OBS March Sale Produces Strong Numbers and Five Seven-Figure Sellers

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company added an extra day to their annual March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training this year, making it a three-day auction held March 20-22. The world’s leader in juvenile Thoroughbred auctions started the season with strong figures in both gross sales and averages. Five sevenfigure juveniles highlighted this year’s March Sale, which traditionally kicks off the industry’s season of breeze show auctions for 2-year-year-olds.

The OBS March Sale saw 467 head sell for $71,568,500 for an average of $153,252 compared to last year when two days of selling generated $49,371,000 from 374 2-year-olds sold. The average price is an 16.1% increase compared to last year while the 2023 median of $75,000 duplicated last year’s median.

The average was the highest since the 2019 OBS March Sale, which had a $144,603 average, and the five millionaires was the most since the 2017 March Sale which also sold five seven-figure horses.

The top consignor for the sale was de Meric Sales who sold 40 head for $6,327,000 while Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables Inc. sold 18 juveniles for $6,147,000. Top Line Sales sold 12 head for $6,055,000.

Trainer Michael Maker led all buyers with 10 purchased for $2,250,000 while Mike Ryan as agent bought eight juveniles for $2,210,000. Donato Lanni as agent bought one 2-year-old for $2,000,000.

Topping the sale was Hip 546, a bay colt by 2017 champion 2-year-old male Good Magic out of Hoppa, by Uncle Mo from the consignment of Jimbo and Tori Gladwell’s Top Line Sales as agent. Purchased by Donato Lanni as agent, the colt was one of two in the sale to produce a :9.60 under tack time for an eighth-mile. The colt’s second dam, Handoverthecat, is a full sister to multiple Grade 2-winner Wondering Star and stakes-placed March to Victory.

Maverick Racing and Siena Farms LLC went to $1,200,000 to purchase Hip 215, Saturday Dreams, a colt by 2017 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Justify out of the graded stakes-placed mare Zinzay, by Smart Strike. Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds LLC as agent, the colt is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed, stakes-winner Moon Over Miami and worked an eighth-mile in :10 flat at the under tack session.

Hip 489 dropped the gavel at $1,050,000 when Katsumi Yoshida outlasted all bidders to acquire the colt by 2016 champion 3-year-old colt Arrogate out of Grade 3-placed, stakes-winner Georgie’s Angel, by Florida-bred Bellamy Road. The colt is also a half-brother to multiple Grade 1-winner and 2023 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1)-candidate Cave Rock and worked a quarter-mile in :21.20 during the breeze show. He was consigned by Tom McCrocklin as agent.

Hip 433 sold for $1,000,000 to Jeff Mackor as agent for Sean Flannigan from the consignment of Eddie Woods as agent. The gray or roan colt is by Twirling Candy out of the stakes-place mare Divine Dawn, by Divine Park, a half-sister to Grade 2-winner Divine Miss Grey and worked an eighthmile in :9.80 at the under tack show.

Hip 558, a bay filly by Munnings, went for $1,000,000 from the consignment of Tom McCrocklin as agent and was purchased by Donato Lanni as agent for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations. The filly is out of the Smart Strike mare In Full Compliance, a half-sister to stakes-winners Deven Rock and Bear’s Swan and worked a quarter-mile in :20.80 at the under session.

The top selling Florida-bred was Hip 505, who went to Woodford & Talia & West Point for $900,000 out of the Old South Farm LLC as agent consignment. The bay colt is by two-time Horse of the Curlin out of the Grade 1 Alcibiades-winning mare Gomo, by Uncle Mo and was bred in Florida by John and Leslie Malone’s Bridlewood Farm. The colt was clocked in :10 flat for two furlongs during the under tack session.

The top selling Florida-bred by a currently based Florida sire was a bay daughter of Ocala Stud’s Adios Charlie out of Alotofappeal, by Trippi, making her a half-sister to stakes-winners King Cab and B C’s Train, graded stakes-placed performers Talk Logistics and Schivarelli and stakes-placed Sonoma Crush and Big Rings. The filly, who worked a :21.20 quarter-mile at the breeze show, was bred by Ocala Stud, Edward Weist and William J. Terrill. TFH