Ocala sale opens strongly

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March select juvenile auction, which opened its two-day run in Florida on Tuesday, hit a high note late in the afternoon when a Yes It's True colt brought $900,000 from Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum's Darley organization.

Eisaman Equine, agent, consigned the colt. Sold as Hip No. 264, the bay 2-year-old is out of Kit Kat Kitty, a winning Pentelicus mare who also has produced a winner, Darian Skye, by Dance Master. Hip No. 264 was one of four juveniles having the under-tack shows' fastest quarter-mile work of 21.20 seconds.

Five other juveniles had brought more than $300,000 as of 6 p.m. The session also had produced six other sales above $200,000 in a sign that strong selling earlier this month at the "boutique" auctions - Fasig-Tipton Calder in Miami and Barretts March in California - might be spilling over into the mid-level market.

The auction was to continue on Wednesday in Ocala, Fla., at 11 a.m.