OCALA, FL – With a $1-million Authentic colt early in the session and a $1.8-million Win Win Win filly late in the day, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds matched its 2023 number of five seven-figure juveniles and the auction concluded its three-day run Thursday with another strong renewal.

“Overall, it was a terrific sale and we are looking forward to April,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski.

Through three sessions, 446 horses sold for $66,437,600. The average of $148,963 dipped 5.0% from 2023 and the median of $75,000 was down 6.3%. The buy-back rate was 25.3%. It was 23.2% at the close of bidding last year.

In its ninth renewal as an open sale, the March auction has now produced back-to-back competitive editions and multiple seven-figure offerings for the third straight year.

“I think consignors are probably more comfortable and feel more confident that they can put a horse in either March or April and do well,” Wojciechowski said. “It doesn't have to be either/or. It can be both. And the way we set these sales up, if you have a horse that is ready now, he is March-type of horse and if he needs just a little more time, he is an April horse, and if he needs even more time than that, he is a June horse. I think when we opened this sale up there were probably some reservations and concerns and there was a little bit of a sit-back-and-watch attitude, but I think that comfort level is there now. The consignors who have brought those type of horses the last couple of years have been rewarded and the rest of the consignors have seen that.”

Bloodstock agent Marette Farrell saw the results of that increased confidence in the March market on the OBS sales grounds this week.

“I thought the sale was deep with good horses and there were a lot of very athletic horses to choose from,” Farrell said. “I think the consignors did a good job bringing early, athletic horses here. Horses who were forward, they weren't afraid and didn't feel like they had to wait for the April sale. One consignor said to me, 'If it's a good horse, it will be found.' If it's showing a little more precocity, they are happy to bring it to this sale because they are going to find the real athletes.”

A Florida-bred filly by first-crop sire Win Win Win became the sale's highest-priced offering when selling to Amr Zedan for $1.8 million. The filly was the highest-priced horse ever sold by the O'Farrell family's historic Ocala Stud.

“They are a legacy consignor here at OBS,” said Wojciechowski. “Their history and reputation within the industry is important to both OBS and to the industry. So to see them do well was very gratifying.”

Ocala Stud's sale-topping Win Win Win filly | Photos by Z

The sale topper provided an exclamation point on a strong showing for the Florida breeding and racing industry, with a pair of seven-figure juveniles set to join the barns of trainers based in the state.

“I think what it shows is that Florida is still loaded with quality horses and quality horsemen,” Wojciechowski said.

It was the second year in a row that Zedan has walked away with the top-priced horse at the March sale. The Saudi businessman purchased subsequent Grade I winner Muth (Good Magic) for $2 million last year.

The end results of the March sale continued to show a polarization in the market.

“This year, we had a lot of horses in that middle market over the first couple of days and it's been a little tough,” admitted consignor David Scanlon. “Overall, the market has been a little bit challenging. When everything lines up, you get rewarded. Really rewarded. But the other ones that you need $100,000 for, it's been a struggle. You have to be realistic and set your reserves right. It keeps you humble.”

Farrell speculated buyers in the middle market may be taking a wait-and-see approach to the juvenile sales season.

“It's becoming increasingly the same,” she said. “The top horses are definitely gathering momentum and there is a little bit of a dearth in the rest of the market. But I think it's also because it is the first sale of the season, so some people are sitting on their hands a little bit for a lower-level horse now. They are saying, 'Well, April is coming up and there are 1,200 horses, maybe we could find the same for less.' But maybe they won't. I think that is the dilemma that everyone is facing.”

De Meric Sales was the leading consignor at the March sale, with 40 sold for $6,595,100, followed by Wavertree Stables with 14 sold for $4,960,000.

Hideyuki Mori was the sale's leading buyer. The Japanese trainer signed for 10 horses for $2,695,000.

Homebred Success for Ocala Stud

“I am absolutely speechless,” Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell said after watching the operation's homebred filly (hip 788) from the first crop of Win Win Win sell for a sale-topping $1.8 million to Amr Zedan Thursday at OBS. “I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It's incredible.”

O'Farrell knew the filly was special even before the striking bay turned in her track-record equaling :20 1/5 work during last week's under-tack preview.

“We weren't totally surprised,” O'Farrell said after watching the filly sell. “She prepped extremely well, all completely on her own. I didn't tell people what the prep time was because I don't think they would believe me. But I was super excited coming into the breeze show because I knew she was special and we were expecting that kind of breeze from her.”

David O'Farrell | Photos by Z

O'Farrell continued, “She is just a special filly. The fastest that we've had and we've been doing these 2-year-old sales a long time. She has just been a spectacular filly. She performed every time that we sent her out to the racetrack and she came back beautifully and the sky is the limit for her.”

Bred and campaigned by Live Oak Plantation, Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) won the 2020 GI Forego S. He stands at Ocala Stud for $5,000.

“We are super excited about the stallion,” O'Farrell said. “We love what we are seeing. We have more to come in the later sales and later crops and we think he has a huge future.”

Ocala Stud has grown a reputation as launching pad for stallions to begin their careers in Central Florida before making the trek north to Kentucky. Recent stallions to take that path include Girvin and Kantharos.

“To recruit the stallion [Win Win Win] and bring on great partners in Live Oak, who bred and raced the horse, and also Airdrie Stud is a partner and to support him heavily and to carry him all the way to the 2-year-old sales for our own crop, is super rewarding,” O'Farrell said. “And to get him off to a great start, we couldn't be happier about his prospects.”

Asked what he was seeing in the stallion's first crops, O'Farrell said, “Just a ton of athleticism, super versatile, good-looking horses with big rear ends. Very smart, very quick and very athletic.”

The topping Win Win Win filly | Photos by Z/Joe DiOrio

The $1.8-million juvenile is from the same family that has put her breeder on the GI Kentucky Derby trail this year with GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew). Ocala Stud purchased the filly's second dam, Lady Discreet (Boundary), for $45,000 from the E. P. Robsham dispersal at the 2004 OBS October sale.

Lady Discreet produced The Shady Lady (Quality Road) in 2013 and that unraced mare is the dam of Hades. Two years later, the mare produced Unanimity (Union Rags), the dam of hip 788, who RNA'd for $65,000 at the 2017 OBS March sale and was winless in three starts for the O'Farrells.

Unanimity produced a colt by Gretzky the Great this year. She also has a yearling colt by Win Win Win. @JessMartiniTDN

Wow Wow Wow

Moments before Hip 788 was to stroll into the OBS sales ring, the buzz began to intensify. Ocala Stud's daughter of Win Win Win was certainly no secret following a sparkling quarter-mile display in :20.1 last Saturday. With the bids coming hard and fast from several points in the pavilion, the price quickly surpassed the seven-figure mark and the volleys didn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. When the dust had settled, it was Donato Lanni–bidding on behalf of Amr Zedan–who held the hot draw, securing the filly for $1.8 million.

“Nothing surprises me at these sales anymore,” said Lanni. “Everyone knew she was the best. I'm just happy we got her.”

Donato Lanni | Photos by Z

He continued, “You come to a sale like this every year and you never know what you are going to see. That's what's great about the 2-year-old sales, there are some horses that just do things that are out of the ordinary. Everyone witnessed that she had a breeze that was unbelievable. And she did the same thing the week before.”

According to Lanni, the Florida-bred filly will head west to join Zedan's regular trainer, Bob Baffert.

'She is a cool filly,” Lanni said. “Every time I saw her, she was out of her stall. She just took it all in stride. She was easy to like.”

A member of the first crop of the Ocala Stud-based sire Win Win Win, the Mar. 9 foal is a daughter of the unplaced mare Unanimity (Union Rags), herself out of Lady Discreet (Boundary)–a half-sister to Grade I winners Discreet Cat and Discreetly Mine. The juvenile's 9-year-old dam, who is a half-sister to SW and GSP Courtesan (Street Sense) and SW Chary (Montbrook), RNA'd for $65,000 at this venue in 2017.

“We always come to the sales and look at horses by sires that are a bit obscure or haven't had a runner yet,” explained Lanni. “What's great is that you never know where the good ones will come from.”

With Ocala Stud's influence running through the March sale's topper top and bottom, Lanni was clearly impressed with the operation.

“She comes from a great outfit and they are honest people and I trust them,” he underscored. “And when they breeze one, you never really see one like that. She was special.”

When asked if this was his first Win Win Win purchase, Lanni quipped, “I hope she's a win win win.”  @CBossTDN

Authentic Colt Brings a Cool Million

A colt from the first crop of GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (hip 601) provided a jolt to the early stages of Thursday's final session of the OBS March sale when selling for $1 million to an online bid from John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock. Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, the chestnut worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5. Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo's operation purchased the colt for $260,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“Absolutely stunning physical,” Resolute's Gavin O'Connor said. “His breeze was so fluent and he looked fantastic going a fast time.”

Hip 601 | Photos by Z

The juvenile is out of stakes-placed Ruby Trust (Smart Strike), a daughter of graded winner Queen of the Catsle (Tale of the Cat).

“The cross through Authentic with Into Mischief over Smart Strike and his overall physical would make him a standout in any stallion barn in Kentucky,” O'Connor said.

Resolute Bloodstock purchased five juveniles during the OBS March sale, including a $525,000 daughter of American Pharoah (hip 370) and a $500,000 filly by Munnings (hip 453).

The result was the first million-dollar sale for Authentic, winner of the 2020 Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The Spendthrift stallion was represented by a $900,000 colt at last year's Keeneland September sale, as well two $875,000 sons at that sale and a third at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.

Hartley and DeRenzo, who sold the $1.5-million Not This Time colt during Wednesday's session of the March sale, came back later Thursday to sell a filly by Uncle Mo (hip 681) for $600,000 to Seth Morris, as agent for Hit the Bid Stables. The bay was a $290,000 Fasig-Tipton July purchase last summer.  @JessMartiniTDN

Bernardini Filly to Speedway

A filly by Bernardini (hip 613) will be joining Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway Stables after bloodstock agent Marette Farrell went to $875,000 to acquire the juvenile from the de Meric Sales consignment early in Thursday's final session of the OBS March sale.

Marette Farrell | Photos by Z

“She's a beautiful filly,” Farrell said. “Both Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner were here themselves and they really liked her. And we love the fact she is by Bernardini. She traces to a really good family.”

The juvenile is out of graded-placed Salamera (Successful Appeal) and from the family of Grade I runners Piedi Bianchi and Outadore. She was bred by the Eisamans' Eico Ventures, which purchased the mare for $300,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale.

“She looks super athletic and we think she will come around quickly and they will have a lot of fun with her,” Farrell said of the filly who worked a furlong last week in :10 flat.

During Wednesday's second session of the auction, Farrell purchased a colt by Mitole for $725,000 on behalf of Speedway. Both juveniles will be trained by Bob Baffert. @JessMartiniTDN

Mori Extends to $800k for Son of Constitution

Ever present at North America's major sales in his trademark red jacket, Hideyuki Mori landed a son of Constitution for $800,000 early in Thursday's session at OBS. Consigned by Scanlon Training and Sales, Hip 617 breezed an eighth of a mile in :9.4 last week.

“He liked the build of the horse and of course, the most important factor was his performance on the track,” said Hideyuki Mori through an interpreter. “You get good value for the horses here. They are nice and inexpensive. In Japan, the horses are nice too, but expensive. They are also very nice here, but more affordable. That's why he keeps coming back.”

Hideyuki Mori | Photos by Z

Bred by Don Alberto, the chestnut is out of Argentine multiple group winner Sand Puce (Arg) (Footstepsinthesand).

“The intention is to get these horses to the races as early as possible. His horses usually make their debuts early, which is why they can go on to be successful. They're ready to return at three and then target group company. That's how he likes to train the horses he buys here.”

The Mar. 23 foal RNA'd for $385,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale last summer. A full-brother to the colt, Burden of Proof, sold for $700,000 in Saratoga in 2022.

“He was training really well coming in here,” said David Scanlon. “Constitution has also been doing really well, his horses have been doing well. He has proven to show horses getting ready for Classic races. Based on the pedigree and the strength of his work, he was rewarded.

“He walked well, he breezed well and is out of a hard-knocking mare. There was a lot of interest in him from all the right parties, so everything lined up.”

Also during Thursday's session, Scanlon sold Hip 641, a colt by Liam's Map, for $500,000 to MyRacehorse. @CBossTDN

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“I was really impressed by the number of people who were here watching the breeze show,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “The quality of horse flesh is as good a March sale as we have had in a long time. We seem to say that every year, but the consignors seem to outdo themselves every year and bring better horses. There is a lot of activity on the grounds right now. Horses looked good at the breeze show and they look good at the barns as well. So we are excited about the sale.”

There were five seven-figure juveniles sold at the 2023 March sale, led by subsequent Grade I winner Muth (Good Magic), who sold for $2 million to Zedan Racing Stables. There were 24 horses who sold for $500,000 or more at the auction, double the number from 2022. Those numbers reflect the end result of the auction's change from a select to an open sale, according to Wojciechowski.

“We opened up the March sale about five or six years ago and took it away from being a select sale and made it an open sale,” Wojciechowski said. “I think people now appreciate and understand that March is a larger catalogue. That the guy that thought he was going to get priced out of the market when it was a select sale, now it has been demonstrated over enough years that they can come buy a horse in their price range and be happy with the results. Not only did we need the buyers to see that, but the sellers did as well.”

The OBS April Spring Sale had become much more of a destination sale over the last several years, but Wojciechowski said top-level horses are gravitating back to the March sale.

“When we originally opened it up, some of those [top] horses may have gotten scared and thought they couldn't participate in March,” he said. “I think they are seeing the pendulum swings back and forth and a lot of them went to April. April is a great sale and those horses do good in April, but over the last couple of years, some guys who have made the commitment to send them to March have been rewarded for it. I think they can kind of see, not unlike April, there is something for everyone, both buyers and sellers.”

During last week's under-tack show, a pair of juveniles by first-crop sires shared the fastest furlong time of :9 3/5: a filly by Vekoma (hip 448) consigned by Wavertree Stables and a colt by Tiz the Law (hip 529) consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds.

A filly by Win Win Win (hip 788) consigned by Ocala Stud turned in the under-tack show's fastest quarter-mile breeze of :20 1/5.

With plenty of activity around Ocala Stud's Barn 4 over the weekend, the operation's David O'Farrell is looking for a competitive market this week.

“We weren't really planning on a busy show day, but we were busy showing horses throughout the day,” O'Farrell said Saturday. “I think traffic will be fine. I am optimistic about the sale, there are some really nice horses on the grounds. I think the previous sales have shown that the market is pretty darn good and I think it'll be a good horse sale.”

O'Farrell said strong results on the racetrack should lead to return buyers at the sales. In addition to Muth, multiple graded stakes winner Nysos (Nyquist) and Ocala Stud-bred GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew) also sold in Central Florida last year.

“The 2-year-old sales graduates have performed really well this year,” O'Farrell said. “Basically, 2-year-old purchases have performed really well and our runners are our best advertisement. I don't see any reason that the market isn't going to be very good.”

Despite O'Farrell's optimism, consignor Eddie Woods is expecting to see some familiar patterns emerge at the March sale.

“It's going to be the same old story,” Woods said. “Top end, all the way, they will bring all the money. And you just have to hang on to your hats with the rest of them, I think. There will be some people there for other horses, but that's just the way the sales have been the last couple of years–not just the 2-year-old sales, all sales.”

The March catalogue also includes 40 horses who are part of the dispersal of the racing stock of the late Bob Lothenbach. Consigned by de Meric Sales, Niall Brennan Stables, Tom McCrocklin and Ocala Stud, the group galloped at last week's under-tack show.

Lothenbach passed away last November and the dispersal of his stock began at Fasig-Tipton last month with a digital sale of racing age horses followed by a selection of broodmares and short yearlings at the company's Winter Mixed Sale.

“There are some nice quality horses in there, no doubt,” said Wojciechowski. “The fact that they galloped here, I don't think is having any connotation negative or otherwise other than understanding the situation. Everyone understands the situation under which [the dispersal] is occurring.”

The March sale will be held Tuesday through Thursday with sessions beginning each day at 11 a.m.

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“It wasn't a real surprise,” said Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell. “She prepped very well last week, did it very easily and she's just a really, really good filly. She's got 'it'–she's got that 'it' factor. You really don't know exactly what you have until the final prep.

“She's powerful, very classy and very good-minded,” he continued. “She came back to the barn after her breeze and just cooled out beautifully. She never turned a hair, she's very quiet and just great to be around. Every time you ask her for work, she lays it down for you. We were high on her at the farm, but when we got over here it completely translated. She's the real deal, she's fast.”

Hip 788 is the latest foal out of their homebred Unanimity (Union Rags), whose own dam Lady Discreet (Boundary) was acquired by Ocala Stud for $45,000 in foal to Phone Trick at the 2004 OBS Fall Mixed Sale.

A daughter of 1995 GI Alabama S. heroine Pretty Discreet (Private Account), Lady Discreet is a half-sister to Grade I-winning sire Discreet Cat (Forestry), GISW Discreetly Mine (Mineshaft) and SW/MGISP Pretty Wild (Wild Again). For Ocala Stud, Lady Discreet produced MSW & MGSP Courtesan (Street Sense), the stakes-winning and stakes-producing Chary (Montbrook) and The Shady Lady (Quality Road), the unraced dam of undefeated GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew) and SW Devious Dame (Girvin).

The second-fastest quarter-mile move Saturday was turned in by the Pick View LLC-consigned hip 686, a first-crop son of Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) out of the Irish stakes-placed So Stylish (Johannesburg), who stopped the clock in :20 2/5. Bred by Mt. Brilliant Farm & Ranch, hip 686 was purchased by Pick View for $40,000 at Keeneland September last fall.

A day after a pair of horses shared the :9 3/5 bullet for one-eighth mile breezes, no fewer than seven juveniles shared top honors when working in :9 4/5 Saturday. They include:

• Hip 670, a Catalina Cruiser half-brother to SP Motown Mischief (Malibu Moon) from Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel);

• Hip 745, a filly by Uncle Mo out of 2018 GIII Forward Gal S. winner Take Charge Paula (Take Charge Indy) consigned by Top Line Sales LLC;

• Hip 780, a Bolt d'Oro filly whose dam Troublesome (Into Mischief) produced MSW Amidst Waves (Midshipman) from the draft of Wavertree Sales Inc (Ciaran Dunne);

• Hip 824, a colt by Mitole–Warrior's Way (Quality Road) from L. G., Agent;

• Hip 825, a New York-bred, May-foaled colt by Goldencents and a half-brother to SW Treasure King (Treasure Beach {GB}) from the consignment of Cesar Loya Training & Sales;

• Hip 840, a Top Line-consigned daughter of Liam's Map from the family of Grade I winners Harmony Lodge (Hennessy) and Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) and;

• Hip 844, a filly from the first crop by Instagrand (Into Mischief) out of a half-sister to Grade I-winning juvenile Noble's Promise (Cuvee) and from the family of GISW Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) from the Eddie Woods draft.

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Newly crowned as champion 2-year-old male, Fierceness makes his much-anticipated sophomore debut on Saturday in the GIII Holy Bull S., but he won't be the only starter representing Ocala Stud. Hades (Awesome Slew), who is two for two for trainer Joe Orseno, was bred and raised at Ocala Stud before he sold to D.J. Stable as a 2-year-old.

Like everyone tuning into the early Kentucky Derby preps this weekend, Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell is familiar with the anticipation that always comes around this time of year.

“It's the most exciting time of the year in this business once you get to the Derby prep races and see the potential of these young 3-year-olds,” he said.

To have two promising graduates in the same starting gate for the first leg of Florida's road to the Kentucky Derby makes this season all the more sweet.

Ocala Stud and the O'Farrells have been affiliated with Hades's female family for several generations, going back to his third dam Grade I winner and producer Pretty Discreet (Private Account). His dam The Shady Lady (Quality Road) never made it to the racetrack, but all four of her foals of racing age are winners including Devious Dame (Girvin), who sold as a 2-year-old for $240,000 and went on to win the 2022 Astoria S.

Hades is from the second crop of Ocala Stud's own Awesome Slew, a multiple graded stakes winner by Awesome Again who was the leading first-crop sire in Florida in 2022.

O'Farrell said that Hades was as straightforward as they come from the time he was foaled, on through the breaking and training process and at the sales, where he brought $130,000 at the OBS April Sale.

“He never had any issues and was good-minded,” he explained. “You never really know what the level of talent is until you get close to the sale, but he performed beautifully at OBS, sold for a nice price, went to a good home and the rest is history.”

Breaking his maiden on debut for D.J. Stable and Robert Cotran, Hades went on to win a state-bred, seven-furlong contest at Gulfstream on Dec. 31 by eight lengths. The gelding earned a 84 Beyer Speed Figure for that effort.

Hades has a full-brother pointing for the upcoming OBS April Sale as well as a yearling half-sister by Girvin. The Shady Lady is in foal to Ocala Stud sire Win Win Win this year.

With Paco Lopez aboard, Hades drew the first position for Saturday's Holy Bull, but of course he'll have to contend with overwhelming favorite Fierceness, who has been training at Palm Beach Downs since his Breeders' Cup victory.

A second-generation homebred for Repole Stable, Fierceness was among just the second crop of horses that Ocala Stud has trained for Repole.

“He was another one that kind of quietly went through the program,” O'Farrell explained. “He was medium sized and never grabbed your attention, but also didn't do anything to get your attention in a bad way. Sometimes those are the best ones. By the last two or three weeks when we started breezing him a little bit, he was doing extremely well.”

Ocala Stud's list of 2023 graduates for Repole Stable also includes 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road). Owned in partnership with St. Elias Stable, the winner of the 2023 GII Pilgrim S. runs just before the Holy Bull on Saturday in the GIII Kitten's Joy S.

Hades gets a second straight win for trainer Joe Orseno and owners D.J. Stable and Robert Cotran | Ryan Thompson

“When you train horses for Repole, you're really spoiled because there are so many nice horses,” said O'Farrell. “Agate Road is no different. He went out in a Repole set and was as nice as anyone in the set.”

O'Farrell said that this winter they have 12 Repole horses at their farm's training center.

Also among the year's Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Ocala Stud is represented by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's Locked (Gun Runner), the winner of the 2023 GI Breeders' Futurity who finished third in the Juvenile, as well as Born Noble (Constitution), who had an eye-popping maiden win for St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds on Dec. 30 and returns to the starting gate on Saturday at Gulfstream.

It's a loaded group of promising Ocala Stud graduates and odds are good that plenty more accolades are in the farm's future as the year continues.

“It really comes down to the owners sending us nice horses,” O'Farrell explained when asked about Ocala Stud's recent accomplishments. “We have a great group of clients and it starts with the horse. We're blessed to be able to train so many nice, well-bred horses. We have an unbelievable staff that has been with us for a long time. Our trainer George Burrows has been with us over 40 years. Many of his assistants and foremen and exercise riders have been with us for over 30 years.”

It's the best–and busiest–time of the year at Ocala Stud as foals are hitting the ground, the breeding shed doors are about to open and the countdown is on for the first 2-year-old sale in just a few weeks. Plus, the farm's stallion roster features three young sires who will be represented by their first foals this year.

“We have a couple of Roadsters on the ground and they're really nice, so we're off to a very good start there,” O'Farrell reported. “We're waiting on the first Colonel Liam in the next 10 days or so and Gretzky the Great has one coming in the next few days. We're excited about the first crops from them this year. It's a lot to juggle this time of year, but it's a lot of fun.”

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Re-elected to three-year terms were current trustees Shannon Arvin, Jeffrey Bloom, Marette Farrell, Brant Laue, Garrett O'Rourke, and Stephen Screnci.

“It's an honor and a privilege to lead an organization that deeply cares about the economics and integrity of horse racing on behalf of owners and breeders,” O'Farrell said.

Following its annual members meeting, the TOBA Board of Trustees met to elect officers for the association.

Officers named for 2023-2024 are: David O'Farrell, chairman, Everett Dobson, vice-chairman, Dan Metzger, president; Doug Cauthen, secretary; and Garrett O'Rourke, treasurer.

The TOBA Board also approved the appointment of Alex Solis II to the American Graded Stakes Committee.

The 2023-2024 committee is comprised of TOBA members Everett Dobson (chair), Barbara Banke, Walker Hancock, Brant Laue, David O'Farrell, and Alex Solis II and racing officials Dan Bork (Churchill Downs and Ellis Park) Frank Gabriel (NYRA), Rick Hammerle (Kentucky Downs), Chris Merz (Santa Anita Park), and Tora Yamaguchi (Del Mar).

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Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) will look to join Street Sense and Nyquist as GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winners to capture the roses the following spring.

The dark bay heads to the Kentucky Derby as the one to beat following impressive victories in this term's GII Fountain of Youth S. and GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. A runaway debut winner going five furlongs at Belmont Park late last May, he concluded his juvenile campaign with three straight wins at the top level.

Forte learned his early lessons at Ocala Stud in Florida before heading to two-time Kentucky Derby winning-trainer Todd Pletcher last spring.

“He's the one that we identified early on as being the cream of the crop,” Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell said.

“He was very forward. He was a horse that from day one was super athletic. We felt like he could be a really good 2-year-old and he had enough stretch that maybe he could be a two-turn horse. You just never really envisioned him as being the Derby favorite a year later, but anything is possible. He was a horse that never had a bad day. He was one of the first two that we sent in to Pletcher in March of last year to get ready for Saratoga. We felt like he was going to be really precocious and a horse that would be a lot of fun in the summertime for the partnership of Repole and St. Elias. He's one of those that not only did he perform as a 2-year-old, he just kept getting better and better and better.”

O'Farrell concluded, “It's been really exciting to watch. He's just an awfully nice horse that we're fortunate enough to be a part of.”

Bred in Kentucky by Amy Moore's South Gate Farm, the $80,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $110,000 Keeneland September yearling is one of 15 graded winners worldwide for Violence and is the first foal out of four-time stakes winner Queen Caroline (Blame). Forte's half-brother by Uncle Mo brought $850,000 from Mayberry Farm at last year's Keeneland September sale.

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Interestingly, of the seven Bolt d'Oro progeny that were featured in our 'Thoughts from Ocala' video series (see here and here), five of those went on to break their maiden on debut. That group includes Agency, who spent his early days under saddle with SBM Training and Sales and went on to run second in the GIII Best Pal S., as well as King's Fortune, who was with Niall Brennan. Now owned in part by Brennan, the colt got his first win last month at Gulfstream for Todd Pletcher.

So who do the consignors in Ocala believe is the standout freshman sire this year? The most-mentioned stallion among the three consignors we visited was, hands down, Omaha Beach.

True, it's not an incredibly out-of-the-box response as the Spendthrift sire does hold the top stud fee in his class at $30,000 this year, but given his illustrious pedigree and the success of his yearlings in the sales ring, consignors have every reason to be excited about the Omaha Beach juveniles.

Read on to find out what a few consignors have to say about Omaha Beach. Click on each name to watch our 'Consignor Perspectives' video feature, where we go more in-depth about this year's class of first-crop stallions.

David O'Farrell

We are really impressed with the Omaha Beach 2-year-olds so far. I think the fact that he was a dirt horse lends the possibility that he could be versatile on any surface. I think they're going to be early, but I don't think they're going to have distance limitations either. I think he has a lot of potential to be a really great sire.

Our Omaha Beach filly out of Hot Water (Medaglia d'Oro) is just really special. She seems to be a really good filly–very athletic, loves her job, moves well on the racetrack. Just everything you like to see in a young 2-year-old at this stage.

The Omaha Beach filly out of Starlit Daydream (Can The Man) is a handy filly. She has an efficient way of moving and a lot of quality about her. She shows a lot of promise.

Also mentioned: Vino Rosso (Spendthrift, $15,000)

Value first-crop sire pick: Enticed (Darley, $5,000)

David Scanlon:

I've got a couple Omaha Beach 2-year-olds that I'm really impressed with. They share a lot of the similarities of War Front in their power and their musculature, but they seem to have a little bit more size and scope to them.

We have a nice Omaha Beach going to the OBS April Sale. He's out of the mare Queen's Wood (Tiznow) and is a big, powerful colt. He's a really strong horse, but he just floats over the ground effortlessly. We're really happy with him and really excited about him as a prospect.

Also mentioned: Vino Rosso (Spendthrift, $15,000) and Mitole (Spendthrift, $15,000)

Value first-crop sire pick: Maximus Mischief (Spendthrift, $5,000)

April Mayberry:

I have one Omaha Beach colt and one filly and I like them both. I like that in a sire, when they don't lean more towards fillies or more towards colts. They are all kind of similar looking and they all are good-minded. They move nicely. They've done everything I've asked of them and look like they have some talent.

Also mentioned: Audible (WinStar, $25,000) and Catalina Cruiser (Lane's End, $15,000)

Value first-crop sire pick: World of Trouble (Hill 'n' Dale, $5,000)

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Speakers at the clinic include: Tammy Gantt and George Isaacs; Dr. Johnny Mac Smith, DVM; Marette Farrell (bloodstock agent); Tod Wojciechowski, director of sales for Ocala Breeders' Sales Company; David O'Farrell from Ocala Stud.

To register, visit toba.memberclicks.net/seminars-clinics.

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David O'Farrell is outspoken in his belief that their Grade I-winning trio of new stallions makes for a special group. Two-time GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. winner Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) recently joined the roster alongside newcomers Roadster (Quality Road), another eye-catching dappled gray who did his best work on dirt, as well as  Gretzky the Great, a precocious son of leading fourth-crop sire Nyquist.

“I think these are three of the most exciting stallion prospects that we've stood for a really long time,” O'Farrell stated. “I think there is a really nice variety to offer Florida breeders with sire power, good race records and very good physicals. They all have the qualities to be leading sires and I think it's a great opportunity for everybody here in Florida.”

Roadster, a 'TDN Rising Star' as a debuting juvenile and the winner of the 2019 GI Santa Anita Derby, makes for an interesting stallion prospect in part because of the powerhouse group of supporters already backing the new sire. His breeder Stone Farm and campaigner Speedway Stable will both be supporting the son of Quality Road, as will Rustlewood Farm and Airdrie Stud.

Ocala Stud and Airdrie already have a promising track record with partnering on stallions. Last year's fast-starting freshman sire Girvin launched his career at Ocala Stud and relocated to Airdrie this year with five stakes winners already to his credit.

Roadster bests juvenile champion Game Winner in the 2019 GI Santa Anita Derby | Benoit

“We had been competing with Airdrie for years on the same stallion prospects and we kind of have the same mentality when it comes to picking stallions,” O'Farrell explained. “So rather than competing with one another, we've started to partner up on certain stallions. We had Girvin, and now we have Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and we're adding Roadster. We both support the horses with nice mares and it's been a great partnership. We couldn't be more excited to partner with this group with Roadster and get him off to a really good start.”

During his career, Roadster came just short of reaching one million in earnings, defeating juvenile champion Game Winner in the Santa Anita Derby and coming home with additional Grade I placings in the Del Mar Futurity at two and the Malibu S. behind Omaha Beach at three.

“To have a top-level son of Roadster is really exciting,” said O'Farrell. “He has a lot of pedigree, was a tremendous racehorse and has a very good physical. He's a typical Quality Road–kind of long and lean, but with a lot of quality. He's very athletic and well-balanced.”

Roadster is out of stakes winner Ghost Dancing (Silver Ghost), who is also the dam of GI Manhattan S. victor Ascend (Candy Ride {Arg}).

O'Farrell said that Roadster, who launches his career at $7,500, has been received enthusiastically by Florida breeders and will be booked full in just a few weeks.

Colonel Liam's retirement was announced just three weeks ago, but the millionaire has brought a steady stream of interested breeders since his arrival.

“The Colonel Liam deal came together really quickly for us right at the start of the breeding season,” O'Farrell explained. “It's giving us a boost coming into the season. A lot of breeders in Florida book their mares a little later, but we've had a lot of traffic and a lot of good feedback. People are really excited about him standing here in Florida.”

Colonel Liam did his best work in the Sunshine State, winning his first start on the Gulfstream dirt before switching to the turf and taking the Tropical Park Derby and back-to-back editions of the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf. His resume also includes victories in the 2021 GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. and the GII Muniz Memorial Classic S.

Gretzky the Great takes the 2020 GI Summer S. | Michael Burns

“I think that he's probably the best racehorse that we've stood at stud as far as accomplishments in a really long time,” O'Farrell said. “He's a three-time grade I winner on the turf, but he has a dirt pedigree. He's by champion dirt miler Liam's Map and is out of a Bernardini mare, so it gives you confidence that he could throw top-level runners on any surface. Even though he didn't run at two, he did have speed. He worked :20 4/5 at the OBS April Sale, so we have confidence that he could sire 2-year-olds and a lot of quality dirt runners.”

A $1.2 million juvenile for Robert and Lawana Low, Colonel Liam's second dam Wonder Again (Silver Hawk) was also a millionaire and multiple Grade I winner.

O'Farrell reported that the Lows are busy buying mares to support their new stallion, who will launch his stud career at a fee of $6,500.

The third member of Ocala Stud's new roster, Gretzky the Great, is another Grade I-winning turfer with a dirt pedigree. The 5-year-old is the first son of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and leading fourth-crop sire Nyquist to go to stud. He is out of the stakes-placed Bernardini mare Pearl Turn.

Campaigned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber, Gretzky the Great won the Soaring Free S. and GI Summer S. at two, earning the Sovereign Award for champion 2-year-old male in 2020. He went on to further stakes success in the Greenwood S. at three.

“He was a precocious, very classy individual,” O'Farrell said. “He has a dirt pedigree, which leads us to believe that he could be a very good sire of runners on either surfaces. He's a really good-looking horse and is by a sire line that I believe in. I think he's a really neat prospect for Florida breeders.”

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In an economy where connections are forced to steadily tighten their belts, it's not an unreasonable nor unforeseen response to current trends to ask for more before opening a wallet. Many owners/syndicates with stallions outside of Kentucky usually find themselves among their stallion's chief supporters until the first crop runners make their first impressions.

An example of this would be the case of Ocala Stud's Battalion Runner (Unbridled's Song) and his son, Rudder's Men. Unveiled last Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Belmont The Big A meet for breeder–and sire owner–St. Elias Stable, the dark bay was hard to miss as he sailed through a brisk :22.53 opening quarter while under wraps, and sprinting home to an easy 4 1/4-length score. With the effort, he became Battalion Runner's third winner after Lady Runner and Lightnin Runner. The latter carried her sire's banner into the winner's enclosure Sept. 17 in Charles Town's Rachel's Turn S., his first black-type horse. Not a bad feat for any sire to have his first winner also turn out his first stakes victory, no matter the track.

Battalion Runner's first crop tally? A grand total of nine foals.

“We foaled, raised, and trained Rudder's Men,” said Ocala Stud's general manager David O'Farrell. “He's a runner. When we shipped him up to Todd Pletcher, we all felt that [Rudder's Men] would have to be the one to help carry the load and really give Battalion Runner a chance to come on the scene. We thought he would be better suited running in Florida as a state-bred by a Florida sire, but Todd realized when he got him up there that the horse could run in open company in New York and that's what he did.”

A part of a still-growing legacy from Tamboz (Tapit), Battalion Runner claims a host of accomplished siblings. One of which being a more recent, and easily recognizable name, in GI Preakness-placed Creative Minister (Creative Cause); starting his career at Gulfstream Park before finding himself on the national stage in just his fourth career start.

And it's not just his immediate family, either. Battalion Runner's dam is a full-sister to Tapizar, whose determination en route to victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile–by some genetic magic–was passed on to his offspring. None were more famous than the fabulous Monomoy Girl, who accumulated quite a career crowned by victories in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks and dual GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaffs. Tapizar tragically passed away in a stall accident a few weeks before he was scheduled to travel to Japan to begin his 2021 season at Yushun Stallion Station.

However, misfortune has a counter-balance as successes in the pedigree hail notably in the form of Olympio (Naskra), Fun House (Prized), and Cuvee (Carson City), who make appearances deep in Battalion Runner's female line; genetics which still enjoy a long-arching impact on the breed today.

Battalion Runner earns 'TDN Rising Star'-dom in 2016 | Lauren King

On the back of a workman's female family–even before the most recent additions–and as a son of the great Unbridled's Song, the stallion's eye-catching conformation helped him command a princely sum as a Keeneland September yearling in his day; bringing $700,000 from Crupi's New Castle. Racing for the partnership of Teresa Viola Racing Stables and St. Elias Stable, the striking grey overcame such an eventful second career start (winning by over eight lengths after playing bridesmaid on debut) that the effort attracted even the TDN to his side, awarding him the title of 'Rising Star'.

Battalion Runner would duel his way to a second, gutsy victory in his 3-year-old bow in 2017 before traveling north to the Big A for a start in the GII Wood Memorial. The defeated favorite that day by Irish War Cry (Curlin), and finishing ahead of names like Cloud Computing (Maclean's Music) and Mo Town (Uncle Mo), he'd run third three months later in the GIII Dwyer after his connections opted to bypass the GI Kentucky Derby. The winner that day was Practical Joke (Into Mischief).

Unknowingly, the GIII Smarty Jones S. at Parx, where he steadied to fifth, would end up being a career finale; the connections valiant, but ultimately unsuccessful, in their efforts to bring him back from injury.

Then came a curious initial phone call to O'Farrell.

“[St. Elias Stables'] Vinny [Viola] reached out to me at a time when breeding season was just about under way and said that they'd had Battalion Runner at Crupi's New Castle Farm. They were trying to bring him back, and he just wasn't able to do it.”

He admits that the timing was less than ideal: the stallion register had already been printed, many breeders had already committed their mares, they'd be behind the eight-ball on getting him advertised, and that was only the start.

“I told Vinny that I just didn't feel that we could do the job he'd expect. He was an awfully nice horse but as a non-stakes winner getting a late start, it would be very tough to get mares to the horse. With all the expenses of registering, advertising, and so on, I told him I didn't think [Battalion Runner] would generate enough to pay his way.”

O'Farrell says Viola understood the concerns and the uphill battle his stallion prospect was facing. Such was racing luck; it could be kind but it could also be cruel, and it seemed like Battalion Runner had just missed the favorable side. But like all good sportsmen in the industry, Viola refused to ignore his gut feeling and sometime later, the second call came in to O'Farrell with a counteroffer.

“He said 'You're going to think I'm crazy, but we still have this horse. I know it makes absolutely zero business sense, but would you stand the horse if I breed a few mares to him? I'll pay the registration fees; I just want to have a little fun with it. I believe in him, I just have a feeling.'…And I was all for it.”

Battalion Runner arrived to his new Florida home and the owner was good to his word, but in a way O'Farrell admitted he wasn't entirely expecting. There would be fillies, yes, but 12 claimed straight from the track as opposed to experienced broodmares. The second challenge to overcome would be the impending end to the season, and getting all covered by a stallion who had never jumped a mare before. It was a tall order, but remarkably, one Battalion Runner rose to. Of his first initial group, 11 caught and nine foals hit the ground; all late, but they were here.

“It was a very unconventional way to start, and market a stallion, but they're having fun with it. And they're being rewarded.”

For everything to navigate through, it might well end up an understatement. The sire currently sits at a 33% win and 11% stakes rate coupled with the fact that, of their eight combined starts, the offspring have won half of them. The chance to become the sire of a multiple stakes winner will come Saturday, Oct. 29 when Lightnin Runner goes to post in the Eleanor Casey Memorial S. at Charles Town. In many aspects, the grey stallion has thrown his hat into a familiar ring; one where Florida breeders carefully and patiently prove their 'eye' for horses is as good as any in the big markets.

Firenze Fire Savages Yaupon in GI Forego | Susie Raisher

As for Rudder's Men, it appears the cliché 'the sky is the limit' runs true. Much like his sire, the colt hails from an active female family. His young dam Unblemished (Speightstown) is a half-sister to the second-busiest stallion in North America; Spendthrift's Yaupon (Uncle Mo). That sibling-turned-sire won the infamous rendition of the GI Forego at Saratoga where rival Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) chose violence and took to savaging him over gracefully accepting defeat.

A $140,000 Keeneland September graduate–purchased by Crupi's New Castle–the mare is also a half to GII Del Mar Derby and GII Twilight Derby-placed Sawyer's Hill (Spring At Last), who enjoyed a fruitful career as a multiple winner in California. As one of the 12 claims by St. Elias Stable in 2019, she was picked up for $40,000 in a maiden claimer over the Belmont turf, a race in which she finished eighth after breaking through the gate and dumping her rider. For all the chaotic circumstances leading to his arrival, Unblemished's first foal is already showing a lot of promise and so to is the gut feeling Viola would not ignore.

“It's really a passion project of Vinny's. He raced and campaigned Battalion Runner…the horse is absolutely gorgeous. He's putting a lot of bone on his babies, and I wouldn't be surprised when he has more than one runner. If he gets the chances, he's one who could really make it,” said O'Farrell. “From what we've seen, the St. Elias weanling crop this year is exceptional. He's passing on his good looks, and if they run like anything close to what Rudder's Men is capable of, they're going to be in business for a long time.”

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