Drain the Clock Colt Zips :20 1/5 at OBS

If there was a commonality to be found throughout the four days of under-tack shows ahead of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, it was that having offspring by Gainesway stallion Drain the Clock in one's consignment would likely lead to some stellar results. An already standout week for the first-crop sire finished on a high note March 7 when Hip 748, a chestnut colt by Drain the Clock consigned by Doble J Equine Sales, became the second horse by the sire to equal the OBS track record this week when he breezed a quarter-mile in :20 1/5 during the final day of under-tack shows. The March 5 under-tack show was highlighted when Hip 284, a chestnut filly by Drain the Clock, also clocked in at :20 1/5 for consignor Hoppel. The hits continued March 6 when Hip 508, a chestnut filly by Drain the Clock, tied for the fastest eighth when she breezed in :09 3/5 for Top Line Sales. Out of the Exhi mare Exsqueeze Me, an OBS graduate and half sister to 2015 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Wavell Avenue, Hip 748 made it three straight days of the offspring by the young sire shooting to the top of the breeze ranks. "I started hearing whispers even in October and you need to be cautiously optimistic or else you could look foolish. But given his pedigree and given his precociousness and speed, it's something we thought was definitely possible," Ryan Norton, stallion director for Gainesway, said regarding the aptitude of Drain the Clock's offspring. "Now, did I think it was going to be to this level of having multiple sub-10s and two tie the breeze-up record at :20 1/5, no. But obviously, we're very happy. I've felt like the prettiest girl in school the last couple days because everyone has been blowing my phone up. "(His offspring) are the most consistent group of horses I think I've seen in a long time from a stallion," Norton continued. "It's not necessarily one thing but they're pretty like he is, they look fast and I always thought the pinhookers would gravitate towards him because they are big and pretty." The commanding presence first-crop sires have had during the under-tack shows was further showcased when Hip 688, a bay filly by Jack Christopher consigned by Randy Miles, posted the fastest eighth Saturday when she worked in :09 3/5 on a day that had its start delayed nearly 40 minutes due to dense fog before giving way to clear skies. "I can sum up (my expectations) with no sleep last night," Miles laughed. "Nobody ever thinks they can go :09 3/5 and I'm not one of those guys who thinks speed is everything. But I knew she could do something really special. I just hoped we didn't mess it up between leaving the barn and getting the rider on her. I didn't want to say anything, I didn't want to tout her, I just wanted her to show off. I can't say enough about this filly. I think we're going to read about this filly in the next couple years, I really do. I'm just tickled." The filly is out of the stakes-winning War Chant mare Court Dancer and is from the female family of grade 1 winner Fourstar Crook. "She's not real tall. She's not small but she's not one of those big, stretchy, imposing types," Miles said. "But you can see once she gets fit... she's going to look really good as she matures." Three horses worked a quarter in :20 3/5: Hip 628, a bay filly by Mo Town consigned by Hoppel. The filly is out of the winning Brilliant Speed mare Brilliant Slew, a daughter of stakes winner and OBS graduate Lacie Slew. Hip 695, a bay colt by Bolt d'Oro consigned by Pick View. The colt is out of the winning Curlin mare Curls in Place and is a half brother to graded stakes winner Big Invasion. Hip 782, a dark bay or brown colt by Global Campaign consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock. The colt is out of the winning mare Full of Zip, by OBS graduate City Zip. Full of Zip is a half sister to stakes winners Don Dulce and Sweet Relish. Two horses worked a quarter-mile in :20 4/5, and a total of 24 horses worked a furlong in :09 4/5. Full results of the under-tack shows can be found at obssales.com. The sale begins March 10 and runs through March 12 with sessions beginning at 11 a.m. ET.