OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale saw seven horses sell for seven figures, all by locally based consignors, including the sale-topping colt that brought $3 million, setting a new auction record.
The previous record was $2.45 million for a Tiznow colt consigned by Bobby Dodd on behalf of Brady Grady at the OBS Spring Sale in 2017.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the nation’s leading juvenile auction company saw 432 horses sell from March 11-13, bringing $65,815,500. The average price was $152,351, up $9,253 from last year, while the median fell from $72,000 to $70,000.
The final sale day saw four horses surpass seven figures, including a Gun Runner colt who was the star of the under-tack show, working a furlong in 9.3 seconds. Eddie Woods, agent, announced that his consignment at the OBS April Sale would be his last. His consignment made a powerful statement, as the son of the 2017 Horse of the Year brought $3 million. Donato Lanni, agent, signed the ticket for Zedan Racing.
“He’s a lovely horse—not overly big, very quick, very balanced, very good-natured, good mover—everything a good horse is. I was kind of surprised,” said Woods regarding the record-setting sale. “I knew he was going to sell well. I didn’t think he would set any records, but that’s the way it goes. It’s fantastic—it beats leaving on a lull.” Woods also sold the second highest-priced horse of the sale’s second session, an Independence Hall colt for $1 million to JPM Bloodstock.
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The Gun Runner colt wasn’t the only seven-figure horse. Marquee Bloodstock purchased a Maxfield filly for $1,250,000 from de Meric Sales. Wavertree Stables sold a Quality Road filly for $1,050,000 to Amo Racing USA LLC. Scanlon Training and Sales sold a Nyquist colt for $1 million to Epic Horses, LLC.
The second session’s topper, consigned by Jimbo and Torie Gladwell’s Top Line Sales, was a Good Magic filly purchased by Kimmel and Sallusto for Flanagan Racing, LLC for $1.1 million. Top Line led consignors with 22 horses sold for $6,954,000.
“It’s the same breeder as Muth, whom we bought a couple of years ago—who, as everybody knows, is a Grade One winner now and a stallion,” said Torie Gladwell. “So when we bought the filly as a yearling, we saw that he was the breeder. She was a little bit light on the page, but she was just a specimen, especially as a May foal, and that’s kind of why we gravitated toward her.”
The opening session topper was a Maxfield colt consigned by Wavertree and purchased by Mitsu Nakauchida for $1 million. An Army Mule colt consigned by de Meric Sales brought $950,000, selling to St. Elias Stable.
“He had a beautiful breeze,” said Tristan de Meric. “Everybody who saw him definitely liked the horse a lot.”
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