OBS sale hits new high with $450,000 Orientate colt

After two days of hefty increases, Wednesday’s third session at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company spring juvenile sale saw plenty of trade and a new high price overall.

Wednesday’s leader at 3:15 p.m. was a $450,000 Orientate-Mir Cat colt that Hill ’n’ Dale Bloodstock bought from Eddie Woods, agent. The dark bay or brown colt’s dam is an unraced Tale of the Cat mare and is from the family of A Phenomenon, Seattle Meteor, and other graded winners.

On Tuesday, the second session closed with 197 juveniles bringing $8,731,500, an 18 percent increase over last year’s Day 2 total for 223 horses. The $44,322 average price was 36 percent higher than last year, and the $30,000 median was up 50 percent. Buybacks fell from 2011’s figure of 20 percent to 19 percent.

Tuesday’s highest price was the $400,000 that Narvick International paid for a Majestic Warrior-Flirtatious Miss colt from the Harris Training Center. He had breezed an eighth-mile in 10.2 seconds.

The OBS April sale was to continue through Thursday with sessions starting daily at 10:30 a.m. All sessions take place at the OBS sale complex in Ocala, Fla.