NEWS
All economic indicators improve at OBS August opener
Posted: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 9:54 PM
SESSION TOPPER
Cynthia McFarland photo
by Cynthia McFarland
Total sales increased 29.8% at the selected session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. August yearling sale on Tuesday in Ocala.
OBS reported 131 horses as sold from 181 offered for a total of $4,713,500, a healthy increase from last year, when 183 yearlings were offered and 110 sold for $3,632,500.
Average price rose 9% to $35,981, compared with $33,023 in 2009, and median increased 8% from $25,000 last August to $27,000. The buy-back rate dropped from 39.9% last year to 27.6%.
“The numbers all went in the right direction. Average and median were up, and the buy-backs went down,” said Tom Ventura, OBS general manager and director of sales. “There was plenty of activity and there was a good mix of buyers, both end-users and pinhookers.
“One thing that’s a little bit of a wild card going into the yearling sale is the young sires, and certainly the ones that have a first crop running. We’re fortunate that Congrats got off to such a good start. There were ten to 12 Congrats in the first day, and that certainly worked in our favor.”
Ten yearlings by Congrats, who stands at Vinery Florida, sold for an average price of $49,400.
Californian Phil Lebherz went home with the session topper, a $280,000 filly by Grade 1 winner Any Given Saturday, a career earner of $1,083,533. Named Going Mavericki, the bay filly generated plenty of presale buzz with her professional attitude and racy, athletic appearance.
California-based trainer Jeff Bonde and Mersad Metanovic signed the ticket as agents on behalf of Lebherz, who said he was buying at OBS for the first time. Bonde and Metanovic, agent, were the day’s leading buyer, purchasing five yearlings for a total of $447,000.
Consigned by Beth Bayer, agent, Going Mavericki is out of the Prized mare Ricki S, a full sister to Grade 1 winner Brass Hat, who has earned $2,097,921.
“She’s a very mature filly with a great attitude,” said Bayer, who was the leading consignor by total sales with 15 sold from 20 offered for $792,000.
Any Given Saturday, whose first foals are yearlings, led all sires in average price with four sold for an average of $116,250.
Ocala two-year-old consignor Nick de Meric was busy shopping on day one, ending the session as the second-leading buyer with a total of four yearlings for $337,000. Among his purchases was the day’s highest-priced colt, a son of Malibu Moon consigned by Lexington-based Legacy Bloodstock, agent, he purchased for $135,000.
The solidly built, dark bay or brown colt is out of the multiple stakes winner Ambition Unbridled, by Unbridled’s Song.
“This is a lovely colt,” de Meric said. “He’s a tiny bit immature, but that’s consistent with his foaling date [April 5]. He’s got a lot of scope and stretch to him. He’s a horse that has a lot of blue sky to the pedigree. We rated him one of the highest of anything in the sale. He certainly met our criteria.”
Consignor Tommy Eastham of Legacy Bloodstock was high on the colt from the beginning.
“This horse has amazing stamina. There’s not a bottom to him, even during the heat,” Eastham said. “He’s competitive and smart, with a great energy level.”
The sale continues at 10:30 a.m. EDT Wednesday with the first of two open sessions.
Cynthia McFarland is an Ocala-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
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