A filly by Girvin stole the show during Day 1 of the Ocala Breeders' Sales October Yearling Sale Oct. 6, dropping the hammer at $190,000 to CJ Thoroughbreds. She was bred and consigned by Craig Bernick's Glen Hill Farm.
"I have to give credit to Marette Farrell. She called us last night and said she loved this filly," said CJ Johnsen, vice president and co-owner of CJ Thoroughbreds. "There wasn't a photo or video of her online, so Marette sent us some this morning. She has the combination of power and femininity that the good Girvin fillies have. She is from a fast and precocious female family and her half brother is already a stakes winner.
Hip 12 was bred in Kentucky out of the Curlin mare Jewish Guilt, whose first foal to race is stakes winner Unwritten Rule (Justify ). Bernick purchased the Winstar Farm-bred Jewish Guilt as a yearling for $425,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
"She is a well-bred filly but she is also a very good-looking filly," Bernick said. "She looks like she'll stand training and hopefully run at 2. It's an old Florida family; that's why we bought into it. It's actually the same family as Songbird if you look hard at the pedigree."
Farrell, who signed the ticket on behalf of CJ Thoroughbreds, said she was delighted to secure the filly.
"I thought she was an outstanding physical for starters," Farrell said. "We're big supporters of Girvin and were very sad for Airdrie that he unfortunately passed away. He was really a stallion on his way up."
Airdrie Stud's grade 1 winner Girvin died at age 12 in August. Girvin previously stood at David O'Farrell's Ocala Stud in Florida before a move to Airdrie Stud ahead of the 2023 breeding season.
READ: 'Absolute Gift': Girvin Dies Suddenly at Airdrie Stud
"Girvin's fillies have been a bit better than his colts and since she was the only filly by Girvin at OBS, I was shocked we were able to get her for that price," Johnsen said.
Johnsen said the filly will head to Randy Bradshaw's farm near Williston, Fla., for her early training and a trainer for her will be decided next year.
CJ Thoroughbreds has had success with Girvin fillies, most recently with the ever-improving Revenge of the Sis, who was third in the Frizette Stakes (G1) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park. Revenge of the Sis is a full sister to grade 1 winner and millionaire Dorth Vader. CJ Thoroughbreds and breeder John Ropes purchased the filly for $500,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale.
Farrell noted that following a phenomenal Keeneland sale, she and her team were outbid on many of the horses they targeted. Despite the strong results, she said there were some soft spots and she was able to get some horses for less than what they planned.
"Despite what they say, I feel like there is still a little bit of an opening in the market in that middle range," Farrell said. 'Being down here, a lot of pinhookers will fill that up for sure because they want inventory with regards to athleticism and speed, all the things that those horses would supply.
"And we were chatting with one of the pinhookers this morning and she said they didn't get bought for what they want so they're here shopping hard."
A Colt by Pappacap Next Highest Seller
A New York-bred colt by first-crop sire Pappacap brought $120,000 from Willow Creek Ranch. Hip 120 is a half brother to multiple stakes-placed Just be Quiet (Karakontie ).
The colt was bred in New York by H & H Farms and consigned by Colin Brennan Bloodstock at Highlander Training Center, agent. He is out of the Honor Code mare Quiet Talk.
"This guy was exceptional. Just in a league of his own, especially compared to the Pappacaps I've seen," Brennan said. "He stood out as a man among boys in my opinion. I thought he was one who presented himself well here; he was really well received and, obviously, it showed with the result."
Brennan said he believes the heavy rain that has hit the Ocala area had an effect on the first day of the sale.
"The weather hurt us a little bit. We didn't get the out-of-towners that we normally do, so we're feeling a little bit of that," Brennan said. "But the results are kind of what we were expecting, just based on the looks of things and going around and talking to people; this is what they were thinking. Hopefully, we have a couple more fireworks tomorrow."
Statistics
At the end of the day of trade, 129 horses had changed hands for gross receipts of $3,525,000, including private sales. The gross was almost on par with last year's corresponding session of $3,632,600 from 163 horses to sell. The average price was up 22.6% to $27,326 and the median was up 33.3% to $20,000.
Sixty-one horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 32.1%.
CJ Thoroughbreds led the buyers by gross with its single purchase of Hip 12. Beth Bayer sold 15 from her draft of 18 for $419,000 to lead the consignors for the first day.
Hips 251-464 are slated to head to the ring beginning at noon ET Oct. 7. As of Tuesday evening, OBS had reported 62 outs.
