Six-figure horses spark Ocala session

A day after its opening session posted mixed results, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company spring juvenile sale in Ocala, Fla., saw a spate of six-figure horses.

Tuesday's highest price at 3:30 p.m. was $160,000. Two horses had brought that amount by that point.

The first was Hip No. 346, a Congrats filly that Blinkers On Racing Stable bought. Ocala Stud sold the bay daughter of Roger's Sue. The filly is a half-sister to the winners Lovely Golda and Spy Park. The filly worked a quarter-mile in 20.80 seconds in last week's under-tack preview.

The second to reach that price was Hip No. 489, a With Distinction colt out of Star Julia, by Matty G. Ciaran Dunne, agent, signed for the colt from Tony Bowling's All In Sales agency.

The colt breezed a quarter in 21 seconds at the under-tack preview.

Monday's opening session posted mixed results, with gross and average price falling 16 percent and 11 percent, respectively, while median jumped 16 percent. Jo Ann and Alex Lieblong, owners of Grade 1 winner Telling, bought the session-topper, a $260,000 Pleasantly Perfect colt out of the Deputy Minister mare Minister Thatcher. Parrish Farms, agent, consigned the chestnut colt. He is a full brother to the winning 4-year-old Minister Perfect. He also is a half-brother to 5-year-old winner Sanlorenzo.

The Monday session sold 196 for a gross of $4,579,100, down 16 percent from last year's total for 209 juveniles. The average price was $23,363, down 11 percent, but the median was up 16 percent, to $18,000.

The buy-back percentage edged upward, from 24 percent last year to 26 percent. As happened at the 2009 opening session, 22 horses brought $50,000 or more at Monday's session.

The OBS spring juvenile auction was to continue through April 22 at the OBS pavilion in Ocala. Sessions begin daily at 10:30 a.m.