The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale is in the books, which means we have our first bits of data on how juveniles by the commercial market's top sires breezed, and how the buyers received them in the sale ring. It's time to sort them out.
We had the benefit of having the whole picture when putting together the 2022 2-Year-Old Sale Sire Power Rankings, but we'll be checking in after every major sale during the 2023 auction season to monitor the fluctuations of on-track breeze show performance and sales returns to determine which stallions are having the best seasons.
Remember, this isn't necessarily a ranking of which stallions are “good” or “bad,” but simply which ones have juveniles succeeding in this very specific niche during this particular snapshot in time. I doubt Northern Dancer ever had a 2-year-old work in :9 3/5, and he turned out just fine. But, if you're a pinhook buyer looking for sires that seem to be hitting the target in the 2-year-old market when it comes time to re-stock during the fall yearling sales, these rankings could help narrow some lists.
As a reminder, here are the requirements to qualify for the power rankings:
1) At least five horses sold during a major 2023 juvenile sale, regardless of distance breezed.
2) At least five horses that breezed an eighth of a mile, whether they sold or not (as much as I love a good quarter-mile breeze, there just aren't enough horses doing them to make a fair average).
3) Eventually, we'll have a minimum average sale price to keep the list from getting too long, but for now, everyone's invited.
Also important to note: For the sake of calculating averages, I stretched out each breeze time from fifths to tenths. If you see a :9.8 time somewhere, do not adjust your stopwatches.
Let's get a look at those rankings…
#1 – Constitution, WinStar Farm
My, how the tables have turned. Constitution finished 82nd in last year's rankings, but a slate of speedy juveniles that sold well at the OBS March sale helped propel him to the top spot at the first point of call.
The uptick in performance makes sense, considering these juveniles were conceived in 2020, the year following Constitution's electric freshman season, where he tallied the most winners and graded stakes winners in his class, and was on the podium in several other categories. Breeders flocked to Constitution in 2020 with both quality and quantity, and his 146-head year-over-year increase in mares bred was the most by any North American stallion that season. Once the son of Tapit proved he could get a good 2-year-old, doors clearly opened for him.
Constitution tied for the fastest average breeze time at the OBS March sale, with his 10 workers at an eighth of a mile averaging :10-flat, which put him even with Darby Dan Farm freshman Flameaway at the top of that category.
Constitution had four juveniles breeze in :10-flat, and his median sale price of $202,500 placed him sixth-best among qualifying sires.
His highest-priced offering at OBS March contributed to his success in both categories. Hip 574, a colt out of the Grade 3-placed Lion Heart mare Jungle Tale, covered an eighth in :10-flat, then he sold to Lauren Carlisle, agent for $675,000. Sequel Bloodstock consigned the colt, as agent.
#2 (Tie) – Omaha Beach, Spendthrift Farm
The first of two Spendthrift rookies to crack the top five, Omaha Beach did his best work in the sales ring, where his median price of $285,000 ranked second among his qualifying peers.
On the track, the son of War Front finished seventh with an average breeze time of 10.156 seconds, led by a pair of juveniles that breezed in 9.8 seconds (remember, we're counting in tenths instead of fifths). As arguably the most lauded freshman sire of his class, results like these are practically expected, and he has met those expectations in the early goings.
Kerri Radcliffe, agent, purchased the most expensive Omaha Beach of the sale, which was also one of the sire's two co-fastest workers. Hip 752, a filly out of the stakes-winning Unusual Heat mare Pacific Heat from the consignment of Wavertree Stables, agent, went to Radcliffe for $690,000, making her the most expensive freshman-sired juvenile of the sale.
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If you appreciate our work, you can support us by subscribing to our Patreon stream. Learn more.#2 (Tie) – Mitole, Spendthrift Farm
The other half of Spendthrift's freshman tag team dominating the charts, Mitole ranked fifth by average breeze time (10.127 seconds) and fourth by median sale price ($225,000) to give him a lofty position after the first jump.
The son of Eskendereya is expected to enjoy a significant boost in interest this season, with this being his first crop on offer, but his juveniles have clearly held up their end of the bargain during the under-tack show. He had three horses breeze in 9.8 seconds, which tied with Lane's End's Twirling Candy for the most sub-:10 workers of the sale. Then, he had another eight horses work in :10 flat. It's official: The Mitoles can go.
Mitole's top offering of the OBS March sale was Hip 317, a filly out of the Bodemeister mare Bodaciousness, who worked in :10-flat, then sold to Exline-Border Racing for $350,000. De Meric Sales consigned, as agent.
#4 – Twirling Candy, Lane's End
The Twirling Candy juveniles were blazing at the March sale, averaging 10.057 seconds for an eighth of a mile; third best in the class to date. His trio of workers that stopped the clock in :9.8 tied with Mitole for the most of the sale.
Two of those fast breezers landed in the top 10 highest prices of the sale, led by Hip 433, a $1-million colt out of the Grade 2-placed Divine Park mare Divine Dawn who sold to Sean Flanigan. Eddie Woods consigned the seven-figure colt, as agent. That colt was joined by Hip 600, a filly out of the stakes-winning Congrats mare Laudation from the Wavertree consignment, who went to Hideyuki Mori for $900,000.
Twirling Candy's commercial profile has been on a steady climb after emerging from the third- and fourth-book doldrums, and as last week's results proved, buyers think he's the kind of stallion capable of being a source of seven-figure horses. I don't think that'll be a fluke going forward.
His median sale price of $150,000 will almost certainly sink over the course of the year as more middle-market horses are added to his ledger, the same way most stallions will, but it's fair to expect he'll safely end up in the six-figure median club for the foreseeable future.
#5 – Bolt d'Oro, Spendthrift Farm
On the heels of a successful freshman crop in 2022, Bolt d'Oro appears to be primed for another strong performance during this year's juvenile sales.
The son of Medaglia d'Oro finished second overall during last year's power rankings, helped along greatly by a fast group of workers, and that was the case here as well, with an average time of 10.2 seconds (in tenths) ranking him eighth in that category. Six of his nine horses to work an eighth at the March sale clocked that exact time.
Bolt d'Oro's median sale price of $170,000 tied him for seventh-best among eligible stallions, topped by Hip 15, a colt out of the Quality Road mare Scenic Road who sold to Colts Neck Stable for $300,000. Paul Sharp consigned the colt, as agent.
The post The 2023 2-Year-Old Sale Sire Power Rankings: Constitution, Rookies Set Pace After OBS March appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
