by Pete Denk

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s February sale of selected two-year-olds in training set records for average and median price as the 2008 juvenile market opened with a lively market in Ocala on Tuesday.

OBSC reported 89 horses sold from 124 offered for total receipts of $14,030,000—a 9.3% increase from last year despite sending 13 fewer horses through the ring.

Average price increased 17.9% from last year to a record $157,640. Median improved 25% to a record $125,000. Buy-back rate declined from 29.9% to 28.2% this year.

Eight horses sold for $400,000 or more, compared to three last year.

“We’re obviously thrilled with the results—record average, record median—the buyers were fighting for the good horses,” said OBSC General Manager Tom Ventura. “I think it was the quality of the horses, and that goes back to the consignors for giving us this quality of horses.”

Bloodstock agent Buzz Chace, representing West Point Thoroughbreds and John Williams, went to $520,000 for the first horse through the ring, the sale-topping Silver Deputy filly out of the stakes winning Ghazi mare Daisy Dukes. The half sister to Japanese stakes winner Surplus Singer was bred in Kentucky by consignor Eisaman Equine’s EICO Stable, who was leading consignor with $1,810,000.

 “She’s just a beautiful filly,” West Point President Terry Finley said. “She has a great presence about her, and we loved the way she carried herself all week.

“We didn’t expect to give that much, but we’ve got a few more bullets in the holster. By the end of the season we’ll have some that we’ll buy at a discount and others that we’ll pay a premium for. Her workout was just beautiful. She had a stride on her that was amazing.”

The top priced colt of the day was a Maryland-bred by freshman sire Speightstown, out of stakes winner Unbridled Lady, by Unbridled. Consigned by Parrish Farms on behalf of G.W. Parish and breeder Alan Kline, the colt sold to bloodstock agent John McCormack, who said he was representing an undisclosed Middle Eastern client.

McCormack’s three purchases also included Mythical Border, a Johannesburg filly out of Border Dispute, by Boundary, for $500,000 from Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, as agent. McCormack said the horses will race on turf in England.

“The Speightstown was quite similar to an Unbridled type. He was tall and leggy and scopey,” McCormack said. “You’ve got to be patient with them. He’ll probably have a back-end run with a view at next year.

“The Johannesburg filly, we’re hoping she’s up for the task of running in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. She looks very sharp, she looks very early, and she’s by a champion two-year-old.”

Padua Stables was leading buyer with ten purchases for $2,380,000, including a $450,000 colt by freshman sire Friends Lake, out of Incredible Me, by Mt. Livermore, consigned by Leprechaun Racing, as agent. Leprechaun also sold a Lion Heart filly out of Coffee Springs, by Crafty Prospector, to bloodstock agent Demi O’Byrne for $475,000.

This was the first two-year-old sale to offer steroid testing, and the buyers of 15 horses requested the test, Ventura said. Results are expected back by the end of the week.

For complete hip-by-hip results, click here.

Pete Denk is sales editor of Thoroughbred Times