Ocala yearling sale ends with gains across the board

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s August yearling auction ended Thursday night in Ocala, Fla., on a high note after all three session rang up increases.

The sale topper was a $280,000 Any Given Saturday filly out of Ricki S. that Beth Bayer’s agency sold to Jeff Bonde and Mersad Metanovic. The filly is out of a full sister to graded stakes winner and millionaire Brass Hat and sold at the auction’s select session on Tuesday.

The select session saw gains across the board, selling 137 yearlings for an aggregate $4,890,500, up from the total of $3,632,500 for 110 yearlings last season. Average gained 8 percent to reach $35,697, and the median climbed 4 percent to $26,000. Buy-backs declined from 40 percent to 24 percent.

OBS updated the select session figures Thursday to reflect an additional six private sales after the session ended Tuesday night.

The two open sessions ended Thursday with a gross of $4,214,850 for 478 yearlings, up 11 percent from last year’s gross for 541 horses. The average price also jumped 26 percent, from $7,004 last year to $8,818, and median soared up by 60 percent, from 2009’s figure of $3,500 to $5,600. Buy-backs fell from 33 percent to 25 percent.

Thursday’s final session was topped by a $64,000 Congrats filly out of stakes-placed Singsingasong. H. H. T. S. was listed as buyer. Perrone Sales agency consigned the filly.