OBS June opening session sees increases all around

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June 2-year-olds and horses of racing age sale saw rousing trade in its opening session on Tuesday, posting sizeable across-the-board gains.

During the first of two sessions, 199 horses changed hands for revenues of $7,217,500, up 98 percent from last year’s first of four sessions, when 147 horses brought $3,645,300. The average sale price rose 46 percent, to $36,269 from $24,798, while the median increased 33 percent to $18,000 from $13,500.

Tuesday’s buyback rate finished at 23 percent, down significantly from last year’s opening figure of 31 percent.

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At the top of the market, four horses sold for $250,000 or more. None reached that price during last year’s first session. The number of six-figure purchases rose to 17 from six.

The opening day of the 2017 sale cataloged 74 more horses than last year’s kickoff session.

Tuesday’s trade was led by a First Dude colt who sold to the David Dizney Racing Syndicate for $400,000.

The purchase was a quasi-buyback for Dizney, who bred the dark bay or brown colt, but bought him on Tuesday on behalf of an ownership group in which he is the chief partner.

The Florida-bred colt is out of the winning Kris S. mare Natalie’s Moment, whose four winners from five runners include stakes-placed Sola Gratia. Natalie’s Moment is also the dam of Lady Natalie, who produced Grade 3 winner Code Warrior.

Further down the page is 1992 Kentucky Derby winner Lil E. Tee, Grade 2/Group 2-placed Exiled Groom and Agnes Partner, and Grade 3/Group 3 winner Agnes Arashi.

The colt breezed a quarter-mile in 20 3/5 seconds over the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface during the pre-sale under-tack show, tying for the second-fastest time at the distance.

Top Line Sales consigned the colt, as agent.

Tuesday’s session-topper is the most expensive horse by First Dude ever sold at public auction.

First Dude, a son of Stephen Got Even, stands at Double Diamond Farm in Ocala, Fla., which is owned by Donald Dizney, the father of David. The elder Dizney campaigned First Dude as a homebred. He was a Grade 1 winner and finished second in the Preakness and third in the Belmont Stakes. The Dizneys also bred and raced Natalie’s Moment.

Eddie Woods finished Tuesday’s session as the leading consignor by gross, with eight horses sold for a combined $1,052,500. His consignment accounted for three of the day’s top five prices, led by a Twirling Candy colt who sold to Bradley Thoroughbreds for $310,000.

Trainer Linda Rice, acting as agent, was the session’s top buyer, with four purchases totaling $805,000. Her most expensive buy was the day’s second-highest-priced offering, a $320,000 Midnight Lute colt.

The OBS June sale concludes Wednesday, with a session beginning at 10:30 a.m. Eastern.