OBS MARCH SALE

American Pharoah Filly Tops

By BROCK SHERIDAN A mid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and with several precautions taken to protect attendees, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company conducted their prestigious March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training before a solid group of attendees Mar. 17-18. Hips 1 – 340 were featured Mar. 17 with Hips 341 – 681 selling Mar. 18.

After careful consideration of the coronavirus situation and consultation with consignors and prospective buyers, the OBS board of directors determined holding the sale as scheduled was the proper course of action.

“We are mindful of the nature of the situation,” OBS president Tom Ventura said before the sale began. “Certainly there is heightened awareness of the importance of proper hygiene and we are taking steps to follow recommended sanitary protocols.”

Steps taken by OBS to assure the wellbeing of all March Sale patrons included increased cleaning schedules and protocols, doors not required to be locked for security remained open to eliminate the need for patrons to use the handles, and all OBS employees were instructed to follow sanitary procedures, to stay home if sick and help patrons have as safe and healthy visit to the sale as possible. For prospective buyers unable to attend the March Sale or unsure about traveling at this time, OBS increased phone bid capacity.

During the two-day sale, 291 horses sold for $27,902,500 compared with 306 bringing $44,248,500 a year ago. The average price was $95,885 compared with $144,603 in 2019 while the median price was $50,000 compared with $80,000 a year ago. The buyback percentage was 39.6%; it was 23.9% in 2019.

The sale’s top seller was a bay filly cataloged as Hip 237, who generated a bid of $650,000 from new owner Katsumi Yoshida of Japan. A daughter of American Pharoah out of the stakes-producing mare Megalicious, by Songandaprayer, she is a half-sister to stakes-placed My Sweet Stella and stakesproducer Bangle Girls. She worked a quartermile in :20.40 from the consignment of Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stable Inc., as an agent.

Hip 598, a son of Upstart consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds as an agent, went to Mike Ryan as an agent for $600,000 to top the second and final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2020 March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. The bay colt, who breezed a quarter-mile in :21 flat at Saturday’s session of the under tack show, is out of Blue Beryl, by Bernstein, a half-sister to graded stakes placed stakes winning OBS March graduate Brigand.

Hip 424, a daughter of Bernardini consigned by Eddie Woods as an agent, sold to Stonestreet Stables LLC for $575,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who breezed a quarter-mile in :21 flat at Friday’s under tack session, is out of Song Collection, by Unbridled’s Song, a full-sister to graded stakes winner Old Fashioned.

Hip 386, a son of Constitution consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, Inc., as an agent, went to Dennis O’Neill for $550,000. The bay colt, who turned in a quarter-mile in :20.80 on Friday, is out of Screwgie, by Smart Strike, a daughter of graded stakes-winner Roshani.

Myracehorse.com and Spendthrift purchased Hip 258 for $500,000 from the consignment of de Meric Sales as an agent. The bay colt is by Into Mischief out of the stakesplaced mare Montessa G., by Montbrook, a half-sister to stakes-placed, stakes-producer Gator Brew. He was clocked in :21 flat for a quarter-mile at the under tack session.

Hip 550, a son of Tapizar consigned by Brick City Thoroughbreds as an agent, was SERITA HULT PHOTOS

purchased by Narvick International for $500,000. The bay colt, who worked an eighth-mile on Saturday in :10 flat, is a halfbrother to stakes-winner Miss Frost out of Allencat, by Storm Cat.

Tom Durant put in a final bid of $475,000 to purchase Hip 320, Brother Lob, from the consignment of Pick View LLC as an agent. The dark bay or brown colt is by first crop sire Runhappy out of the stakes-placed Chatain mare Pledge Pin, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed, stakes-winner Great Millis. The colt worked a quarter-mile in :20.60 at the under tack show.

OBS March at $650,000

Katsumi Yoshida also went to $420,000 to acquire Hip 65, a bay colt by Medaglia d’Oro consigned by Top Line Sales as an agent. The colt, who worked an eighth-mile in :10.20 at the under tack show, is out of Flagstaff (GB), by Dansili, a half-sister to Group 3 stakes-placed, stakes-winner and stakes-producer Starformer. West Bloodstock as an agent for Repole Stable, Inc. went to $420,000 for Hip 456, a son of Frosted consigned by Kings Equine as an agent. The gray or roan colt, who breezed an eighth-mile in :10 flat at Saturday’s under tack session, is a half-brother to graded stakesplaced Der Lu out of Taboo, by Forestry.

Hip 640, a son of Daredevil whose quartermile breeze in :20.60 was the session’s fastest, went to Carolyn Wilson for $400,000. The bay colt out of Chapellerie (Ire), by Acclamation, from the family of graded stakes-winner Secret Form (GB), was consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, Inc., as an agent. Hip 27 garnered a final bid of $390,000 from Willis Horton Racing LLC. The chest

nut colt, who was consigned by Brandon and Ali Rice’s RiceHorse Stables, is by first crop sire Air Force Blue out of the stakes-winning, stakes-producing mare Dreamy Maiden, by Meadowlake. Dreamy Maiden has also produced Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes-winner Daddy Long Legs and stakeswinner Tres Dream. The colt worked an eighth-mile in :10 flat at the under tack show. Hip 358, a son of Outwork consigned by Pike Racing as an agent, was purchased by Mike Ryan as an agent, for $380,000. The bay colt, who worked an eighth-mile on Friday in :10 flat, is out of Riding Point, by Speightstown, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Onus.

Hip 568, a son of Medaglia d’Oro consigned by Sequel Bloodstock as an agent, went to Narvick International for $350,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed an eighth-mile on Saturday in :10.20, is out of graded stakes-placed Arch Support, by Arch, a daughter of stakes-winner Two Ninety Jones. Hip 443, a bay filly by Uncle Mo consigned by Paul Sharp as an agent, was sold to Dennis O’Neill for $340,000. A half-sister to stakes-placed Romeo Lima out of Storybook (UAE), by Hailing, she breezed an eighthmile on Friday in :10.20.

Team Casse as an agent, went to $335,000 for Hip 381, a daughter of War Front who turned in an under tack furlong in :10 flat on Friday. The dark bay or brown filly bred in Great Britain, consigned by Kings Equine as an agent, is a half-sister to stakes placed Segra out of graded stakes-winner Sarah Lynx (Ire), by Montjeu.

Hip 167 lit up the money board with a $330,000 selling price after OXO Equine LLC outlasted all bidders. Consigned by Sequel Bloodstock as an agent for Chester and Mary Broman, the dark bay or brown filly is by Medaglia d’Oro out of the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes-winner, stakes-producing mare Khancord Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid. The filly, who breezed a furlong in :10 flat, is a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)-winner Bar of Gold, stakes-placed Land Mine and stakes-placed Homeland.

American Pharoah again proved to be a popular sire when his son brought $320,000 as Hip 319. John C. Kimmel as an agent signed the ticket on the bay colt, who is out of the multiple graded stakes-placed, stakes winner Please Sign In, by Doc’s Leader. That makes him a half-brother to Shadwell Fillies’ Mile (G1) multiple graded stakes-winner Certify and Grade 1 Oak Leaf Stakes-winner and stakes-producer Cry and Catch Me. The colt worked a quartermile in :21.20 at the breeze show.

Team Casse as an agent went to $320,000 to buy Hip 226, an Irish-bred filly by Frankel, out of the stakes-placed mare Manderley, by Clodovil, a full-sister to multiple group stakes-winner Gregorian and a half-sister to Group 2-placed, stakes-winner Naval Warfare. Consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables Inc., as an agent, the bay filly worked two furlongs in :21.20. ■

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FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES Nicole “Nikki” Fried, Commissioner For Information: Jacqueline Basha, Division of Marketing and Development (850) 617-7286 – Direct Line

Jacqueline.Basha@FDACS.gov www.FDACS.govm

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