OBS June: Expanded sale holds par in average, median

A record number of entries were cataloged for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale, resulting in a new record for gross revenues, and average and median figures for the juvenile portion generally held steady compared with last year’s sale.

The 2014 OBS June sale expanded from two to four sessions in 2014, selling 706 2-year-olds for a record $22,498,300. That figure marked a 54 percent increase from last year’s record-setting $14,596,700 from 439 horses sold.

The average sale price of $31,867 was a 4 percent decrease from last year’s record figure of $33,250, while the median price tied last year’s all-time high of $20,000.

Another positive indicator from the expanded sale was the final buyback rate for juveniles, which dropped from 22 percent last year to 21 percent.

Buyers were active at the top of the market throughout the sale, with 10 horses sold for $200,000 or greater, two better than the 2013 auction.

The sale was topped by a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner The Factor from the final crop of the late sire Indian Charlie, who sold to Bridlewood Farm for $500,000.

The bay filly is out of the winning Miswaki mare Greyciousness, who is the dam of six winners from eight foals to race. The Factor was a leading sprinter during his on-track career, winning the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes and Pat O’Brien Stakes, as well as a trio of Grade 2 races. The son of War Front now stands at Lane’s End in Versailles, Ky.

Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock, the session-topping filly is from the family of Canadian classic winner Perfect Shower, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Chief Seattle, and Peruvian 2000 Guineas winner Maeto. With the transaction, the filly became the most expensive foal to sell at public auction out of her dam. The Factor brought $285,000 at the Barretts May juvenile auction in 2010.

The filly was consigned by Eddie Woods, agent. She breezed two furlongs in 21 1/5 seconds during the presale under-tack show.

The final bid was $25,000 short of the record price for a juvenile at the OBS June sale, set last year when Conquest Stables purchased eventual stakes winner Conquest Top Gun, by Pioneerof the Nile, for $525,000.

Woods finished as the sale’s leading consignor, with 24 horses sold for a combined $1,742,500.

S.R.O.A., representing the Korean bloodstock agency K.O.I.D., was the sale’s leading buyer, with 38 purchases totaling $879,500. Because of restrictions set by the Korean government, the majority of the S.R.O.A. purchases did not surpass $30,000, but the organization did secure a Kantharos filly for $35,000 to lead the group.

On Friday, 144 juveniles sold for revenues of $4,724,300. The average sale price was $32,808, while the median price was $16,000.

Conquest Stables purchased the session-topper, a Quality Road colt, for $390,000, making him the second-highest-priced offering of the sale.

The gray or roan colt is the first foal out of the unplaced Unbridled’s Song mare Pirate Queen, and hails from the family of Grade 2 winners Be Gentle and Harvard Avenue. Bred in Kentucky by Westrock Stables, the colt was offered at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale, but finished under his reserve with a final bid of $300,000.

The colt was consigned by Wavertree Stables, agent, and breezed two furlongs in 21 seconds flat at the under-tack show.

Wavertree Stables was the leading consignor by gross for Friday’s session, selling four horses for $547,500. Conquest Stables was the leading buyer with two purchases totaling $477,000.

The horses of racing age portion of the OBS June sale, held on Friday, also saw a significantly larger pool of offerings but posted declines in average and median.

A total of 26 horses brought $262,000, up 205 percent from 2013 when eight horses sold for a combined $86,000. However, the average sale price dropped six percent from $10,750 to $10,077, while the median fell 19 percent, from $8,000 to $6,500.

The offerings were topped by Appealing Style, a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred colt, who went to Young Stables for $40,000. The son of Successful Appeal has won one of three starts on the Pennsylvania circuit for earnings of $26,010.

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