Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. yearling sale looks to continue industry momentum

With both Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland having posted record figures at various yearling sales this season, North America’s third major auction house, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co., gets a chance to join the party at its October yearling sale this Tuesday and Wednesday.

The two-session sale is structured with a select session on Tuesday afternoon with 152 horses set to be offered. The bulk of the catalog, about 400 yearlings, including supplemental entries, makes up the open session, which starts Wednesday morning.

OBS moved its annual yearling sale from August to October for the 2017 renewal. The second-to-last major sale of the season, it is poised to take momentum from this season’s competitive marketplace. A significant portion of buyers, particularly pinhookers, still seem to be looking to fill orders after being shut out at the other sales.

In addition to established leading Florida sires, such as the well-bred Khozan, Brethren, and Jess’s Dream, the OBS sale provides a chance for yearlings by first-crop sires who may not have had as much representation at sales in New York and Kentucky to be showcased before a regional audience. Grade 1 winners Girvin and Long On Value are among that group, as well as Awesome Slew, Bucchero, and Tunwoo.