OBS June

OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training duly marched through its opening session with a $450,000 son of Hard Spun one of three horses to top the $200,000 mark Tuesday in Ocala. At the close of business Tuesday, 192 juveniles had sold for a gross of $7,110,400. The average of $37,033 was up from the 2022 session's final average of $34,431--which included post-sale transactions--but was down from the end-of-session figure of $38,628. The median of $20,000 dipped from the final figure of $22,000,...

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 attracts 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. Already this year at Saratoga, City Man (Mucho Macho Man), Mo Strike (Uncle Mo) and Empress Tigress (Classic Empire)--each...

OCALA, FL - After a slow and steady opening session, the action picked up throughout the day at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Old Sale Wednesday, with the auction's second session concluding with a continuing strong median and an average just off last year's record-setting pace. Wednesday's session produced the sale's top three prices so far, with a filly by Uncle Mo leading the way when selling for $725,000. In all, 216 horses sold Wednesday for a total of $9,314,000. The session average was $43,120 and the median was...

OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds opened with a workmanlike session Tuesday as four horses sold for over $200,000, led by a filly by Bolt d'Oro who attracted a final bid of $290,000 from bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Greg and Caroline Bentley. In all, 184 sold Tuesday for a gross of $7,107,500. The average of $38,628 slipped 2.4% from last year's opening session, but the median of $25,500 was up 27.5% from the 2021 sales record-tying figure of $20,000. With...

An additional four supplements, to be sold as hips 1111 to 1114, have been added to the OBS June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age. To be sold on Thursday, June 9, they will go to the track for Saturday's under-tack preview. The four additions are as follows: Hip 1111, a filly by Tale of Verve, consigned by Navas Equine, Agent Hip 1112, a filly by Blame, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent Hip 1113, a filly by Super Saver, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent Hip 1114,...

The late Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) turned in arguably the most impressive effort in a G1 Dubai World Cup by a horse not named Dubai Millennium (GB), dropping back to last after being roughed up at the break, rallying wide on the turn and galloping past none other than Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) to win the 2017 renewal in jaw-dropping fashion. Taking Names became the first starter in Dubai for his GI Breeders' Cup Classic-winning stallion in Thursday's second race at Meydan, and while much more straight-forward, was similarly impressive...

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2022 sales schedule will be as follows: Winter Mixed Sale (Including Horses of Racing Age) Jan. 25-26; Closing Nov. 17, deadline extended for HRAs); Under Tack Jan. 24 at 9:00 a.m. March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Mar. 15-16; Closing Dec. 3; Under Tack Mar. 10-12 at 8:00 a.m.         Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Apr. 19-22; Closing Feb. 3; Under Tack Apr. 10-16 at 8:00 a.m. June 2-Year-olds & Horses of Racing Age June 7-9; Closing Apr. 1; Under Tack May 31-June 4...

OCALA, FL - Steady trade continued through the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company June Sale of 2-Year-Olds Thursday in Central Florida, with a filly by Nyquist bringing the day's top bid when selling for $420,000 to Gary Hartunian's Rockingham Ranch. The session-topping juvenile was consigned by Eddie Woods. "It was another good day," OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said at the close of business Thursday. "We carried a lot of the momentum that we had yesterday into today and I think it will carry on through...

OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds continued the trend of strong results at this spring's juvenile sales with a day of competitive bidding Wednesday in Central Florida. Gary Young made the session's highest bid, going to $425,000 to acquire a filly by Practical Joke on behalf of owner Amr Zedan. A total of 176 horses sold Wednesday for a gross of $7,268,400. The average was $41,298 and the median was $20,000. All figures were up from, not just the pandemic-delayed 2020 June sale, but...

In the wake of 2020 June graduate Medina Spirit (Protonico)'s victory in the GI Kentucky Derby, the catalog for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2021 June Sale of Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age was released Monday and is now available via the OBS website at obssales.com. The iPad version of the catalog is available via the equineline Sales Catalog app. Supplemental entries are being accepted until May 19. There are 858 2-year-olds and 15 older horses cataloged for the three-day sale, with all sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. EST....

6th-Del Mar, $55,500, Msw, 8-29, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.10, ft. VITTORIO (c, 2, Ghostzapper--Roberta Turner, by Smart Strike) was away slowly from a wide stall in his Aug. 1 debut, then traveled very awkwardly, covered ground on the turn and could do no better than fifth to the impressive odds-on favorite Freedom Fighter (Violence). But the betting public did not lose faith in the colt and made him the 11-10 favorite to make the requisite improvement at second asking. Much more smoothly away from gate six with Mike Smith back at...

As president of the sale company that conducted the final auction before the coronavirus pandemic shut down society as well as the first one after restrictions were lifted, OBS's Tom Ventura has had to learn on the fly. Wednesday, he joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to offer his advice for the rest of the industry on keeping business going amidst COVID-19 and his impressions of the rebounding sale market. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Ventura said of the lessons...