Ocala declines less than feared

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's spring 2-year-old auction ended four days' selling Thursday with declines, but not as severe as had been feared.

The auction sold 809 horses for $20,194,300, down 11 percent from last year's total for 772 horses, for an average price of $24,962, down 17 percent. The median also fell 17 percent, from $18,000 last year to $16,000 in 2009.

But buy-backs improved from last year's figure of 28 percent to 23 percent.

The sale-topping $675,000 A. P. Indy-Got Koko colt went through the ring at Monday's opening session. M. Neal Sims, agent, sold him to Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum's Darley stable.

Thursday's session-topper was Hip No. 1256, a $145,000 Sweetsouthernsaint filly out of Doc's Stormy Girl, by Dr. Caton. Tommy Hutton's Dream Stable bought the filly form McKathan Bros., agent. Currently named Sinininthasouth, the bay filly is a half-sister to stakes-winner Leigh McLovin. She worked a quarter in 21 seconds at the auction's under-tack preview.

Hip No. 1256 was one of four 2-year-olds to bring $100,000 or more on Thursday. The others were Hip No. 1081, a $120,000 Fusaichi Pegasus-Broad Path filly that LRK, Inc., bought from Tradewinds Farm, agent; Hip No. 1223, a $110,000 Speightstown-Deb's Charm filly that Three Diamond Farm purchased from Costanzo Sales; and Hip No. 1268, a $105,000 More Than Ready-Dream Street colt that Barry Menefee, agent, bought from Eddie Woods, agent.