By Jessica Martini
The under-tack preview for next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training concluded with a sixth session Saturday. During the session, 14 juveniles tied for the fastest furlong time of :10 flat and three shared the fastest quarter-mile time of :20 3/5.
Thoroughbred Champions Training Center, which sent out the fastest quarter-mile worker Friday (hip 848), shared the Saturday bullet at the distance when hip 1011, a son of Tapizar, worked in :20 3/5. The bay colt is a half-brother to stakes-placed Swiss Army Wife (Colonel John). His dam Se Bella (Forestry) is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Sharp Impact (Siphon {Brz}).
A colt from the first crop of Violence (hip 1079) also worked in :20 3/5. Consigned by Envision Equine, the bay is out of Something Brewing (Meadowlake) and is a half-brother to graded stakes placed Pedaltothemedal (Medallist).
Completing the trio of :20 3/5 quarter-mile workers Saturday was hip 1164, a colt by Run Away and Hide. Consigned by Blas Perez Stables, the youngster is out of Texit (Tapit), a half-sister to graded stakes placed My Corinthian (Corinthian).
“He's been a very forward horse from the beginning,” Perez said of the bay colt. “He was always fastest at the farm, so I knew he would breeze well. I didn't know if he would go that fast.”
Perez purchased the colt for $25,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale.
“He was a very athletic colt, but a little immature,” Perez, who partners on some four or five pinhooking prospects a year, recalled. “But he had all the right parts and I loved him from the beginning. He has matured a lot.”
Perez was a racetrack assistant to J.J. Crupi for 13 years and spent another nine years as an assistant to Nick de Meric. He now serves as general manager and farm trainer for Golden Legacy Stable. In addition to hip 1164, Perez will be pinhooking a colt by Noble Causeway (hip 787) and he will be offering a colt by Violence (hip 1062) on behalf of Golden Legacy.
Blas Perez Stables is returning to the OBS catalogue pages after a three-year hiatus.
“When Golden Legacy was brand new, they wanted to consign with Nick De Meric,” Perez explained of the absence. “I had my own horses and I didn't want to be running back and forth, that's why I had my horses with Nick, too. But I had consigned under my own name before that.”
Saturday's final session of the under-tack show marked the second straight day no horse shaded :10. Two horses share the breeze show's fastest furlong time of :9 3/4 and both worked Thursday.
“I think every day the track seemed to get slower,” Perez said. “It was hotter today and when you come back to the barn, you can see the Poly sticks to their feet more than usual–I guess because the wax melts more.”
All three horses in his consignment sell in the later days of the auction, but Perez already sees positive signs for the sale.
“I think it's a little early, but the right buyers are all here. I hope we'll get more attention later on. Today they're not looking since we only have horses for the last two days. But I see the big guns are all here.”
The OBS April sale will be held Tuesday through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10:30 a.m.
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