NEWS
Total sales jump 65.1% at first OBS August open session
Posted: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 9:28 PM
by Pete Denk
The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s August yearling sale continued to post significant year-to-year gains during its second day in Ocala on Wednesday.
The select session on Tuesday experienced across-the-board improved numbers from 2009, including a 29.8% increase in total sales.
The improvements were even more dramatic on Wednesday, the first of two open sessions, when OBS reported 243 horses sold from 326 offered for total sales of $2,328,500—a 65.1% increase from last year.
Wednesday’s average price rose 29.1% at $9,582, and the median increased 62.5% to $6,500. The buy-back rate decreased from 34% in 2009 to 25.5%
“It was a good day. The numbers all went in the right direction again,” OBS Director of Sales Tom Ventura said. “The activity was good, and the buy-backs were at a decent rate compared to previous years. The better physical horses sold well.”
Wednesday’s session topper was a colt by Mass Media that sold to Sarah McCord for $50,000. Bred in Florida by Sharon Biamonte and Al Milano, the colt is the third foal out of the winning Defrere mare Defrills. Biamonte, agent, consigned the colt.
Mass Media, by Touch Gold out of the Forty Niner mare Sultry Allure, won the 2005 Forego Stakes (G1). Mass Media’s first foals are two-year-olds, and he has five winners from 12 starters through Wednesday.
The day’s top priced filly was a daughter of freshman sire Congrats that sold to pinhooker Paul Sharp for $47,000. Bred in Florida by Alan Pesch and Second Wind Racing, the filly was consigned by Beth Bayer, agent.
Grade 2 winner Congrats, a son of A.P. Indy out of the Mr. Prospector mare Praise, stands at Vinery Florida. Congrats is off to fast start at stud and leads all freshman sires with $412,416 in progeny earnings. He was leading sire by average price on Wednesday with five sold for an average of $24,400.
William Stiritz was leading buyer on Wednesday with seven purchases for $117,500. Beth Bayer was leading consignor by total sales for the second consecutive day with 20 sold from 29 offered for $236,200.
Through two days, OBS reported 380 horses sold from 548 offered for total sales of $7,219,000, a 43.2% increase from last year, when 300 horses sold from 516 offered for a total of $5,042,800 at this point.
Average price is up 13% at $18,997, and the median is up 33.3% at $11,000. This year’s buy-back rate is 25% compared with 36.3% after two days last year.
“There seems to be a little more stability in the market as we bounce back off a couple tough years,” Ventura said. “Hopefully this is a sign of things to come and we can continue to move forward. We have two open sessions this year compared to three last year, so I think we have a better supply and demand ratio.”
The final session begins Thursday at 10:30 a.m. EDT.
For hip-by-hip results, click here. Private sales completed after the session will be added to the OBS website overnight.
Pete Denk is sales editor of Thoroughbred Times
