Ocala sale has major gains

Robert and Lawana Low bought their Kentucky Derby contender Steppenwolfer for a sale-topping $375,000 at last year's Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. April 2-year-old sale.

They came back this year to buy the auction's final session-topper on Friday, a $180,000 son of Broken Vow and Puddy Cat. Tom McCrocklin, agent, signed the ticket for the colt, who came from Nick de Meric's agency. The chestnut colt sold as Hip No. 1,237.

The Friday session ended a strong four-day sale in Ocala, Fla., that saw major gains over last year's auction. The sale had total receipts of $24,565,500 for 756 juveniles, up 12 percent from last season, when 775 lots brought $22,017,800. The four-day average also jumped by 14 percent, from $28,410 last year to $32,494.

This year's sale-topper, sold Thursday, was a $460,000 Songandaprayer colt that Ahmed Zayat bought. Eisaman Equine, agent, consigned the colt, a son of the Meadowlake mare Island Lake.