OBS March juvenile sale finishes with big gains and a $1.2 million topper

The North American juvenile sale season got underway in strong fashion as the season opener, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s March sale of 2-year-olds in training, concluded with gains on Wednesday evening.

With a quartet of seven-figure sales led by a $1.2 million More Than Ready colt Wednesday, OBS reported 375 juveniles sold during the two-session sale for gross receipts of $49,656,000. During the 2021 sale, 325 horses sold for $37,970,000.

The sale's cumulative average price was $132,416, jumping 13 percent from $16,831 last year. The median, a key figure in indicating market strength, spiked 25 percent, to $75,000 from $60,000.

The buyback rate also improved, checking in at 13 percent compared to a cumulative 16 percent last year.

The sale-topping More Than Ready colt sold to Kaleem Shah from the consignment of Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, as agent, during Wednesday’s second and final session. The colt had breezed a furlong in 9 4/5 seconds on the Ocala Training Center's all-weather Safetrack surface during the under-tack show, making him part of a large group tied for the second-fastest time.

The colt is out of the unraced Indian Charlie mare Broad Spectrum, dam of two winners from as many starters, including stakes-placed Broad Approval. Eclipse Award champion Rushing Fall, who is by More Than Ready, appears on the catalog page, as do Grade 1 winners Albert the Great and Trumpet’s Blare.

The other seven-figure lot during the closing session was a $1 million filly by Triple Crown winner and leading young sire American Pharoah, purchased by bloodstock magnet Donato Lanni on behalf of Baoma Corp. The filly, consigned by Top Line Sales, as agent, had breezed a furlong in 10 seconds flat.

The filly is out of the Forest Camp mare Just Parker, dam of three winners from four starters. Just Parker is a half-sister to stakes winners Qahira, Stormin’ Lyon, and Quick Flip, the latter the dam of Grade 2 winner Following Sea.

A pair of colts by Into Mischief, the nation's three-time reigning leading sire, sold for seven figures in Tuesday’s opening session to set the pace. First came a colt sold for $1.1 million to Hideyuki Mori. Consigned by agent Eddie Woods, he had breezed a furlong in 9 4/5 seconds. The colt is out of the Not For Love mare Zapara, whose first starter is stakes-placed Basso. Zapara is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and stakes producer Hedonist, to Grade 2 winner Seeking Daylight, to stakes winner Zaha, to Grade 2-placed Gold Player, and to stakes producer Cat Play.

The second seven-figure Into Mischief colt was purchased for $1 million in partnership by the BSW/Crow Colts Group, a partnership purchasing colts intended for trainer Brad Cox; by Spendthrift Farm, which stands his sire; and by Chester and Mary Broman, who bred the colt in New York. The perennial state leading breeders retained a piece of the action after consigning the colt via Sequel Bloodstock.

The colt, who breezed his furlong in 10 1/5 seconds, is out of the Bromans' multiple Grade 1-winning homebred Artemis Agrotera. The Roman Ruler mare is the dam of three winners from as many starters, including stakes winner Chestertown. This is the family of Grade 1 winner Stephen Got Even.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.