview show on the Ocala Training Center's all-weather Safetrack. He is out of the stakes-winning Majesticperfection mare Perfect Wife, whose first starter is Runaway Wife, a Grade 3-placed full sister to this colt.
Lanni also signed the ticket for a colt from the final crop of Gun Runner's rival Arrogate, also an Eclipse Award winner and the highest-earning horse in North American history. Arrogate, who will be inducted into into the Hall of Fame this summer - Gun Runner will be eligible next year - died in 2020 after an illness led to neurological symptoms.
His first crop was led by 2022 Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath. His second crop includes a pair of Oaks candidates in Grade 1 winner And Tell Me Nolies and Grade 2 winner Affirmative Lady.
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Arrogate's seven-figure colt, who had breezed a furlong in 10 seconds flat during the under-tack preview, was consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, as agent, and went through the ring during the sale's opening session on Tuesday.
He is out of the unraced War Front mare Destine, who is the dam of two winners from three starters, including stakes-placed Sunset Promise. This is the family of champion sprinter Smoke Glacken.
The stable More Play purchased a $1.3 million colt by four-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief on Friday’s final day of the sale. The colt, who was consigned by Wavertree Stables, as agent, had breezed a furlong in 9 3/5 seconds, making him one of four juveniles tied for the bullet work.
The colt is out of the Ministers Wild Cat mare Singing Kitty, a Grade 3-placed stakes winner who has produced one winner from two starters.
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