Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June auction ends with slight drop in average

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June sale of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale concluded an expanded three-day run on Friday with strength at the top of the market, leading to a fairly steady average price compared to last year’s sale. But the sale also continued to display polarization of the market, resulting in a sharply decreased median and increased buyback rate.

A total of 520 juveniles changed hands during the sale for gross revenues of $17,125,500, according to figures reported by the auction company shortly after the close of business. The gross showed a gain from last year’s two-day sale of 14 percent. Last year, 434 horses sold for $14,999,900.

The average price finished at $32,934, dropping 5 percent from $34,562 in 2017. The median price was $15,000, a drop of 19 percent compared to $18,500 last year.

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At the top of the market, four horses surpassed last year's sale-topping price of $320,000. However, the buyback rate finished at 22 percent. Last year’s sale finished at an outstanding 17 percent.

A trio of fast-working juveniles sold during Wednesday’s solid opening session, which boasted an average price of $37,781, to get the sale off to a flying start, and maintained their top positions on the leaderboard through the sale. A Scat Daddy colt sold for $650,000, a Cairo Prince filly sold for $375,000, and an Uncle Mo colt sold for $370,000 to lead the way. Each of those juveniles starred at last week’s pre-sale breeze show, establishing or tying the fastest times for a furlong, quarter-mile, and three furlongs, respectively, on the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface.

The sale leader, purchased by Carlo Vaccarezza, is from the final crop of Scat Daddy, whose commercial popularity was soaring even before his son Justify completed his Triple Crown sweep last Saturday. The late Coolmore stallion accounted for two of the sale's top four prices, with a colt purchased for $360,000 by Alistair Roden Bloodstock topping Friday's closing session.

Wednesday’s sale-topping colt, from the consignment of Top Line Sales, as agent, breezed a furlong in 9 4/5 seconds, making him one of six to tie for the fastest move at that distance during the four sessions of the breeze show. The colt is out of the Gone West mare Satulah, who is out of Grade 3 winner War Thief, making her a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Boss Lafitte and stakes-placed Sandsarita. This colt failed to meet his reserve at the 2017 Keeneland September yearling sale, with a high bid of $385,000, and was entered but withdrawn from the OBS March juvenile sale.

Next on the leaderboard came the Cairo Prince filly, who sold to the Baoma Corp of Susan and Charles Chu. The filly, from the first crop of her well-regarded freshman sire, worked a quarter-mile in a bullet 20 2/5 seconds for consignor Price Thoroughbreds, agent. She is out of the winning Bates Motel mare Motel Lass, the dam of stakes winners Stormin' Lyon and Quick Flip.

Mo Mississippi, an Uncle Mo colt consigned by Gayle Woods as agent, was purchased by Exline-Border Racing LLC, via Marette Farrell, as agent. The colt worked three furlongs in 32 2/5 seconds to lead the horses who worked that distance. The colt is out of the Artie Schiller mare Mississippi Queen, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and stakes producer Asi Siempre.

For sortable results from OBS June, click here.