Strength at the Top as OBS March Concludes with a Million-Dollar Munnings Filly

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis

OCALA, FL – With plenty of activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training concluded its three-day run with increases in average and median over last year's two-session renewal and five juveniles selling for seven figures, led by a co-record $2-million son of Good Magic.

“I thought it was a really good sale and it held strong all the way through,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “There were quality horses on each day and we sold five horses for over a million dollars. The gross was up substantially, which you would expect because we had a lot more horses, but still there were a lot of good horses. Consignors continue to bring quality horses here and they get rewarded for it.”

Through three sessions, OBS sold 449 horses for a total of $70,399,500. The average was $156,792–up 17.5% from the two-day 2022 figure. The median rose 6.7% to $80,000.

A year ago, 371 horses grossed $49,498,000 for an average of $133,418 and a median of $75,000.

A filly by Munnings, just the second horse through the ring Wednesday, was the fifth of the auction to top seven figures when selling for $1 million to bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Frank Fletcher. She was the second million-dollar horse from the Tom McCrocklin consignment

A total of 24 horses sold for $500,000 or over this year, double last year's total, while the five million-dollar juveniles in 2023 was one more than the 2022 number.

The buy-back rate remained well over 2022 levels throughout the three sessions, concluding at 23.2%. It was 13.7% a year ago. From a catalogue of 833 horses, 585 went through the ring, with 248 outs and 136 buy-backs.

The 2023 catalogue had 198 more head than last year's auction, but only 78 more horses sold.

Asked to assess the strength of the middle market, Wojciechowski said, “There was some middle market here. There always seems to be a flight to quality to the upper end of the market, but I think there was some strength all of the way through.”

Buyers noted the strength of the top end of the market, but were more critical of the middle market.

“The perceived good ones are making all of the money and there is no middle market, there is no money for the others at this sale,” bloodstock agent Marette Farrell said, adding she expected to see a broader buying bench next month at the OBS April sale.

Bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle agreed with Farrell.

“It was tough,” Carlisle said of the market in Ocala this week. “I've been outbid mostly. I got one yesterday. The colts are very tough. I got a filly yesterday. That's probably the only reason I could buy her was because she was a girl. It seems like people are focusing in on the boys and the really top horses. And if people don't like them, there is a drop-off. Maybe in April, the middle market will come back, there might be more middle buyers.”

And yet demand remained high for those horses who jumped through all the proverbial hoops.

“I think you get rewarded,” said consignor Ciaran Dunne. “The breeze show is the be all and end all and if you perform on the racetrack, you get rewarded and rewarded handsomely. And if you miss, it's like any endeavor, if you play soccer and you miss the goal, you don't get paid.”

De Meric Sales was the leading consignor at the March sale, with 38 head sold for $6,255,000. Mike Ryan was the auction's leading buyer with eight purchased for $2,210,000.

Munnings Filly Produces Fireworks Early at OBS March

Hip 558 | Photos by Z

It didn't take long for the fireworks to begin during Wednesday's third and final session of the OBS March Sale. Digging in for only the second juvenile through the ring, agent Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Arkansas businessman Frank Fletcher, extended to $1 million to secure Hip 558, a filly by Munnings. Trainer Chad Brown, bidding from the other side of the pavilion, was the chief underbidder. Offered by Tom McCrocklin, the filly breezed a quarter in :20 4/5 last Thursday.

“She was an exceptional filly, said Lanni, who was flanked by Bill Mott during the bidding. “She worked great and came back good. She was a picture–just a really cool filly.”

According to Lanni, the Hall of Famer will train the filly. Mott also is responsible for Fletcher's MGSW and millionaire Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief), winner of her two recent wins at Gulfstream–the GIII Sugar Swirl S. and GIII Hurricane Bertie S.

“Frank is on a roll and has had a very good winter,” said Lanni. “He loves the game and is good for the business.”

Bred by Springhouse Farm, the bay brought $450,000 from McCrocklin, who signed on behalf of Michael Sucher's Champion Equine after purchasing the bay at last summer's Saratoga Select yearling sale.

“She was an expensive filly going in and is just a beautiful horse,” said McCrocklin. “The idea all along was to put her in a 2-year-old in training sale. It's not conventional, it's a lot of money. But she has really lived up to the expectation. Just a classy filly. She trained well and is very sound. She breezed extremely well and galloped out fast. And she had all the right people on her.”

The Apr. 26 foal is out of In Full Compliance, a daughter of Smart Strike. This is the family of Grade I winners Chaposa Springs and You and I.

According to McCrocklin, the vetting activity surrounding the filly had been swift all week, signaling what was to come on sale day.

“She is a very classy, legitimate filly and I was not shocked she brought a million but you don't ever expect it. But she acted the part,” explained McCrocklin. “I thought she could bring a million. But you have to be a mind reader at that point. What are they thinking. Sometimes with these more expensive horse, somebody just wants the horse. Period. So I was not surprised. But I definitely wasn't counting on it. We had a $599,000 reserve. That's where we were at.”

Explaining the decision to pursue the filly, Lanni added, “Munnings has become quite the sire. And she was just a very elegant filly, so I'm glad we got her.”

McCrocklin enjoyed a banner March sale run, highlighted by a pair of seven-figure juveniles. Tuesday's session saw a colt by Arrogate (Hip 489) bring $1.05 million, in addition to a filly by Arrogate (Hip 526) that realized $950,000. He also sold a colt by Catalina Cruiser (Hip 66) on Day 1 for $400,000. @CBossTDN

Quick Double for Wavertree

Marette Farrell and Wavertree's Ciaran Dunne | Photos by Z

The Wavertree Stables consignment had a pair of high sellers in quick succession during Wednesday's final session of the OBS March sale, as Hideyuki Mori went to $900,000 to acquire a filly by Twirling Candy (hip 600) and just a few hips later, bloodstock agent Marette Farrell went to $925,000 for a colt by Practical Joke (hip 626) on behalf of Speedway Racing. Both juveniles worked in :9 4/5.

Hip 626 is out of Louisiana Voodoo (Big Brown), a half-sister to Grade I-placed Givemeaminit (Star Guitar). Wavertree consigned the colt on behalf of Cypress Creek, which purchased him for $220,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.

“He is the first we've had for them really, so it was a bonus out of the blue,” Wavertree's Ciaran Dunne said of the colt. “The horse was started in Louisiana and came to us in December. He couldn't have trained any better than he trained. He was very simple and straightforward, a plain brown wrapper. He showed up every day and went from strength to strength to strength.”

After signing the ticket on the colt on behalf of Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway operation, Farrell said, “He's a really, really athletic horse with a gorgeous presence. He was very light on his feet. So we loved him on the frontside and Tescha [von Bluecher] loved him on the backside. We saw him at the barn and he used himself very well.”

Farrell hopes the colt follows in the footsteps of Speedway's champion 2-year-old colt Corniche (Quality Road).

“They are looking for a two-turn horse that could be a top-class colt who can go down the path of Corniche and continue on,” Farrell said.

Hip 600 | Photos by Z

Hip 600 is a daughter of stakes-winner Laudation (Congrats), who is out of multiple graded stakes winner Rite Moment (Vicar).

Paul Reddam and Dunne's Red Wings Enterprises pinhooking partnership purchased the filly for $265,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“From day one, we thought she was very, very special,” Dunne said of the juvenile. “Thankfully we weren't the only ones. She was a beautiful yearling when we bought her, as reflected in her price. She has been a good filly all year. We had high expectations and that obviously exceeded them. If they perform on the racetrack and show up at the barn, the sky is the limit.”

Adding to a big hour for the Wavertree consignment, a filly by Into Mischief (hip 639) sold for $550,000 to agent Ben McElroy, bidding on behalf of AMO Racing. The filly had been purchased by Lehigh Bloodstock, the pinhooking partnership spearheaded by Three Diamond Farm's Kirk Wycoff, for $240,000 at Keeneland last September.

Later in Wednesday's session, Wavertree sold a filly by Omaha Beach (hip 752) to Kerri Radcliffe. The juvenile had been purchased by West Bloodstock for $300,000 at Keeneland last September.

With seven horses sold Wednesday for $3,517,000, Wavertree was the session's leading consignor and was the auction's second-leading consignor with 18 head sold for $6,147,000.  @JessMartiniTDN

Colt Justifies the Wait for Childs

Bill Childs waited all week to bid on a colt by Justify (hip 806), ultimately signing for the Niall Brennan-consigned chestnut for $700,000 as the final hips came through the ring at the OBS March sale Wednesday.

“He is the only one I bought,” Childs admitted. “I've been ready to go for two days now, but we really liked him.”

Out of Rebuke (Carson City), the colt is a half-brother to graded-placed Freedom Flyer (Constitution). He was bred by A R Enterprises and RNA'd for $145,000 at last year's Keeneland January sale.

“Of course, he worked in :9 4/5,” Childs said of the colt's appeal. “We liked his family. We liked his conformation. We like everything about him. He'll be going to Bob Baffert in California.”

Childs admitted he was ready to bid higher for the youngster.

“We tried to buy him before the sale,” he said. “So we were tickled to get him for that price.”

Childs and his son Alex, both of Ft. Worth, Texas, spearhead the CSLR Racing partnership. In their first season racing, the partners campaigned the unbeaten Awesome Strong (Awesome Slew), whom they purchased for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton May Digital Sale last year following his six-length debut victory at Gulfstream. The colt went on to sweep the Florida Stallion series and was named FTHA 2-year-old Champion of 2022. @JessMartiniTDN

Omaha Beach Filly Brings $690K on Day 3

Kerri Radcliffe | Photos by Z

Heading the Spendthrift sire's progeny over the three-day run at OBS March, Hip 752 brought a $690,000 final bid from agent Kerri Radcliffe, signing on behalf of an undisclosed buyer. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, the daughter of MSW Pacific Heat (Unusual Heat) posted a :9 4/5 move during last week's breeze session.

“All the 2-year-old guys here in Florida have been talking about the Omaha Beaches and they really like them,” explained Radcliffe. “I saw this filly in January and absolutely loved her. She had an incredible breeze and physically, I think she is the most beautiful filly in the sale.”

Bred by a partnership of Betz Thoroughbreds, D.J. Stables, Brian Graves and Gainesway, the May 15 foal was a $300,000 purchase at Keeneland last September.

“I liked the Omaha Beaches at the yearling sales,” said Radcliffe, explaining the filly's appeal. “She is also out of a stakes mare and her stride length was impressive. She just checked all the boxes for me.”

She continued, “I purchased her for a new client. Sheila Rosenblum would also like a piece of her as well. I have to make a decision where I am going to send her, but most likely she will go to [Bob] Baffert.”

Radcliffe hopes that lightening can strike again while attempting to purchase another Grade I performer from the Wavertree consignment. Radcliffe was part of the team that unearthed Grade I-performing Nemoralia (More Than Ready) for $170,000 at this venue in 2015 and struck paydirt again when purchasing GI Starlet S. winner Dream Tree (Uncle Mo) for $750,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale in 2017. @CBossTDN

All Munnings, All the Time

Hip 598, another Munnings | Photos by Z

The Munnings effect continued later into the sale, with Hip 598, a colt by the Coolmore sire, reeling in a $685,000 final bid from OXO Equine. Handling the bidding duties ringside was agent Christina Jelm, who was on the phone with OXO's Larry Best. Consigned by Eddie Woods, who paid $165,000 for him at Keeneland September, the Apr. 13 foal breezed an eighth in :9 4/5 last week.

“He looks like a sprinter, a horse to have fun with,” said Best via phone.

The colt is out of Laquesta (Lemon Drop Kid), the dam of SW Opus Forty Two (Mendelssohn). This represents the family of GI Santa Anita Derby winner Cupid.

“A very nice horse–not overly big but a stout horse and quick. A real class act,” said Woods. “He's been very easy to be around and has been that way all year. He worked really well and galloped out great. We expected him to sell well.”

Munnings enjoyed a banner day Wednesday, with a filly by the sire (Hip 558) bringing $1-million earlier in the afternoon.

And Woods has already enjoyed success from that source, having sold Munnings' Eda for $550,000 at this venue in 2021. She went on to win the GI Starlet S. later that year.

“He's a great stallion,” affirmed Woods. “He's just gotten better and better. He was at $30,000 early and now is up to $100,000 and you can't get to him. He's a pro. He got Jack Christopher, who is the best miler in the country.”

“He was a very blue collar stallion and now he's gone white collar.” @CBossTDN

Constitution Colt to Carlisle

Bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed partnership, purchased a colt by Constitution (hip 574) for $675,000 early in Wednesday's final session of the OBS March sale. The chestnut was consigned by Sequel Bloodstock and was purchased by Sequel's Becky Thomas for $200,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. He is out of graded-placed Jungle Tale (Lion Heart) and worked a furlong in :10 flat at last week's under-tack show.

“We loved him,” Carlisle said after signing the ticket. “He's a big, two-turn type colt. Obviously Constitution speaks for himself. He had a great breeze–one of the top breezes in my opinion, for the colts. We are very happy to get him.” @JessMartiniTDN

Constitution Colt Tops Boardshorts Activity on Day 3

Hunter Rankin | Photos by Z

Coffee mogul Travis Boersma made headlines last fall when paying a whopping $4.6 million for a share in subsequent Horse of the Year Flightline. Returning to the sales scene in the early part of 2023, Boersma's Boardshorts Racing extended to $625,000 for a son of Constitution at OBS Wednesday.

Hunter Rankin signed for Hip 612, who was consigned by Pike Racing after Al Pike purchased him for $165,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale. Out of Grade I placed Libby's Tail (Tiz Wonderful), the Jan. 14 foal breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 last week. A trainer for the colt has yet to be determined.

“We kind of whittled the sale down to 10 or 15 horses and just followed up and hope we get lucky,” Rankin explained. “And we got lucky a few of times.”

Later in Wednesday's session, Boardshorts landed Hip 678 for $450,000. The colt by Into Mischief is out of SW and GSP Miss Southern Miss (More Than Ready). Consigned by de Meric Sales, the Mar. 21 foal is from the family of Grade I winner Cotton Blossom.

“He was a very athletic type,” he said. “He worked great and was a really good mover. And if he is a good horse, he can be a stallion.”

Rankin also signed for a Maximus Mischief filly (Hip 456, $90,000) on Day 2 and Justify filly (Hip 732, $240,000) late in the session Wednesday.

According to Rankin, the operation is looking to expand its presence in Kentucky while maintaining a string in California.

Earlier this season, Boardshorts purchased Ancient Peace for $650,000 at Keeneland January. The daughter of War Front was sixth in her debut for trainer Graham Motion at Del Mar Dec. 3 before rebounding to score in her latest at Santa Anita Dec. 30. Since her purchase, she has been transferred to John Sadler. She posted her latest work at Santa Anita Mar. 20, going five panels in :59.60 (2/14).

“She is doing great,” he confirmed. “We're looking for an [entry level allowance] with her and she will probably run in the next couple of weeks.”

Boardshorts also purchased a Omaha Beach colt out of Daisy from the group of six horses that were re-offered for sale by Keeneland earlier this month.

“He is still in Florida at the moment but he will likely end up in Kentucky,” he said. “In the future we will try to spread horses around.”

In addition to Sadler, Boardshorts employs trainer Quin Howey, who is based at San Luis Rey and expects to add another Kentucky-based conditioner to the roster.

“We're looking to build a Kentucky presence,” he explained. “So we will have some horses in Kentucky and some in California. We're trying to build the stable with nice horses.”

Simultaneously building a broodmare band, Boardshorts secured Empire Hope for $450,000 at Keeneland in January in addition to Lake Garda (American Pharoah) for $600,000 in November. Both mares are in foal to Flightline. @CBossTDN

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Vekoma Weanling Back On Top, Munnings Filly Shares Top Spot

During Tuesday's session of the Keeneland November Sale, a pair of horses secured final bids of $130,000 to top the ninth day of selling. After a pair of weanlings by Vekoma led sessions earlier in the week, a colt by the Spendthrift stallion once again headed the leaderboard Tuesday. Christina R. Jelm, agent, purchased Hip 3178, who was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. The grey is out of Gypsy Grey (Giant's Causeway), and from the family of Grade I/Group 1 winners Chief Honcho and Poet's Voice and Grade III-winner Gemswick Park.

Hip 3369, a winning-daughter of Munnings, equaled the mark yesterday. Purchased by River Bend, Souper Munnings was consigned by Warrendale Sales, agent for Live Oak Stud. Out of the winning Mylitta (Sky Mesa), the filly is a half-sister to Grade III-placed Judge Davis. She hails from the family of Canadian Horse of the Year Alywow and graded winners Century City and Wow Me Free.

Eaton Sales also consigned the dam of Tuesday's weanling topper–Gypsy Grey–in foal to Midshipman. The second highest-priced mare of the session, Hip 3177 was purchased by Kildare Stud Farm for $90,000. The 8-year-old is out of SP Sheraton Park (Cozzene).

The highest-priced weanling filly Tuesday was Hip 3358, a daughter of Instagrand, whose is represented by his first crop of weanlings this year. Offered by Greenfield Farms, agent for Sierra Farm, the Feb. 26 foal was purchased by Taproot Bloodstock, agent.

With one session remaining, 2,091 horses have sold for $208,879,800, up 7.41% from last year's $194,463,100 for the comparable period when 2,239 horses sold. The average of $99,895 is 15.02% higher than last year's $86,653, and median of $40,000 equals last year.

During Tuesday's session, a total of 265 horses sold for $3,183,200, a 19.02% decrease from 2021, when total receipts were $3,931,400 for 289 horses. The average was $12,012 and the median $7,000, a 22.22% drop from last year's $9,000.

Wednesday, the final day of the November Breeding Stock Sale, begins at 10 a.m. ET. While on Thursday, Keeneland will present the November Horses of Racing Age Sale, beginning at noon.

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Trainer Ingrid Mason Gears Up For Oaklawn Meet

Trainer Ingrid Mason said she plans to run Hypersport, runner-up in her Oct. 21 career debut at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., in a maiden special weights sprint for 2-year-old fillies opening day at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Oaklawn's 66-day live meeting begins Dec. 3, which marks its earliest season opening in history and allows 2-year-old races to be carded for the first time since 1975. Oaklawn normally opens in January. Oaklawn's opening-day feature is the $150,000 Advent Stakes for 2-year-olds at 6 furlongs.

Hypersport, a forward factor from the start at odds of 31-1, was beaten a length in her 6 ½-furlong career debut after being bumped leaving the gate. Hypersport tuned up for her local debut by working five furlongs in 1:00.80 Tuesday morning at Oaklawn under Francisco Arrieta, the filly's second published breeze this month in Hot Springs.

“That's the star of my barn, Hypersport,” Mason said. “I have high hopes for her. She's a pretty nice filly. She reminds me of Sarah Sis.”

Sarah Sis bankrolled $912,667 in a 22-race career for Mason, highlighted by victories in the $150,000 Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes in 2015 at Oaklawn, $200,000 G3 Iowa Oaks in 2015 at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, $250,000 G2 Raven Run Stakes in 2015 at Keeneland, and the $400,000 G2 Presque Isle Masters Stakes in 2016 at Presque Isle in Erie, Penn. The Honeybee was Mason's first career graded stakes victory.

A $20,000 2-year-old purchase, Sarah Sis sold as a broodmare prospect for $750,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2016 November Sale.

Bloodstock agent Christina Jelm, on behalf of owner Mike Waters, purchased Hypersport for $100,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Waters (Muddy Waters Racing Stables) is Mason's significant other.

Hypersport is by 2010 champion older male Blame out of Good Witch Glinda, a daughter of Unbridled's Song. Hypersport is a half-sister to the speedy Oaklawn-raced Mesoma, who set a six-furlong track record (1:07.98) in 2014 at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. It was his second career start. Runner-up Race Day won two graded stakes in 2015 at Oaklawn, including the $600,000 G2 Oaklawn Handicap for older horses.

“Mike picked her out off of pedigree and then I told him I was in love with her and had to have her,” Mason said. “He bought her off the Internet. I never saw her, but he had Christina over there, his agent, look at her and said he liked her.”

Mason said Hypersport flashed ability from Day 1.

“She's always been quick and showed talent,” Mason said. “She's destroyed everything in my barn, pretty much, I worked her with. She had a little bruising in her back end early on and then we backed off her. She's been good ever since – knock on wood.”

Mason also trains G T Three Fifty, an unraced 2-year-old Speightster colt, and stakes-placed 4-year-old Lykan for Waters, who won eight races in 2020 at Oaklawn to tie for sixth in the owner's standings. G T Three Fifty, Mason said, is named for a model of Ford Mustang that Waters owns. Lykan and Hypersport are also automobile-inspired names.

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Mason, the second-winningest female trainer in Oaklawn history, said she will have around 30 horses this season at Oaklawn. She won five races from 99 starts at the 2021 meeting.

“I'm actually really excited about the meet,” Mason said. “This is the most excited I've been in a long time. I didn't have good horses last year. It's hard to do good when you don't have good horses. I think I stepped it up a little bit this year, so we'll see what happens.”

Mason has 121 career Oaklawn victories. Lynn Chleborad, who also has horses on the grounds, is the winningest female trainer in Oaklawn history with 126.

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Pair of Million-Dollar Juveniles Highlight OBS Spring Finale

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, an auction most people seemed happy could even be held following all of the uncertainties of the global pandemic, concluded its four-day run in Central Florida with a pair of seven-figure transactions book-ending the session. Early in the day, Kaleem Shah purchased a son of Quality Road for $1.25 million from the Wavertree Stables consignment and, with only a handful of lots left to offer, Larry Best secured a colt by Speighster for $1.1 million from Tom McCrocklin’s consignment. A filly by Not This Time topped the four-day sale when bringing a final bid of $1.35 million from bloodstock agent Gary Young during Tuesday’s second session. The sale’s three million-dollar juveniles were on par with the 2019 sale.

The April sale had set records for gross, average and median in each of the last three years, but with international travel restrictions and uncertain economic conditions, expectations for the 2020 renewal were tempered. At the close of business Friday, 630 head had sold for $58,701,000. A year ago, 674 horses grossed $72,945,000. The average of $93,176 fell 13.9% from 2019, while the median was down 16.7%.

“Considering what we’ve all had to deal with and where we were two months ago, I think it was a solid sale,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “We saw a lot of the same things we’ve been seeing in recent times. The top end of the market takes care of itself, but it gets a little dicey in the middle. But we finished up strong today. I think it’s just a continuing move of the industry in trying to get back to normal.”

With 149 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate for the sale was just 19.1%, but the catalogue was whittled down with only 779 offered and 536 withdrawn.

Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables was the auction’s leading consignor for the second year in a row with 47 juveniles sold for $6,402,000, but the consignor admitted it was a tough week.

“It’s really difficult,” Dunne said of the market. “If you sell one that is not in the elite level, that top 10%, you are going to have to call in a lot of favors and make a lot of phone calls, drag people back to the barn and temper your expectations. I felt pretty good about the sale coming in. We’ve had a lot of traffic at the farm, there has been a hunger for horses. I thought it would be OK, but I think it’s been less than that. It’s been hard work.”

The April sale’s traditional deep buying bench was decimated by the absence of international buyers.

“If you don’t have the goods, it’s over,” said consignor Eddie Woods. “The Koreans were sorely missed, not only on what they buy, but on the ones they bid on that they don’t get. The horses that were bringing $10,000 or $15,000 would normally bring $40,000 or $50,000 and everything has to go above that. That is what creates that good market. We didn’t have that this time. There was all the money there for the top horses, like usual, and the rest of them suffered greatly. There were a lot of scratches. People wanted to bring their horses up, but if you didn’t have a perfect vetting, you were basically dead. But, at the same time, it was good to see a lot of horses bring a lot of money.”

Eight of the top 10 lots at the April sale had been catalogued for Fasig-Tipton’s canceled boutique Gulfstream sale.

“A lot of the horses in this addendum were scheduled to go to the Fasig-Tipton Miami Sale and they ended up here,” said bloodstock agent Jacob West. “They were big, strong horses that got piled in at the end of these days. It is an extremely polarized market, more than any other sale we have been around. Two-year-old sales are always polarizing. There are so many rungs on the ladder they have to climb. When they do, it normally results in high-dollar horses. There were a lot of horses in the addendum that did that.”

Asked for his assessment of the April market, McCrocklin said, “Overall it was brutal. It was a horrible sale. I think it’s all the uncertainty. People don’t like that. They get scared when they don’t know what’s going on.”

Bloodstock agent Joe Brocklebank is hopeful the Spring sale is just a first step into a return to normal.

“Obviously the top end of the market is very strong, but the middle and lower end need some life support,” he said. “Hopefully when the confidence is back in the business, things will be a lot better.”

Shah Seeks More Quality

Kaleem Shah has already bought a pair of 2-year-olds by Quality Road who went on to Grade I victories in his colors and the owner is hoping there will be more of the same after he purchased a son of the Lane’s End stallion for $1.25 million during Friday’s final session of the OBS Spring sale. Shah had been in Ocala earlier in the week, but was gone by the time hip 1018 strode into the sales ring at OBS. He was on the phone as bloodstock agent Ben McElroy made the winning bid on the juvenile who was consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables.

“Ben McElroy and [trainer] Simon Callaghan selected the horse,” Shah said. “He is a beautiful horse and well put together. I am not at Ocala today, so I was on the phone with Ben. But I’ve seen the horse and he looks just like Bellafina.”

Shah purchased Bellafina (Quality Road) from the Wavertree consignment for $800,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale. The filly won that year’s GI Chandelier S. and GI Del Mar Debutante and added last year’s GI Santa Anita Oaks. She was also second in the 2019 GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint.

Shah also purchased Klimt (Quality Road) for $435,000 at the 2016 OBS March Sale. The colt went on to win that year’s GI Del Mar Futurity.

“I have been lucky with that sire with Bellafina and Klimt in the past,” Shah said. “So with this third one, we had to swing for the fences to get him, and we hope he is the best of the Quality Roads to come my way.”

The Quality Road colt was the second horse to make seven figures at the OBS Spring Sale.

“I was surprised to have to go that high,” Shah agreed. “But once again I was bidding against the Baffert contingent–that is what I was told–so I had to step up a whole lot more than what I wanted to.”

The colt was Shah’s third purchase of the Spring Sale. With bidding assistance from his son Arman, he also acquired a colt by Ghostzapper (hip 1250) for $750,000 and a filly by Empire Maker (hip 468) for $350,000.

Bred by KatieRich Farms, hip 1018 is out of False Impression (A.P. Indy) and is a half-brother to multiple Grade I placed Standard Deviation (Curlin). He worked a quarter-mile during last week’s under-tack preview in :20 3/5. @JessMartiniTDN

A Hole in One for Partners

Ciaran Dunne was shopping for a long-time group of pinhooking partners at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October sale, but was finding it tough to find horses in the partners’ normal price range, so he got a budget extension and came home to Ocala with a colt by Quality Road purchased under the name Golf 19/20 for $240,000. The decision paid off Friday at OBS when the colt (hip 1018) sold for $1.25 million.

“Mike Wickham was originally the driving force behind the partnership,” Dunne explained. “He always wanted to be involved in the horse business. He kind of pushed the other two guys, John Wilkinson and David Miley, to do the pinhooking with us. Unfortunately Mike passed the first year we were doing it. Scott Ford of Westrock Stables came in and took his place and we’ve been doing it for more years than I’d like to think. They just get a lot of enjoyment out of it. John and David come to the farm and watch them grow up and watch them train. They don’t do it as an investment. They do it just for a love of the game. They have been very lucky.”

One of the group’s early successes was Tom’s Tribute (Lion Heart) who was purchased for $60,000 and sold for $310,000 at the 2012 OBS March sale and went on to win the 2014 GI Eddie Read S.

The partners have even had success on the racetrack with Leinster (Majestic Warrior), who RNA’d at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale and won last year’s GIII Troy S. in their names.

“They probably get more fun out of [Leinster] than they will this,” Dunne said. “They do it for the love of the game, love of the horses, so it’s nice to see guys like that do something like this. For them it won’t be dollar and cents, it will just be pride that their horse did it.”

Purchasing the son of Quality Road for the group was an easy decision for Dunne last October.

“Quality Road has been good to us,” Dunne said. “He’s my favorite stallion, bar none. We had Blofeld in his first crop, Bellafina and Diamond King. I think we’ve had at least five graded stakes winners that we’ve sold by him. So Quality Road is always a no-brainer for us, the only problem is affording them. This is the most that we’ve ever paid in that group for a horse. I called the guys and said, ‘We’re getting shut out in everything we want in the range that we normally buy in,’ which is $100,000. I said, ‘I want to go a little deep here,’ and they all said, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ There was no hesitation. Luckily enough, the colt didn’t give us many nervous moments during the winter. He grew like we wanted him to grow, he trained like a good horse, he acted like a professional around the barn. We were really excited to bring him in here and he rewarded us.”

Of his expectations leading hip 1018 into the sales ring Friday, Dunne said, “We were trying to keep our feet on the ground, but it was hard to do. We had everybody who was anybody on him. He showed himself great. We knew he had the work (:20 3/5), we knew he vetted good. So we were trying to temper our expectations, but I was hoping for them that he could bring seven figures.”

The partners aim to pinhook three to four yearlings each year.

“We had one in March that we took a haircut on and then we had one yesterday that we sold for what we had in him or maybe a little bit less,” Dunne said of the group’s other 2020 results.

Another pinhooking partnership had success selling with Wavertree Friday in Ocala when a colt by Shackleford sold for $550,000 to bloodstock agent Justin Casse. The chestnut colt (hip 982) worked a quarter in :20 3/5 during last week’s under-tack show and is a half-sister to champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar). The chestnut was purchased for $230,000 at Fasig-Tipton last October.

“He was bought by Paul Brodsky’s group [last October],” Dunne said of the colt. “He was a lovely horse. I am never going to say you’re disappointed when you double your money, but with his pedigree and his work and his physical appearance, you would have hoped that he could have kicked on. I think at the end of the day, the Shackleford got him. But he’s a very, very talented horse. He always has been. I think he’s going to be a top racehorse.”

With Steve Venosa, Brodsky pinhooked a colt by Into Mischief for $1 million at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. @JessMartiniTDN

Best for Almost Last

Late in the day in the supplement to the supplemental catalogue, the OBS Spring sale got its third seven-figure transaction when bloodstock agent Christina Jelm, bidding on behalf of Larry Best, went to $1.1-million to acquire a colt from the first crop of Speightster (hip 1312).

“Larry and I are friends and he gave me a call just before the

horse went through the ring and asked if I could help him out,” Jelm said after signing the ticket on the colt. “I was here and available and I helped him get his horse bought.”

Out of multiple stakes placed Auspicious (Indian Charlie), the chestnut worked a quarter-mile last week in :20 4/5.

“He’s a big beautiful horse that checked every box,” Jelm said.

Hip 1312 was consigned by Tom McCrocklin and his sale Friday was another stellar result for Solana Beach Sales, the pinhooking division of Billy Koch and Gary Fenton’s Little Red Feather Racing. McCrocklin purchased the colt on behalf of Solana Beach for $110,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale.

“I’ve got to tell you, I’ve been asked a lot here, ‘How did you buy that horse for $110,000?’ He was always beautiful and at the end of the day, I don’t know how I got him bought,” McCrocklin said. “He’s the only one I have by Speighster, but I started singing his praises as soon as this horse showed the ability he has.”

Now in its fifth year of operation, Solana Beach has recorded some notable scores. Best purchased Instilled Regard (Arch) from the partnership for $1.05 million at the 2017 OBS March Sale and Solana Beach sold Der Lu (Orb) for $900,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale after purchasing her for $130,000 at Saratoga the previous August. The partnership had back-to-back scores at OBS April in 2016 and 2017, turning a $105,000 Broken Vow yearling into a $1.2-million sale topper in 2016 and a $100,000 Creative Cause filly into a $850,000 juvenile in 2017.

Hip 1312 was originally intended to sell at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, but once that auction was cancelled, McCrocklin hoped to ship him to Maryland for the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale.

“He was a Miami horse and obviously that was canceled and he was redirected to Maryland,” McCrocklin said. “To be honest with you, I am fiercely loyal to Fasig-Tipton and I wanted to sell him there, but we got so late in the game and they were in a position where they couldn’t make any announcements because they were waiting for the state of Maryland and the governor of Maryland and the Department of Agriculture. And the horse was doing so well, I had to tell the guys at Fasig, ‘I’m so sorry, but I’ve got to go. Because I’m going to go out of business a lot faster than you are going to go out of business. I need to sell this horse.'”

Of the colt’s seven-figure price tag, McCrocklin added, “I was not surprised at the price. When you get up in that stratosphere,  those horses can bring $750,000 and they can bring $1.5 million. I do my best to not get exact numbers in my head, but I knew he was going to sell very well.” @JessMartiniTDN

Liam’s Map Filly Scores for Berkelhammer

Richard Rigney’s Rigney Racing struck in the waning stages of the OBS Spring sale to acquire a filly by Liam’s Map (hip 1299) for $700,000. The juvenile was consigned by Cary Frommer and is one of only a few foals bred by Frommer’s pinhooking partner Barry Berkelhammer.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the person who bought her,” Berkelhammer said. “They are just great guys. And I am thrilled that she is going to a quality home that will hopefully have a big winner.”

The dark bay filly is out of the unraced Ebony Moment (Smart Strike), a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Ebony Breeze (Belong to Me). Berkelhammer purchased the then 5-year-old Ebony Moment for $18,000 at the 2016 OBS Winter sale.

“I really don’t have a lot of mares, but I dabble a little bit,” Berkelhammer said. “I just love Smart Strike and I loved her pedigree. She was a good-looking mare with a nice shape to her. And she was young and really hadn’t gotten a chance yet. I thought she would potentially make a nice broodmare.”

The filly put buyers on notice with a :9 4/5 work during last week’s under-tack preview, but the lights-out drill was no surprise to Berkelhammer.

“She had been working really well at the farm,” Berkelhammer said. “All of us on the farm were excited every time she breezed. But until they come over and prove it, you never know. She definitely stepped up and did what we expected. And she jumped through every hoop.”

He continued, “The filly has been the star of the crop the whole season and we had very high hopes for her. I am glad she showed herself when she got here and the buyers recognized her quality.”

Ebony Moment RNA’d for $16,000 at this year’s OBS Winter sale. She has a yearling filly by Kantharos and produced a filly by Girvin this year. She was bred back to Outwork.

Of his broodmare band, Berkelhammer said, “I have six mares. And I’ll sell some foals as yearlings and some as 2-year-olds–just depending on how the stallion is doing and where I think the baby fits.” @JessMartiniTDN

West Wins Out on Chrome Colt

Jacob West hit the ground running in Ocala, purchasing four juveniles by the end of the OBS Spring Sale, but he saved the best for last Friday in a $725,000 colt from the first crop of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome (Hip 1298). The bloodstock agent purchased the gray, who will be trained by Todd Pletcher, on behalf of Mike Repole’s Repole Stable and Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable.

“He is a fast horse, who breezed well [:20 3/5] and galloped out good,” West said. “He is big and strong and had good mechanics down the lane. We went back to the barn and looked at him and he is a big, pretty horse with some pedigree behind him. He is out of an Unbridled’s Song mare and he looks more like Unbridled’s Song than California Chrome. He vetted well and here we are, $725,000 later.”

West added, “We were kind of getting to the end of our rope on him as far as our evaluation was, but that is about what we thought he would bring. It is a team effort when buying horses for Repole and Viola. Eddie Rosen, Jim Martin and Rory Babich all play a big part.”

Four-time Eclipse winner and dual Classic winner California Chrome stood his first three seasons at Taylor Made and was sold to Japan at the end of 2019.

“I have a lot of respect for that horse,” West said. “He was born into obscurity and made a name for himself. I have a lot of respect for Art Sherman and his operation, getting the horse to those races and almost winning the Triple Crown. You’ve got to respect that horse. He did it the hard way and hopefully he passed that on to his progeny, especially this one.”

Bred by JSM Equine, Hip 1298 is out of the unraced Diva Style (Unbridled’s Song), a daughter of GSW Tizfiz (Tiznow) and a half-sister to top GI Kentucky Derby contender and MGISW Tiz the Law (Constitution). The colt RNA’d for $65,000 at Keeneland September and was consigned here by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables. –@CDeBernardisTDN

 Right Place, Right ‘Time’ For Davies

Progeny of Taylor Made’s freshman phenom Not This Time continued to be in high demand on the final day of selling at OBS Spring Friday, with Marc Tacher grabbing hip 953 out of the Julie Davies consignment for $575,000. The May 7 foal turned in a powerful-looking :10 flat work during last week’s preview.

With his first two starters taking maiden special weights on back-to-back days last month, the GSW and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up has found his way on to many buyers’ radars in Ocala. A $1.25-million Not This Time filly (hip 1254) who worked in :20 1/5 topped Wednesday’s session on a bid from Gary Young; and a $700,000 colt (hip 1283) went to Donato Lanni for Michael Lund Petersen Thursday.

“Between the winners, and the couple of horses that sold really well already, we were pretty confident that he was going to sell well–he still brought a little more than we were expecting, and that’s always a nice surprise,” said Davies.

The chestnut is out of a Tapit daughter of MGSW and MGISP Bending Strings (American Chance). He was an $85,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Davies.

“We bought him on his physical,” she said. “I actually walked into the barn and saw him standing there for somebody else and was like, ‘Who is that?’ So I decided that that was the one I wanted to buy. I spent a little more than I usually spend, but he’s been a really nice horse from Day 1. He’s always trained like a rock star; he’s never given us any trouble. He came over here and did what we thought he would do. He breezed well, and I think they got a really nice horse.”

When asked if she had had any opinion on Not This Time heading into the yearling sales, Davies said, “When I bought him, it was just about him as an individual, but having seen others since then, it seems like he’s stamping them. There are a lot of very pretty ones out there, and the majority of them worked well here and obviously they’re being well received.” —@BDiDonatoTDN

Summer Wind Blows Into Ocala

Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm is often seen buying top mares at the November breeding stock sales, but is usually absent from the juvenile market. However, in yet another surprise twist of the roller coaster year that has been 2020, the Summer Wind name made it onto the OBS Spring Sale results when the farm’s manager Bobby Spalding, who did his bidding over the phone from Kentucky, secured a $500,000 daughter of Malibu Moon on behalf of Lyon Friday.

“This COVID-19 thing has me not thinking straight,” Lyon joked when asked about her change in tactics. “We got a tout that this was a good filly from somebody we really trusted [consignor Eddie Woods], so we decided, ‘Well, what the heck.’ I do trust Eddie a lot. We hoped to get her for less because she does have a little chip [in her knee]. Because of that, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to go that high, but it got so crazy in the end there with those addendum horses. Hopefully, Eddie is right about her.”

The top breeder added, “I haven’t even seen her yet, but she looks like a really pretty filly and I am a sucker for beautiful fillies.”

Bred in Florida by Westbury Stables, Hip 1310 was picked up by Woods’s pinhooking partnership Quarter Pole Enterprises for $260,000 at FTKJUL and breezed in a snappy :20 3/5. Her stakes-placed dam Iroquois Girl (Indian Charlie) is a half to MGSW Salty Strike (Smart Strike) and stakes winner Salty Response (Cozzene).

“She was beautiful, spectacular,” Woods said. “Her work was amazing. Her video was amazing. Unfortunately, she had a little damage on x-rays. Even though she brought half a million, you have to think what she would have brought without it.”

The horseman continued, “I didn’t think she would bring that given what she has. She has a little chip in the knee. You know, knees are usually unforgivable in most cases. It is tiny, but it is still there. I thought she might bring $300,000 if everyone showed up. Everyone showed up and they played hard.” –@CDeBernardisTDN

 Empire Maker Filly Proves Popular

A daughter of the late Empire Maker (Hip 1060) summoned $475,000 Friday from bloodstock agent Joe Brocklebank, who was acting on behalf of an disclosed client.

“She is oozing with class,” Brocklebank said. “She is by a wonderful stallion out of a mare by a wonderful stallion. She has tons of speed and she has been well prepared. She vetted perfectly clean and, God willing, she will win some big races.”

Bred in Ontario by Dave Anderson’s Anderson Farms, the :10 flat breezer is the first foal out of Full Tap (Tapit), a half to MGSW Ventana (Toccet). Consignor Hal Hatch bought the filly for $135,000 at Keeneland September.

The late, great Empire Maker was repatriated from Japan to stand at Gainesway in 2016 and stood four seasons there before his untimely passing in January of this year. He has been represented by sensational fillies, such as champion Royal Delta and MGISW Emollient, as well as MGISW Pioneerof the Nile and, more recently, Grade I-winning sophomore Eight Rings. Six juveniles by Empire Maker sold during the OBS Spring Sale for an average of $341,666, topped by a $700,000 colt (Hip 1258). —@CDeBernardisTDN

 Eismans Hit a Home Run With Hard Spun Filly

Barry Eisaman snapped up a daughter of Hard Spun for just $50,000 at Keeneland September last year and his faith in the filly was rewarded Friday when she hammered for $440,000. Working in :10 flat, Hip 1149 was purchased by Belladonna Racing.

“She is a wonderful filly and she did so well here,” Eisaman said. “She performed so well and showed herself beautifully for all of those days. We did not anticipate this kind of number, but we knew it would be pretty good. She was very, very popular.”

Bred by Godolphin and Charles Deters, Hip 1149 is out of High Wire Act (Medallist), who is a daughter of Grade III victor Timely Broad (Broad Brush). High Wire Act is a half-sister to MSW & MGSP Not Abroad (Not For Love) and SW Brushed By Love (Not For Love).

“When we bought her, she was a very pretty filly,” Eisaman said. “But she grew and filled out and all of the things you hope will happen between September and the spring of the 2-year-old year. She did everything well. She was very healthy, had very clean veterinary reports and was fast. It worked out for us that she put her whole game together at the right time.”

When asked if he thought the extra time provided by the two-month delay in the sale due to COVID-19 helped his filly, the veterinarian said, “I think it helped every horse in this sale. Two months is a long time in the life of a 2-year-old so it helped all of them mature just a bit more and get just a bit fitter and a bit smarter. It really benefitted my load of horses. Every horse we took through the ring we sold except one. So we had a good sale especially given the current world circumstances.” @CDeBernardisTDN

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