Led by a $1.9 million filly by first-crop sire Tiz the Law purchased by Donato Lanni, agent for Michael Lund Petersen, the four-day Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training showed steady strength throughout the April 17 second session.
All told for the robust session, 171 head changed hands for gross sales of $25,841,500, compared to 189 horses sold for $24,022,000 in the corresponding session in 2023. The average price was $151,120, up from an average price of $127,101 a year ago. The median price came in at $75,000, a 25% increase over a $60,000 median last year. Forty horses did not meet their reserves on Wednesday, producing a buyback rate of 19%.
Cumulative totals through the first two days show 324 horses sold this year for gross receipts of $46,428,500, on par with the 364 horses that sold for $46,768,000 over the first two sessions in 2023.The cumulative average this year is $143,298, compared to $128,484 a year ago. The cumulative median price is $80,000 so far this year; it was $65,000 at this juncture last year.
"It was an excellent day," said Tod Wojciechowski, director of sales for OBS. "As I said yesterday, there are plenty of good horses left to be sold, and obviously that was bore out today. Quality horses sell well, and we're fortunate to have a group of high-quality horses. It was a good day. Hopefully, we can continue on the next two days."
Leading the way on the consignor front in the second session was de Meric Sales, which sold 10 head for $3,165,000. Tom McCrocklin followed very closely behind, selling eight horses for $3,164,000. Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, with Donato Lanni as agent, led all buyers for the day, spending $2,175,000 for three horses.
Topping the sale through the first two days is the $1.9 million Tiz the Law filly who sold as Hip 365. Consigned by McCrocklin, the popular youngster turned heads during the under tack preview, zipping a quarter-mile in a track record-tying :20 1/5.
Acquired by McCrocklin for $170,000 out of the Highgate Sales consignment at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the filly is out of the stakes-placed Sky Mesa mare Moonlight Sky, a half sister to 2017 champion 3-year-old filly Abel Tasman and a full sister to graded stakes winner Sky Girl. CHC bred the session topper in Kentucky, and she will be trained in Southern California by Bob Baffert.
Two colts claimed the co-second-highest price of the session, and the sale through two sessions: Hip 371, a colt by American Pharoah who sold for $925,000 to Donato Lanni, agent for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations; and Hip 603, an Into Mischief colt consigned by Scanlon Training and Sales, agent, which sold to Naohiro Sakaguchi at the tail end of an active day of commerce.
The American Pharoah colt, who will be trained by Bill Mott, is the first foal out of the winning Uncle Mo mare More Roses, a half sister to grade 2 winner Merneith (by American Pharoah). Bred in Kentucky by D. C. Goff, the colt was purchased under the banner of Piltown Bound for $115,000 out of the Four Star Sales consignment at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. He breezed an eighth in a snappy :10 at the under tack preview.
"He was a beautiful horse from day one," noted Tristan de Meric of de Meric Sales. "He never put a foot wrong. We can't take credit for buying him, but we were lucky to have the horse sent to us. He was a very easy one to get ready. He did everything right all year for us."
The Into Mischief colt is produced from the grade 1-winning Candy Ride mare Separationofpowers, winner of the 2018 Test Stakes (G1) and the 2017 Frizette Stakes (G1). Bred in Kentucky by Hunter Valley and Mountmellick Farm, the bay colt was a $350,000 acquisition by Scanlon Training and Sales out of the Hunter Valley Farm consignment at the 2023 The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale.
The colt, who was picked out by trainer Makoto Saito, breezed an eighth in :09 4/5 at the under tack preview. Through an interpreter, Saito indicated that he liked the colt's action and his pedigree, and that he should take to the racing surfaces in Japan. The colt is the first racehorse for Sakaguchi, a newcomer to the industry.
"He has been a real straightforward colt all winter," David Scanlon said of the Japan-bound colt. "At the yearling sale, he was a little immature, but he had a great hip, and a great walk. He looked like a speedy horse, like a real 2-year-old. We were really happy to get him. He came to the farm and did really well. We took our time with him, and he really matured. He is just a really levelheaded colt who has done everything right.
"We kind of pointed him to this sale rather than (OBS) March just to give him a little more time," Scanlon added. "He breezed great and is a real honest horse. I loved his breeze. He gets really low and tries really hard. He has a super pedigree. The mother was a real fast horse as a runner. It's that old phrase, and I hate to use it, but he does check all the boxes."
A pair of $800,000 colts also highlighted Wednesday's session.
Hip 351 was a Bolt d'Oro colt consigned by McCrocklin who sold to Lanni, agent for Three Amigos. The gray or roan colt is out of the stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Master Command mare Miss Pippa and is a half brother to stakes winner Paluxy. The colt was a $160,000 acquisition for Champion Equine out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at last year's Fasig-Tipton July Sale. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Monarch Farms. He breezed a quarter-mile in :20 3/5 at the under tack preview and will be trained by Bob Baffert.
"He is a fast horse," said Lanni. "He came back from the work in really good shape. He has a good mind to him. He is beautiful and he looks like a racehorse. The sire has done very well. He came out of the breeze really good, and he has kept it all together. The main thing is that Bob loved him, and that's key. Bob liked him a lot."
Lanni, as agent for Zedan Racing Stable, also signed for Hip 411, a colt named Rookie Racer. The dark bay or brown colt is a first-crop son of grade 1 winner Vekoma consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent for Chester and Mary Broman. The New York-bred is out of the winning Bernardini mare Newbie and is a half-brother to graded stakes winner Classy Edition and multiple stakes winner Newly Minted.
Carlos Manresa, director of operations for Sequel Bloodstock, said the colt has been forward and well received all along.
"Through the winter he was a farm favorite," Manresa related. "There's been a lot of trainers out to the farm to see our horses. We've had nothing but good remarks about him. He's always been a beautiful mover. We got in front of pretty much every trainer and agent, and everyone had the same thoughts: beautiful body, beautiful page, and a beautiful work. We're really happy with the result for Mr. Broman. Every year he breeds amazing mares to amazing sires."
The Spring Sale continues April 18 with hips 605-906 slated to go through the ring beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET. As of Wednesday night, 71 horses have been withdrawn from the session.
