de Meric Sales

$1.8M Win Win Win Filly Leads the Way as Top of the Market Drives Strong March Sale

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With a $1-million Authentic colt early in the session and a $1.8-million Win Win Win filly late in the day, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds matched its 2023 number of five seven-figure juveniles and the auction concluded its three-day run Thursday with another strong renewal. "Overall, it was a terrific sale and we are looking forward to April," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. Through three sessions, 446 horses sold for $66,437,600. The average of $148,963...

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'Succession' Presented By Neuman Equine Insurance: De Meric Sales

"It's a really difficult thing, to let go of something that you've spent your whole life building," acknowledges Nick de Meric. "I don't know if 'letting go' is quite the right way to put it. But to actually cut that umbilical cord, it's a leap of faith." The Ocala horseman, who reflected on a colorful past in yesterday's TDN, now turns his attention to the future. For the evolution of a successor program, parallel to his own, makes the de Meric family a particularly pertinent case study for our series...

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Daughter of Bolt d'Oro Tops Day 1 at OBS October Yearling Sale

Coming late in the proceedings, Hip 353, a daughter of Bolt d'Oro, realized the top price of $135,000 during the opening session of the OBS October Yearling Sale in Ocala Tuesday. Offered by agent Richard Kent's Kaizen Sales, the half-sister to recently stakes placed Yatta (Yoshida {Jpn}) is out of Final Reward (Arch), a half-sister to MSW Leadem in Ken (Sky Mesa), SW Prissy (Unbridled's Song) and GSP Hint of Roses (Tapit). The filly was purchased by de Meric Sales, who also led the session as its leading buyer. An...

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Summer Breezes: Joint-Priciest Catalina Cruiser Juvenile Gets Going

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at both Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. To follow are the horses entered for Saturday at Ellis and Del Mar: Saturday, August 5, 2023 Ellis 2,...

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Solomini Colt, Noble Mission Filly Share Quarter-Mile Bullet at OBS Monday

A colt from the first crop of Solomini (Curlin) (hip 41) and a filly by Noble Mission (GB) (hip 39) shared the quarter-mile bullet of :20 3/5 during the first of six under-tack sessions ahead of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Monday in Central Florida. Hip 41 turned in his :20 3/5 quarter-mile breeze shortly after the day's 7:30 a.m. start time for consignor Omar Ramirez. "He prepped really, really good for me," Ramirez said. "I didn't know it was going to be :20...

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Radcliffe Buys $1-Million Arrogate Filly To Pace Strong Midlantic Sale

TIMONIUM, MD - With a $1-million filly leading the way, the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale concluded its two-day run at the Maryland State Fairgrounds with statistics close to its record-setting 2022 renewal. "It was a great two days in Maryland," Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said Tuesday evening. "There was plenty of competition for the horses people wanted. The ones they want, they all go to battle on." At the end of Tuesday's session, 375 head sold for $34,795,500. The average was $92,788--down just 2.7% from...

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$2.2-Million Gun Runner Colt Powers Day Three as OBS Spring Sale Stays the Course

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - For the third straight day, the team of Bob Baffert and Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, made the highest bid of the session, this time going to $2.2 million--top price of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training sale so far--to acquire a colt by Gun Runner from the de Meric Sales consignment as the Spring sale continued to produce figures largely in line with its record-setting 2022 renewal. Through three of four...

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The Great Maybe Headlines A 'Rising Star' Summer for Her Breeder

When The Great Maybe (Upstart) left the blocks at Saratoga and strolled in eight lengths ahead of a lively-met field of fillies, she carried not only the silks of Lael Stables--whose name invokes great nostalgia and respect in the halls of the Thoroughbred community--but also the dreams of a small breeding operation an hour north of Lexington, run by Monica Egger. Now, that farm in Piner, Kentucky, has a 'TDN Rising Star' to add to their list of accomplishments. "I have really enjoyed my short foray into Thoroughbreds and have...

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OBS Spring Sale Storms to Record-Setting Conclusion

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds, which had already surpassed its record gross during Thursday's penultimate session, powered straight through to the finish Friday, concluding with new highwater marks for average and median, as well as gross. At the end of four days of selling, 707 head had grossed $91,984,000. The previous record gross, set just last year, was $73,907,900. The average of $130,105 and median of $65,000 were well ahead of previous marks of $108,903 and $60,000,...

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Medaglia d'Oro Half to Drefong Lights Up OBS

A colt by Medaglia d'Oro (hip 401) became the second seven-figure juvenile of the auction when selling for $1.75 million Wednesday at the OBS Spring Sale. A half-brother to champion Drefong (Gio Ponti), the dark bay was purchased by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal LLC. He was consigned by de Meric Sales, which purchased him for $325,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, and was bred by Machmer Hall and Carrie and Craig Brogden.

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Record-Setting June Sale Concludes

OCALA, FL - The three-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds more than bounced back from its 2020 pandemic-induced lull, ending Friday with its highest-ever gross and average and with a record-tying median. In all, 560 juveniles grossed $24,492,950 for an average of $43,737--besting the previous record figures of $23,475,500 and $39,722, respectively, set in 2015. The cumulative median was $20,000. With 125 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 18.2%. "The June sale is all grown up now," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "I...

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Bullet Work for Quality Road Colt at OBS Sunday

A colt by Quality Road (hip 856) turned in the fastest furlong work of Sunday's final session of the under-tack show for next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds when he became the third juvenile of the show to work in :9 4/5. The bay is consigned by McKathan Bros. Sales, agent, on behalf of breeders Fred Hertrich, III and John Fielding. "He's been fast all year and I thought he'd go fast today. He held up his end of the bargain," said consignor Kevin McKathan. The...

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