NEWS
OBSC June sale opens with increases across the board
Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:06 PM
OBSC FIRST SESSION TOPPER: YONAGUSKA COLT
Cynthia McFarland photo
by Cynthia McFarland
Total receipts, average price, and median rose on day one of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June sale of two-year-olds and horses of racing age on Tuesday in Ocala.
OBSC reported 192 horses as sold for $4,003,200, a 27.7% increase compared with $3,135,300 in total sales on day one last year.
Average price rose 3.1% to $20,850, compared with $20,228 in 2007. Median jumped 8.3% to $13,000, compared with $12,000 during the first session last year. The buy-back rate plummeted to 15.8%, compared with 36.2% last year.
Joseph Brocklebank, agent bought two of the session’s highest-priced horses on behalf of Repole Stable, including the session topper. Brocklebank went to $210,000 to secure a Yonaguska colt out of stakes-placed winner Cold Awakening, by Dehere.
“He’s pretty fancy horse to have been in this sale,” said Brocklebank, who is a regular buyer at OBSC sales.
Consigned by Paul Sharp, agent, the dark bay or brown colt is a half brother to 2008 Illinois Derby (G2) winner Recapturetheglory. He worked a quarter-mile in :21.60 at the under-tack show.
“He’s a very talented horse. I bought him for myself and a partner last September at Keeneland,” Sharp said. “I paid $135,000 for him and bought him on the strength of his physical appearance. The sire probably made him affordable for me at that point.”
Brocklebank also paid $120,000 for a New York-bred colt by Freud for Repole Stable. Consigned by Tradewinds Farm, agent, the dark bay or brown colt worked two furlongs in :21.40. He is out of Solar Song, a full sister to stakes-placed winner Flying Free.
“His posted work was [:21.40], but these guys that pay attention clocking up there caught him galloping out in :33 and change, and :46 and change,” said Michael Feriole of Tradewinds Farm. “That’s the real deal. That’s why they were on him like they were.”
Virginia-based agent Debbie Easter went to $145,000 for a More Than Ready colt who turned in the co-fastest quarter-mile breeze of :21.20. Easter purchased the colt as agent for Halsey Minor’s Minor Stables.
Consigned by Randy Miles, agent, the dark bay or brown colt is out of the Forty Niner mare Access, a full sister to Grade 1 winner Nine Keys. He is a half brother to six winners, including stakes-placed winner Inomuff.
Murray Smith Training Stables paid $130,000 for a colt by Maria’s Mon. Consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, the colt is out of Colonial Cat and breeze one furlong in :10.
The highest-priced filly of the session was a Smoke Glacken filly out of multiple stakes winner Bruanna, by Housebuster. Cottonwood Stables, agent for Chad Stewart, signed the ticket for $62,000 for the filly. Consigned by Parrish Farms, agent, the bay drilled two furlongs in :21.40.
The sale concludes Wednesday with the final session beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT.
Cynthia McFarland is a Florida-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
