OBS to combine its February and March sales

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company will consolidate its February and March select juvenile sales in 2011 into a single select 2-year-old auction March 15-16, the Ocala, Fla., company has announced.

That word comes as The Jockey Club forecasts continuing decline in the North American Thoroughbred foal crop. On Saturday, The Jockey Club projected that the 2011 registered foal crop would be 27,000, down 10 percent from the 2010 projected foal crop of 30,000. The North American foal crop has been falling since 2006, shrinking sale catalogs in recent years.

“The OBS selected 2-year-old sales have a long history of producing top-class racehorses. As 2-year-old consignors have fewer horses to offer than in years past, OBS will concentrate its efforts in showcasing selected 2-year-olds in March,” said OBS general manager Tom Ventura. “We expect the OBS March sale to be on the calendars of all serious buyers.”

OBS will hold its under-tack show for the auction on March 10-11, and will host the OBS Championship stakes races on Monday, March 14.
The complete OBS auction schedule for 2011 is as follows: winter mixed sale, Jan. 18-19; select 2-year-old sale, Mar. 15-16 (under-tack previews Mar. 10-11); spring 2-year-old sale, April 18-21 (under-tack shows April 12-15); June 2-year-olds and racing-age sale, June 21-22 (under-tack previews June 18-19); select yearling sale, Aug. 23; open yearling sale, Aug. 24-25; and fall mixed sale, Oct. 18-20.