Against a backdrop of warm temperatures and occasional rain showers showing up early on, the first day of the Under Tack show for the 2025 Ocala Breeders June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale took place June 10, highlighted by a strong showing from youngsters representing the Blue Sapphire Stables consignment.
Before a rainstorm hit the area at the tail end of the opening set, the Blue Sapphire crew sent out Hip 45, I'm Here for Grace, a bay filly by Combatant who worked a quarter mile in :20 4/5, the fastest time at the distance on the day.
The impressive outings continued for the consignment during the second set as Hip 152, a bay colt by Engage , became one of three horses to work in :9 4/5, tying for the fastest eighth.
The Combatant filly is out of the winning, stakes-placed mare True Religion, an OBS June grad by Yes It's True, and is a half sister to stakes-placed Monster Man. Her barn mate by Engage is out of the winning, stakes-placed Lion Hearted mare Bazinga B and is a half brother to stakes winner Bazinga C, an OBS grad.
"We did expect them to do very well," Jesus Avila of Blue Sapphire Stables said of the duo via translation from his daughter Sky. "They're amazing horses and they have been working very well. I'm very proud to see them do as good as they've been doing."
Joining the Engage colt in the :9 4/5 club on the day was Hip 81, a bay filly by Leinster consigned by Octavio Mejia, and Hip 104, a dark bay or brown colt by first crop sire Yaupon out of the winning mare After the Party, who is by OBS grad Into Mischief .
The Leinster filly is out of the winning Wildcat Heir mare Wildcat Gaze, who is a half sister to stakes winners Saratoga Treasure and April Gaze.
Consigned by Julie Davies, the colt by Yaupon—who recently notched his first stakes winner in the form of OBS graduate Sassy C W—is from the female family of grade 1 winners Callback, Girolamo, and 2010 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super Saver.
"He went 9 and 4 in March but unfortunately, he got a tiny flake in his ankle, so we had to take it out," Davies said. "We figured he had done it once, so he should do it again. We were expecting him to be fast. And he's always been very classy, very easy to train. He likes his job and he's very straight-forward, a pretty mover."
The OBS June under tack show continues June 11 at 7:30 a.m. with Hips 173-343 set to be on the track. The under-tack show runs through June 14 with the sale itself taking place June 17-18 with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. each day.
All under tack sessions are streamed live on the OBS website at obssales.com, as well as the BloodHorse. Full results of the under-tack show can also be found on the OBS website.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
