Ocala may postpone preview show

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company announced Thursday afternoon that it might postpone Friday and Saturday's scheduled under-tack show for the company's March 18-19 selected 2-year-old auction.

A poor weather forecast for Ocala, Fla., including predictions of heavy rain and high winds, prompted the company to consider postponing, though officials said they will not make a final decision until Friday morning.

Friday's under-tack show was to begin at 9 a.m. and feature Hip Nos. 1-230. Saturday's show also was to begin at 9 a.m. and spotlight Hip Nos. 231-460.

The sale company's general manager, Tom Ventura, said that if the Friday and Saturday under-tack shows were postponed, they would be moved to Sunday and Monday, starting each day at 9 a.m.

"While Safetrack is very capable of handling the rain, the decision will be made based on the safety and welfare of the horses and all the people involved," Ventura said, referring to the new Safetrack synthetic surface that OBS debuted last month at its February juvenile sale.

The company's March sale's second under-tack preview remains scheduled for March 14-15 with a daily start time of 9 a.m.

Inclement weather earlier this week forced the postponement of the Adena Springs juvenile sale under-tack show at Adena Springs South in Williston, near Ocala. That show had been scheduled for March 5 but was held off until Thursday. The horses at that preview do not have timed breezes, but video of their gallops is available at the OBS website, . That auction will take place at Adena Springs on March 17 at 4:30 p.m.