$1.25-Million Quality Road Colt Tops OBS Spring Sale’s Final Session

Hip No. 1018, a son of Quality Road consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Ben McElroy, Agent for Arman Shah, for $1.25 million to top the fourth and final session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2020 Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

The bay colt, who breezed a quarter in :20 3/5 at Friday's under tack session, is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed stakes winner Standard Deviation out of False Impression, by A.P. Indy.

  • Hip No. 1312, Fortunate Son, a son of Speightster consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent, was purchased by OXO Equine LLC for $1.1 million. The chestnut colt, who breezed a quarter on Saturday in :20 4/5, is out of stakes-placed Auspicious, by Indian Charlie, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Flatter Than Me.
  • Hip No. 1298, a son of California Chrome consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to West Bloodstock for Repole Stable Inc./St. Elias Stable for $725,000. The gray or roan colt, who turned in an under tack quarter on Friday in :20 3/5, is out of Diva Style, by Unbridled's Song, a half-sister to classic contender Tiz the Law.
  • Hip No. 1299, a daughter of Liam's Map consigned by Cary Frommer LLC, Agent, who worked Friday's fastest eighth in :9 4/5, was sold to Rigney Racing LLC for $700,000. The dark bay or brown filly is out of Ebony Moment, by Smart Strike, a daughter of graded stakes winner Ebony Breeze.
  • Hip No. 953, a son of Not This Time consigned by Julie Davies LLC, Agent, was sold to Marc Tacher for $575,000. The chestnut colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Friday, is out of Delightful Melody, by Tapit, a daughter of graded stakes winner Bending Strings.
  • Hip No. 982, a son of Shackleford consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Justin Casse, Agent, for $550,000. The chestnut colt, who sped a quarter in :20 3/5 on Friday, is a half-brother to champion Monomoy Girl and current 3-year-old graded stakes winner Mr. Monomoy out of Drumette, by Henny Hughes.
  • Hip No. 1175, a son of Kantharos who breezed an under tack eighth in :10 flat on Saturday, was sold to Frank Fletcher Racing Operations for $500,000. Consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, the chestnut colt is out of Illicit Affair, by Midnight Lute, a daughter of champion Silverbulletday.
  • Summer Wind Equine paid $500,000 for Hip No. 1310, a daughter of Malibu Moon whose quarter in :20 3/5 was co-fastest at the distance on Saturday. The bay filly, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, is out of stakes placed Iroquois Girl, by Indian Charlie, a half-sister to graded stakes winner Salty Strike.
  • Joseph Brocklebank, Agent, went to $475,000 for Hip No. 1060, a daughter of Empire Maker consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm, Agent. The bay filly, who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Saturday, is out of Full Tap, by Tapit, a daughter of stakes winner Miss Challenge.
  • Hip No. 1149, a son of Hard Spun consigned by Eisaman Equine, Agent, was purchased for $400,000 by Belladonna Racing II, LLC. The dark bay or brown filly, who turned in an under tack eighth on Saturday in :10 flat, is out of High Wire Act, by Medallist, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed stakes winner Not Abroad.
  • Hip No. 1314, a son of Flatter also consigned by Tom McCrocklin, was sold for $400,000 to J. A. S. The bay colt, who turned in a quarter in :20 4/5 on Saturday, is a full-brother to graded stakes-winning OBS graduate Favorable Outcome out of stakes winner Shananies Song, by Eltish.

For the day, 161 horses brought a total of $18,514,500 compared with 155 selling for a total of $16,728,000 last year. The average price was $114,997, up 6.5 percent compared to $107,923 in 2019, while the median price was $50,000, identical to last year's figure. The buyback percentage was 15.7 percent; it was 22.5 percent in 2019.

For the entire sale, 635 horses sold for a total of $58,905,000 compared with 674 horses bringing a sale record $72,945,000 in 2019. The average price was $92,764, compared with 2019's sale record $108,227. The median was $50,000 compared with last year's record $60,000. The buyback percentage was 18.4 percent; it was 19.8 percent a year ago.

The overall sale-topper was Hip No. 1254, a daughter of Not This Time consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, sold to Gary Young for $1.35 million to top the sale's second session. The bay filly, whose quarter in :20 1/5 was the sale's fastest at the distance, is out of graded stakes winner Sheza Smoke Show, by Wilko, a daughter of stakes winner Avery Hall.

Next on the OBS agenda is the July Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age, rescheduled from its June dates and now set for July 14 -16. The under tack show is scheduled for July 6 -11.

To view the full results from Friday's session, click here.

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Maven Becomes First North American Winner For American Pharoah

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah recorded his first winner in North America when Richard Ravin's Maven took the Friday opener at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Wesley Ward trainee, sent to post as the odds-on favorite in the 4 1/2-furlong maiden sprint, went straight to the lead under jockey Dylan Davis. The chestnut colt marked the opening quarter-mile in 22.55 seconds and the half-mile 46.10 under pressure from Lebda.

At the top of the stretch, Maven was confronted by Lebda but the chestnut comfortably kept his foe at bay to graduate first out, winning by a half-length in a final running time of 52.82 over a main track labeled fast.

“It's definitely big for breeding in North America,” Davis said. “A big thank you to Wesley Ward for continuing to use me. He's had a big impact on my career as a bug boy and continues to do so.

“With the horse being by American Pharoah, everyone expects a lot and he ran really well,” continued Davis. “I was jogging and galloping him in the mornings, so I got a good feel for him. A huge thanks to the connections, I'm sure they're looking for bigger and better things.”

Ward sent out filly Tesorina, American Pharoah's first starter in North America on Wednesday afternoon at Aqueduct, to a third-place finish.

Ward was ecstatic following Maven's triumph and said that American Pharoah's first North American winner will target the Group 2 Norfolk at Royal Ascot on June 20.

“I'm getting texts from everyone watching the race,” Ward said. “It's fantastic for racing, for Coolmore, for owner Richard Ravin and most importantly, for me. What I see is that he's going to be a good sire. The dam [Richies Party Girl] was a turf sprinter and I think this one is going to be a turf sprinter as well. He's had outstanding works over the Polytrack at Turfway which translates to turf. We'll run him in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot and hopefully we can put American Pharoah on the big scale as a sire.”

The 2015 Triple Crown winner's first overall starter was Peter Brant's Monarch of Egypt who graduated at first asking at Naas Racecourse in Ireland for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Bred in Kentucky by Ward, Maven is the first progeny out of three-time turf stakes winning Any Given Saturday broodmare Richies Party Girl.

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