Tiznow colt tops sluggish OBS sale

A $475,000 Tiznow colt got the top price Tuesday at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's February select juvenile sale, where the first auction in the 2010 2-year-old sale season saw across-the-board declines.

The one-day auction in Ocala, Fla., had a smaller catalog than last year, and its gross fell 35 percent as 66 horses brought $6,414,000. Last year, 93 sold for $9,868,700. But average price also lost ground, falling 8 percent from $106,115 to $97,182. Median fell 27 percent, from $90,000 to $66,000.

Buybacks rose slightly, from 39 percent in 2009 to 40 percent his year.

A partnership headed by Chuck and Maribeth Sandford purchased the sale-topping Tiznow colt. The dark bay or brown colt is out of Tale of the Cat's stakes-placed daughter Six Pack Sally. At last Friday's under-tack preview, he worked an eighth of a mile in 10.20 seconds.

Bo Hunt, agent, consigned the colt, who previously sold for $55,000 at last year's Keeneland September auction. Carl Bowling's Straightaway Farm bought him there.

Another major player at the sale was Amy Tarrant of Hardacre Farm. She bought two of the day's six-figure horses, including the second highest-priced juvenile, a $425,000 Yes It's True colt. Sold as Hip No. 106, the chestnut is out of Debit or Credit and from the family of graded performers Alke, Debit My Account, and Red N'Gold.

D. North Thoroughbreds, agent, was the seller.

Tarrant also purchased a $250,000 Rockport Harbor-Truart filly that Crupi's New Castle Farm agency sold. Offered as Hip No. 52, the gray or roan filly is out of a Grade 2-placed mare by Yes It's True.

The day's third $400,000 horse was Hip No. 84, a Harlan's Holiday filly who brought that amount from buyer Let's Go Stables. The dark bay or brown daughter of Burn Brightly was part of Ocala Stud's consignment. Her dam is a stakes winner who already has produced stakes winner Dream of Angels and stakes-placed Good to Be Seen.