Pair of $110,000 Girvin offspring brighten final session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s fall yearling sale

A pair of yearlings by breakout young sire Girvin sold for $110,000 each to lead the closing session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s fall yearling sale on Wednesday.

OBS October joined what has been a strong North American yearling marketplace with its two-day run this week. The opening session on Tuesday was designated as the select session, with the perceived highest-quality horses, while the bulk of the catalog followed in an open session on Wednesday. OBS reports the figures for each session as a separate sale, rather than cumulatively.

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The select session on Tuesday posted gains, including a 12 percent jump in the average and 25 percent gain in the median, Wednesday's open session found tougher going, in keeping with the trend of a highly selective marketplace seen nationwide. OBS reported 256 yearlings sold in the open session for gross receipts of $4,367,900, compared with 281 bringing a total of $5,224,500 in the corresponding open session a year ago.

Wednesday's average price was $17,062, a dip of 8 percent compared with an open-session $18,593 in 2021. The median price was down 13 percent, to $13,000 compared with $15,000.

Per the selective marketplace, the buyback percentage increased to 30 percent compared with 17 percent last year. The buyback rate also rose in the select session.

A colt by Girvin sold for $110,000 to Champion Equine LLC to take the lead in Wednesday's session, and later in the session, a filly by the same stallion matched the price when sold to D.J. Stable. Grade 1 winner Girvin is the sire of 14 winners from his first crop this year, including Grade 2 winner Damon's Mound and stakes winners Atomically and Devious Dame. Off his early success, the stallion has moved from Ocala Stud, where he launched his career, to Airdrie Stud in Kentucky for the 2023 season.

Girvin's co-session-leading colt, consigned by Boutte Sales, as agent, is out of the stakes-placed Not For Love mare Absoulute Heaven. She is the dam of two winners from four starters. Canadian classic winner Princess Caveat and graded stakes winners Crowned Dancer and Raymundos Secret appear on the catalog page.

The Girvin filly, consigned by Camelot Acres Racing, agent, is out of the winning Kingmambo mare Liberty Flag, whose nine winners from as many starters include stakes winner Little Chesney and stakes-placed Don't Tell Marge and Forever Thing. It is the family of Breeders' Cup Distaff winner and Eclipse Award champion Sacahuista.

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