Uncle Mo colt brings $1.3 million at first session of OBS 2-year-old sale

The first day of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March 2-year-olds in training sale on Tuesday saw a moderate drop in returns across the board when stacked against last year’s comparable session. The Tuesday session was topped by a $1.3-million Uncle Mo colt.

A total of 160 juveniles changed hands on Tuesday for revenues of $25,718,500. The gross marked a 16 percent decline from the opening session of the 2015 auction, when 169 horses brought $30,704,000.

The average sale price fell 12 percent, from $181,680 to $160,741, while the median declined 4 percent from $120,000 to $115,000.

The Uncle Mo colt was the only horse to bring a seven-figure final bid on Tuesday. Only one horse brought seven figures at last year's comparable session, the lone horse to do so at the sale. Eight juveniles were hammered for $500,000 or more on Tuesday, marking a decline from the 11 to do so at the same point last year. The number of horses to bring $250,000 or more rose slightly, from 31 to 33.

About two weeks after partnering with Stonestreet Stables on a $1-million Uncle Mo colt at the Fasig-Tipton Florida select 2-year-olds in training sale, M. V. Magnier of the Coolmore partnership teamed up with Repole Stable to buy Tuesday’s session-topper, who is out of the Grade 1-placed multiple-stakes-winning Sky Classic mare Setareh.

Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm, the colt is a sibling to four winners from as many to race out of the dam. His extended family includes Grade 3-placed runners Love to Tell and Special Skills.

Cary Frommer, who signed the ticket on him as a yearling for $150,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale, consigned the colt as agent at the OBS March sale. Frommer also pinhooked the seven-figure Uncle Mo colt purchased by Magnier and Stonestreet at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale.

The colt breezed one furlong in 10 1/5 seconds during the under-tack show, which was held over the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface. The transaction made the colt the most expensive foal out of Setareh to sell at public auction, surpassing Mutasaddy, a son of Awesome Again who brought $400,000 at the 2007 Keenland September sale.

Coolmore stands Uncle Mo at its Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., where the Eclipse Award winner retired after racing for owner Mike Repole.

Eddie Woods was the session’s leading consignor, with 15 horses sold for a combined $3,797,000. Leading the group was a War Front colt out of champion sprinter Maryfield who sold to bloodstock agency Solis/Litt for $675,000.

Magnier and Repole Stable were the session’s leading buyers by gross based on the sole purchase of the session-topper.

The OBS March sale concludes tomorrow, beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern. Watch live coverage of the sale and get real-time analysis throughout the day with DRF Breeding Live.