Yearlings dominate OBS winter mixed sale

Florida's Thoroughbred new year gets in gear this week. The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. will conduct its annual winter mixed sale Tuesday through Friday. The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association will hold its annual awards banquet Monday evening, and the following evening will hold its annual charity auction of stallion seasons at the OBS sales pavilion.

Ocala Breeders' Sales has cataloged 930 lots for its three consignor-preferred sessions on Tuesday through Thursday. Another 360 have been cataloged for the single open session on Friday. All sessions are to begin at 11 a.m. and will be accessible at www.obssales.com.

Yearlings are the majority category at this Ocala January sale. There are 489 cataloged for the consignors' preferred sessions and another 128 for the open session. A number of the cataloged yearlings represent the first crops of their graded-stakes-winning sires. Among these are Macho Uno, the Eclipse champion 2-year-old male who has three yearling colts cataloged. The multiple Grade 1 stakes winner and Chilean horse of the year Lido Palace has four colts and three fillies. Others with graded-stakes credentials and first crops are Essence of Dubai, a Super Derby winner, who has five colts and three fillies cataloged; Jump Start, with three colts and a filly; Whywhywhy, with three colts and a filly; and Thunderello, with three colts and five fillies.

Both Farnsworth Farms and Four Horsemen's Ranch had scheduled this sale as the final phases of their respective dispersals. Farnsworth wound up postponing its final phase, but not so Four Horsemen's. Jeff Schwietert, part-owner and general manager of Four Horsemen's, has consigned 21 yearlings and one broodmare prospect. Ten of the yearlings are by Northern Afleet, and four are by Thunderello, the stakes-winning son of Montbrook who finished second in the 2002 Breeders' Cup Sprint. Thunderello, bred by Four Horsemen's, now stands in Kentucky.

The breeders' and owners' association's awards banquet was moved from March to January this year and to a new venue. The event will be held Monday evening at Ocala's Hilton Hotel.

Tuesday evening, following the opening session of the OBS mixed sale, the breeders' and owners' charity auction of no-guarantee stallion seasons will be held. It had 123 seasons donated at last count. Red Bullet, Macho Uno, Milwaukee Brew, and Sligo Bay - all valued at $10,000 or more per season - have had seasons donated by Frank Stronach's Adena Springs South. Among Ocala Stud's eight donated stallions is a $20,000 nomination to Montbrook. The Vinery has donated a season valued at $15,000 to Peace Rules. Other stallion owners and syndicates donating are: Bridlewood Farm (12 seasons), CloverLeaf Farms II (10), Double Diamond Farm (3), Hartley-DeRenzo/Walmac South (8), Hidden Point (5), Lambholm South (6), Live Oak Stud (4), Lou Roe Farm (9), Meadowbrook Farm (4), Padua Stable (6), Rising Hill Farm (14), Sequel Stallions (5), Signature Stallions (7), Stonehedge Farm (4), and Ups & Downs Farm (7). L.W. Randolph, Emerald Pastures, Oak Creek Stable, Silver Oaks Farm, Winding Oaks Farm, and Get Away Farm have each contributed one stallion nomination.

Stallion showings also part of week's activity

It will be a busy few days for Marion County farms showing off their stallions. Live Oak Stud will present its four stallions Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Monday, Adena Springs South will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to show its seven stallions, with a stallion parade scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

Also on Monday and repeated Tuesday, Signature Stallions is showing its seven stallions. The Signature showings are scheduled from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Hidden Point Farm has stallion showings scheduled Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon.