eddie woods

Violence Colt, Munnings Filly Top OBS March Sale’s First Session

A colt by Violence and a filly by Munnings each brought $550,000 to top the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2021 March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Hip No. 48, a son of Violence consigned by Kirkwood Stables, Agent went to Spendthrift Farm LLC. The dark bay or brown colt, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was co-fastest at the distance at Thursday's Under Tack session, is out of Lemon Belle, by Lemon Drop Kid, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Unrivaled Belle.

Hip No. 216, a daughter of Munnings who worked an eighth on Friday in :10 flat was sold to Donato Lanni, Agent. Consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, the bay filly is a half-sister to graded stakes-winning OBS graduate Aegean out of Show Me, by Lemon Drop Kid.

Hip No. 163, a son of Unified consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was sold for $530,000 to Carolyn Wilson. The dark bay or brown colt, whose quarter on Thursday in :20 2/5 was the sale's co-fastest, is out of stakes winner Promise Me a Cat, by D'wildcat, from the family of graded stakes-placed stakes winner Tempered Halo.

Hip No. 188, a son of Cairo Prince consigned by Harris Training Center LLC, Agent, went to Narvick International for $525,000. The dark bay or brown colt by Cairo Prince, who turned in an eighth on Thursday in a co-fastest :9 4/5, is out of stakes placed Sadie Be Good, by Big Drama, from the family of graded stakes-placed stakes winner It'sallinthechase.

Hip No. 202, a son of War Front who turned in an Under Tack eighth on Friday in :10 flat, went to Ron Ellis for $525,000. The bay colt, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, is out of stakes winner Serene Melody, by Street Cry (IRE), a daughter of champion Serena's Song.

Hip No. 243, a son of Liam's Map consigned by Pick View LLC, Agent, was sold to Narvick International for $525,000. The gray or roan colt, who breezed a quarter in:20 3/5 on Friday, is a half-brother to stakes-placed Delia O'Hara out of stakes placed Starlet O'Hara, by Discreetly Mine.

Hip No. 10, a daughter of Into Mischief consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was sold to Yuji Hasegawa for $500,000. The bay filly, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was co-fastest on Thursday, is out of stakes winner Island Escape, by Petionville, and is half-sister to graded stakes winner Tricky Escape.

Yuji Hasegawa also went to $500,000 for Hip No. 224, a daughter of Into Mischief consigned by Gene Recio, Agent. The bay filly whose eighth in :9 4/5 on Friday was the session's co-fastest, is out of Sly Warrior, by First Samurai, a half sister to stakes placed Pull Dancer, dam of graded stakes winner Good Samaritan.

Hip No 259, a son of Candy Ride (ARG) who breezed an eighth on Friday in :10 flat, was sold to Yuji Hasegawa for $500,000. The bay colt, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, out of stakes winner Supreme, by Empire Maker, is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed stakes winner Silver State, winner of the recent Essex Handicap at Oaklawn.

For the session, 163 horses sold for a total of $18,560,500 compared with 145 horses grossing $12,994,500 at last year's first session. The average price was $113,868, compared with $89,617 a year ago, while the median price was $60,000, compared with $50,000 last year. The buyback percentage was 19.7 percent; it was 39.8 percent in 2020.

The March Sale continues Wednesday, March 17 at 11 a.m. with Hip No.'s 283 – 563 set to go through the ring.

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

The post Violence Colt, Munnings Filly Top OBS March Sale’s First Session appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Market Opens Strong at OBS

by Brian DiDonato and Steve Sherack

With the end of the coronavirus pandemic seemingly in sight, and both buyers and sellers eager to return to some semblance of normalcy, the opener of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training featured borderline euphoric trade from start to finish.

A total of 160 head changed hands Tuesday for gross receipts of $18,482,500 at an average of $115,516 and a median of $62,500. The RNA rate as of Tuesday evening stood at 20%. While exact year-to-year comparisons are somewhat difficult due to OBS policy of adding subsequent post-sale transactions to its official statistics, it's clear that participants found a far different market than they did 12 months ago, when the industry and world at large was right on the precipice of COVID-19 shutting down everything and the sport was still trying to weigh the impact of a high-profile doping scandal.

During last year's corresponding session and afterwards, 145 sales were completed for a combined $12,994,500. The average was $89,617 and the median $50,000. The RNA rate was more than 44% at the immediate conclusion of the session.

“It was a very good day,” OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said at the conclusion of Tuesday's session. “It seemed like it held through the entire sale–a lot of horses got moved, with a very low RNA rate. What was great is that we saw horses trade at a lot of different levels. What we saw pre-sale, from people on the grounds, and that pent-up energy, it bore itself out today, for sure… Kudos to the consignors for the quality of horses that they brought. Without them, it's hard to have a sale, and they did a great job of presenting some horses that people really wanted.”

Nine horses sold for between $500,000 and $550,000 Tuesday, with two sharing top billing–a Violence colt (hip 48, :9 4/5) purchased by Spendthrift Farm from Kirkwood Stables, Agent I; and a Munnings filly (hip 216, :10) bought by agent Donato Lanni from Eddie Woods, Agent VIII.

Woods led all consignors during the first day of trade at OBS March, selling six juveniles for $2.127 million. He sold three head for $500,000 or more Tuesday.

“I think the market has been very good all day,” Woods said. “Even for the handy horses. You've got to remember, we didn't have the Koreans [due to the Korean Racing Authority's temporary restriction on foreign-bred racing imports] who took all those horses in the past. The traffic in the barns has been nothing short of amazing–all the way through until this evening. When you went up there this morning at five to 11 a.m. to walk around the corner, you haven't seen that many people up there in years. It's been very vibrant and positive all week.”

OBS President Tom Ventura noted that pinhookers fared significantly better buying in the 2020 yearling market and selling at March than they did in the corresponding cycle in 2019 and 2020.

“The fall was good in that there was activity, and it was steady,” Ventura said. “I think the pinhookers paid less on average–we know what's in our sale, and it's less on average than it was last year. So at least they're playing in a market that was similar and maybe even a little better right now than it was in the fall, versus last year when they were buying [yearlings] in a normal market [in 2019] and selling in the middle of a pandemic. For the market to do well today–even if the prices are not quite what they were two years ago–the money that's invested in these pinhooks is less. We're very happy with the strength and depth of the market, and hopefully we have a similar day tomorrow.”

Japan's Yuji Hasegawa was the session's top buyer, spending $1.5 million total and $500,000 apiece on three juveniles.

“We do have some Japanese buyers on the grounds, but some of the higher-priced ones were bought online,” noted Ventura. “So, not only is the online bidding part of it, but also the veterinarians in Japan are actually able to access the repository information. They need to have someone on the ground scoping the horse and looking at the horse physically, but technology is helping us from that end too.”

Wojciechowski added, “Our representative in Japan has been telling us that for a number of the horses who have come out of our sales, and out of March in particular, the buyers who purchased those horses are really happy with them, and that's driven them back to the sale.”

Among March grads to succeed in Japan is Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah), a $475,000 purchase by Emmanuel de Seroux's Narvick International on behalf of Koichi Nishikawa two years ago.

Selling continues Wednesday at 11 a.m. Watch live on www.thetdn.com.

Woods Consignment 'Riding' High After Day One at OBS March

With three offerings bringing a half-million dollars or more during the first session of OBS March–a co-topping $550,000 Munnings filly (purchased by Donato Lanni, agent); a $525,000 War Front colt (purchased by Ron Ellis); and a $500,000 Candy Ride colt (purchased by Yuji Hasegawa)–Eddie Woods led all consignors during the first day of trade, selling six juveniles for $2.127 million.

“It was a spectacular day–a fabulous day,” Woods said. “We haven't had one like this in a while.”

He continued, “I'm just grateful to have good clients that give me nice horses to sell.”

The co-topping Munnings filly (hip 216) is out of the winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Show Me, a half-sister to GSW Aegean (Northern Afleet) and SW Light Bringer (Northern Afleet). The $240,000 KEESEP yearling pinhooking prospect glided through an eighth in :10 at the breeze show. She was bred in Kentucky by Nathan McCauley.

“A spectacular filly,” Woods said. “We paid good money for her when we bought her and she grew up and got stronger and prettier. Her work was amazing and her gallop out was great. Everyone just seemed to love her because she was real easy to like.”

The War Front colt (Hip 202), a grandson of power couple's Robert B. and Beverly J. Lewis brilliant Serena's Song, is out of the stakes-winning Street Cry (Ire) mare Serene Melody. The powerful :10 breezer was bred in Kentucky by Lewis Thoroughbred Breeding. War Front's War Decree, winner of the G2 Qatar Vintage S. and G3 Koffy Diamond S., is also out of a Street Cry mare.

“The War Front colt was very backward as a yearling,” Woods said. “They didn't feel like he was going to bring what he should, so we were very lucky to get him from Mr. Lewis. He's trained beautifully all year. He's gotten better and better as we've gone along. We've always thought he was a serious horse.”

The Candy Ride colt (hip 259), a half-brother to last Saturday's game Essex S. winner and last term's GIII Lecomte S. second and GII Risen Star S. third Silver State (Hard Spun), worked in :10. His SW & GSP dam Supreme (Empire Maker) is from the female family of GI Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, hip 259 RNA'd for $95,000 as a KEESEP yearling. The Candy Ride/Empire Maker cross is also responsible for MGISW Separationofpowers and GSW Crewman.

“The Candy Ride colt belonged to Stonestreet,” Woods said. “He's another sad story from a yearling sale where he was very small. He's still not overly big, but his video was amazing, and he did grow and round out. He just hit all the spots.” –@SteveSherackTDN

Kirkwood Comes Out Firing at OBS March

Before heading down to Hallandale with his seven-strong 'Gulfstream Gallop' consignment, Kip Elser's Kirkwood Stables had a bullet to fire in Ocala Tuesday.

Hip 48, a well-related son of Violence consigned by Kirkwood Stables, Agent I, brought a co-session-topping $550,000 from Spendthrift Farm following a bullet :9 4/5 breeze.

“Push-button from the beginning,” said Elser, currently on the mend recovering from back surgery. “The horse told us this is what he wanted to do and said, 'This is how I want you to get me there.'”

Hip 48 was previously a $125,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Steve Schwartz. He is out of the winning mare Lemon Belle, a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), who also produced two-time champion Unique Bella (Tapit). Hip 48 was bred in Kentucky by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds.

Elser and Schwartz, a California-based lawyer, also teamed up to pinhook the recently retired 2020 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. winner Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man). The $95,000 KEESEP yearling buy brought $625,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old after RNA'ing for $55,000 at OBS March in 2018. Mucho Gusto was previously a $14,000 KEEJAN short yearling.

Through the Kirkwood consignment, Schwartz was also represented by hip 114, an Empire Maker colt ($50,000 KEESEP; :10 4/5), who brought $50,000 from Rob Bailes, agent for Marshall Dowell, during the first day of trade. Hip 308, a colt by Blame (:10 4/5) ($100,000 KEESEP yearling), sells Wednesday for the duo.

“Very pleased with the outcome, all credit to Steve Schwartz, who bought the horse and the crew who got him ready and presented him,” Elser said. “Congratulations to Spendthrift.”

Elser added, “I am just very lucky that Steve chooses me to be the passenger on the train.”

Kirkwood's upcoming Gulfstream consignment of non-breezing juveniles includes colts by Gun Runner, More Than Ready, Street Sense and Violence. Elser's outside-of-the-box idea was launched at the 2018 sale.

Graduates of his Gulfstream Gallop program so far include: GII Jim Dandy S. runner-up Liveyourbeastlife (Ghostzapper) ($200,000 '19 FTFMAR); GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity third Defense Wins (Flatter) ($175,000 '19 FTFMAR); and MGSP Splashy Kisses (Blame) ($100,000 '18 FTFMAR).

“Obviously, two very different programs,” Elser said of his OBS March and Gulfstream consignments. “The gallop program was dreamed up by another very brave client. I absolutely believe in the program, but it's not for everyone and it's not for every place. We're looking forward to going to Gulfstream with a very nice group of horses that goes through the gallop program at Gulfstream.” –@SteveSherackTDN

De Seroux Stays Busy

A Cairo Prince colt consigned by Robbie Harris's Harris Training Center LLC, Agent VI as hip 188 garnered a winning bid of $525,000 Tuesday from agent Emmanuel de Seroux of Narvick International, who was active throughout the session.

The :9 4/5 breezer will stay in the U.S. for his racing career, de Seroux said.

“We thought he was a lovely horse; a good mover on the track and very athletic with a nice racing future. We loved the horse,” de Seroux said.

Bred by Cairo Prince's co-owner Namcook Stables and signed for on behalf of another member of that ownership group, Paul Braverman, as a $70,000 KEENOV weanling, the dark bay RNA'd for $110,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase. He is the first foal out of MSP Sadie Be Good (Big Drama), a $125,000 OBS March grad herself.

“It's very hard to value that kind of horse because, unfortunately, there are other people who like them as well,” de Seroux said when asked about the price. “We were obviously hoping to get him a little cheaper, but there was some competition.”

In total, de Seroux signed for five head for $1,440,000. He also purchased a $525,000 Liam's Map colt (hip 243) from Pick View LLC, Agent V. Out of SP Starlet O'Hara (Discreetly Mine) and a half to MSP Delia O'Hara (Khozan), the grey worked in :20 3/5.

The agent was not surprised to see such strong competition Tuesday.

“I thought there were a lot of people on the grounds looking at the horses,” he said. “It seems like there's a strong interest in racing at the moment. It was very active on the grounds. There are a lot of buyers here.” —@BDiDonatoTDN

Into Mischief Filly Heading to Japan

Hip 10 was the first horse to breeze during last week's breeze shows when she covered a furlong in a co-quickest :9 4/5, and it was no surprise Tuesday to see the daughter of scorching-hot Into Mischief cause a stir in the ring as well.

Consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent XVII, the Feb. 15 foal was purchased by Japan's Yuji Hasegawa for $500,000.

Out of 19-year-old MSW Island Escape (Petionville), hip 10 is a half to MGSW Tricky Escape (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and GSP Felifran (Discreet Cat). Bred by Machmer Hall, she was bought back for $250,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“We had her in Book 1,” recalled Machmer Hall's Carrie Brogden. “Kyle Wilson, who works for Keeneland, loved two of our Into Mischief fillies. We had six at the time. He picked two for Book 1, our Special Me filly who we ended up selling to Liz Crow for $1.025 million, and this filly. At the time, they were both kind of going against each other, and I think the million-dollar filly just overshadowed this one a little bit. But she had never, ever stepped wrong a day in her life.”

Brogden continued, “Nick de Meric called me after she RNA'd and asked if we'd mind selling a small piece of her and sending her to them to train. Valerie de Meric is my best friend, and I've worked very closely with that family forever, so we said, 'Sure; great.' She went to Valerie and Tristan's to train, and Nick and his partnership owned a minority piece of her. They said from the get-go that she trained like an Into Mischief. They may not be perfect, they may not be 10-feet tall, they may not be this, they may not be that, but they are racehorses through and through. And I think when they come up here, that's what they show.”

Machmer Hall was an early supporter of Into Mischief, having bred one of his first of now countless stakes runners in MGSW $1.4-million earner Vyjack.

The price paid for hip 10 was about what Brogden expected.

“The day after the breeze, once we found out she vetted fine, I texted Valerie and said, 'I have a number in my head. What do you think she can bring?'… I said my number was $500,000–the reserve was significantly lower… I also thought the Japanese might be most interested in her. When she's ready to be a broodmare, it's an outcross pedigree, and the whole family works with Sunday Silence and the Halo line. Her half-sister is by Hat Trick (Jpn) (Sunday Silence). Ultimately, I think she fits well as a racehorse and a broodmare for the Japanese market. I'm thrilled and delighted.”

Hasegawa later landed another :9 4/5 breezing, $500,000 Into Mischief filly in the form of hip 224 from Gene Recio, Agent XI; and a Candy Ride (Arg) colt (hip 259) for the same price out of MSW/GSP Supreme (Empire Maker) from Eddie Woods, Agent XXV.

Hasegawa's three purchases for $1.5 million made him the leading buyer for the session. His prior Stateside purchases include a $1.5-million full-brother to champion Unique Bella (Tapit) at KEESEP '19.

Machmer Hall was also involved in another productive sale early in the session–the Brogdens had a piece of hip 50, a daughter of freshman Mohaymen consigned by Paul Sharp, Agent II.

The $40,000 OBS October buy also breezed in :9 4/5. She's a half to MSW Mother of Dragons (First Dude) out of an Indian Charlie half-sister to MGSP Join in the Dance (Sky Mesa).

“I had Join in the Dance as a 2-year-old with Paul and Sarah Sharp,” Brogden said. “He did not vet even a little bit. He went to the [Fasig-Tipton] Miami sale, he worked lights out, he had eight scopes [but RNA'd for $90,000]. So, we ended up racing him because I couldn't get him sold. He ran second at Churchill Downs and then Arlington, then we sold him to Jake Ballis's group through Kim Valerio.”

Join in the Dance ran second in the 2009 GIII Tampa Bay Derby and ran in that year's GI Kentucky Derby.

“He was our first Kentucky Derby horse, and the closest we've ever gotten to winning it–he ran seventh,” Brogden said. “He was one of the first horses who put Machmer Hall and Paul Sharp Stables in the spotlight when he ran in the Derby.”

Machmer Hall bred hip 50's dam Lets Dance Charlie and sold her for $150,000 as a KEENOV weanling.

“Sarah texted me and said, 'Look, I bought this Mohaymen out of Dance Darling (the dam of Join in the Dance)'s family!' Then we all talked about Join in the Dance and how much he meant to us,” Brogden said. “I asked if I could have a leg of the filly, and she said she thought she was already partnered out and they couldn't do it. So I wished her good luck. She called me back about an hour later and said, 'We think it'll be good luck if you have a leg, so you can come in.' We were thrilled. The first day I saw her was yesterday. She's beautiful; looks like her mother. Sarah and Paul did a great job training her, and I'm really appreciative of Sarah letting me have a piece. We've been friends for a long, long, long time.” —@BDiDonatoTDN

Success 'Stori' For Unified Colt

Stori Atchison's Dark Star Thoroughbreds sold its highest-priced juvenile to date Tuesday when Spendthrift Farm went to $400,000 to take home hip 110. From the first crop of fleet-footed MGSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Unified, the handsome dark bay was clocked in a co-quickest :9 4/5 with a particularly fast gallop-out.

The Jan. 22 foal was just a $10,000 KEENOV weanling and a $19,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling buy by Atchison.

“He was very balanced and strong and there was a lot of potential to work with,” Atchison said when asked what she liked about the colt as a yearling. “He's been very easy and forward from day one–a monster on the racetrack, but very passive and cool in the barn.”

Atchison said the price tag far exceeded her expectations. Having gotten her start working for Ricky Leppala right out of college, she has been operating Dark Star for nine years now. Her previous top seller was a $340,000 Honor Code colt at last year's OBS June sale.

Atchison is looking forward to bringing the rest of her juvenile crop to market: “I have a really good group coming this year–really good April horses, and even really good June horses that we targeted for a later sale.” —@BDiDonatoTDN

Fast Break for Cruzin' Thoroughbreds

Brayhan Cruz, consigning for the first time under the Cruzin' Thoroughbreds banner, got the new operation off to a blazing start when he sold a filly by Tonalist (hip 40) for $300,000 to Three Amigos in Ocala Tuesday. Cruz purchased the youngster last year for $10,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“It's a big number, but I really think she deserved that and more than that,” Cruz said. “She is really special. She trains really good and she's really smart, which says a lot. She is a really young filly. That's why I was really impressed with how she's performed because she's a really young filly, but with a really mature brain.”

Hip 40 is out of graded-placed La Grange (Curlin) and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Whiskey Bound (Afleet Alex). She worked a furlong in :10 flat during last week's under-tack preview.

“She's a flashy horse and she looked really great with a good body and a good attitude,” Cruz said of the filly's appeal as a yearling. “She really grabbed my attention.”

The filly only got better at Cruz's Ocala base over the winter.

“She grew up a lot,” he said. “She got better. At the beginning, she was a smart filly, but now with the time, she's gotten smarter. It was very easy for her to understand what we were asking her to do.”

While the March sale marked the debut of Cruzin' Thoroughbreds, Cruz has been consigning under a partner's banner in recent years.

He purchased a filly by Not This Time for $8,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale and reoffered her through J R Racing Stables at last year's OBS March sale where she sold to John Sacco for $25,000. Named Dirty Dangle, she won the Woodbine Cares S. and was ninth in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

“I am an exercise rider and that's how everything started,” Cruz said of his involvement in racing. “I rode horses and kept thinking about it and then I got involved in the pinhooking and I liked it. I started to learn about how to buy horses and how to break and train them. And I really liked that. It's a lot of fun and you learn a lot every single day.”

While hip 40 is Cruz's only offering at the March sale, he will offer two more juveniles at the OBS April sale and another two at the OBS June sale.

“We hope to get bigger and bigger in the business and continue making smart decisions,” Cruz said. “And at the same time, making sure people are happy with our horses. The horses don't just end here, I think the career of that filly just started right now.” —@JessMartiniTDN

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Things Looking Up As OBS March Kicks Off New Sales Season

OCALA, FL- Hardy attempts at optimism were made at last year's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale, but an unmistakably ominous atmosphere hung over the grounds. Before the first hip had even reached the walking ring in Ocala, both Keeneland's April Sale and Fasig-Tipton's Gulfstream Sale had been canceled as the tentacles of the Coronavirus pandemic tightened their grip around the nation.

There was an unforgettable discord between the then-normalcy of crowded local restaurants and stores while sporting event and festival cancellations seemed to happen between the start of each breeze set.

“Last year we were in the middle of the breeze show when we knew things were happening,” Sequel's Becky Thomas recalled. “There were people fleeing to what they thought was safety and we were stuck here with a group of horses. It was pretty traumatic. We knew that if we got through this sale it would be some time before we would have another sale.”

“Last year we were terrified,” consignor Eddie Woods echoed. “You know, we were in a total gray area. [The Coronavirus] had just shown up out of the blue and no one knew what to expect, but because of the gray area involved, our expectations were kind of nil.”

One omnipresent question sat at the forefront of sales-goers minds. When would these horses even get to see the starting gate?

After a full year of trying circumstances and steady perseverance within the racing community- one where those young sales graduates did get the opportunity to race–a new page is turned as the next crop of juveniles prepare to go through the sales ring as the OBS March Sale marks the beginning of another 2-year-old sales season.

The first of two sessions of the 561-head catalog begins Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.

“We're looking forward to this sale,” OBS President Tom Ventura said. “Last year, we didn't know whether we were moving forward or stopping. We had the sale and we made it work, but now things are loosening up. And you could see the energy on the sales ground here today. Things are doing much better with vaccinations throughout the country and I think the attitude is way different now. There's actually a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Ventura said that interest in this sale has been high over the past months.

“One of the things that was promising even before we got things going here is that the activity in the barns at the training centers was pretty active with people looking in advance at the farms,” he said. “I think one thing about this sale, when we opened it up from the select sale, is that there are horses at the top and then horses at varying budgets. So I think that attracts a broader buying bench and we're hoping that's the case again this year.”

Woods said he believes the results from last fall's breeding stock sales are a strong indication of positive outcomes for juvenile consignors in the coming weeks.

“The fall sales went down really well,” he said. “Now we've gone into the 2-year-old mode off a pretty much solid routine. People are able to move around more and it looks like we got a really good attendance for the first 2-year-old sale. There's a bunch of nice horses here so I think things are just going to be fine.”

Thomas said that her Sequel Bloodstock consignment has been well-trafficked since the start of the sale.

“I can tell you it feels very, very good,” she said, comparing the atmosphere this week from the one a year ago. “There's a lot of interest from agents. We've been steady and busy here this morning. I thought the breeze show was well-attended. Agents are voicing that they've got plenty of interest from owners, so I think it's a very, very good feeling and it bodes well for starting our season.”

RiceHorse Stables' Ali de Meric said that in general, talk on the sales ground has been optimistic.

“It's an exciting time, the first sale of the year,” she said. “There's always a little tint of anticipation and excitement for what's to come. I've very hopeful that it's going to be a strong sale. I think there's a general air of positivity so overall, I'm very happy and excited to present what we've got here to the market.”

de Meric added that she believes the growing market polarization with continue.

“It's ever more polarized, all or nothing, and it's up to us as consignors to set good reserves and set the number because you don't have that burning fire of organic bids making a horse go from zero to 200 naturally,” she said. “So you kind of get good at understanding the market. And if you can get that number right, you'll sell your horses profitably and everyone is happy and goes home a winner.”

Ventura said that an impact is expected due to the loss of the Korean market with the Korean Racing Authority's temporary restriction on foreign-bred racing imports.

“They were fairly active last year,” he said. “They're predominantly buying in the price range where the market could use some help so it's disappointing that they're not able to buy horses. Hopefully next year they'll be able to participate.”

“We will miss seeing the Koreans here,” de Meric echoed. “They're really good under-bidders and a solid middle-market group for us. But I see plenty of people to support a good, healthy sale.”

Ventura also noted that fewer pinhooks are present in this sale's catalogue.

“Looking at the broad picture, on average our pinhooks are down a little bit, which is expected because the market was down,” he said. “So I don't know if we have the exact same sale as we did last year. People will be doing better because they came in with less investment. But I'm very pleased with the horses on the ground and I think that as always, the top of the market is strong.”

Three under-tack sessions were held during last week's breeze show. A trio of juveniles fired off :20 2/5 quarter-mile breezes while another 25, entered as of Monday, shared the quickest :9 4/5 eighth-of-a-mile breeze time. Learn more on the under-tack sessions held Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Despite a disrupted racing season due to the pandemic, several stakes performers have come out of last year's auction including three-time stakes winner Joy's Rocket (Anthony's Cross) ($47,000) and dual stakes winner Madone (Vancouver {Aus}) ($125,000). Recent GIII Herecomesthebride S. victress Con Lima (Commissioner) RNA'd here 12 month ago.

Last summer, 2019 sales graduate Speech (Mr Speaker) ($190,000) reached Grade I stardom in the Ashland S. at Keeneland. Also since last year's sale, 2019 graduate Café Pharoah (American Pharoah) ($475,000) won a trio of graded races in Japan including the G1 February S. this year.

The 2020 sales topper, a filly by American Pharoah consigned by Wavertree Stables, sold for $650,000 to Katsumi Yoshida. Now named Russian Samovar, she is a winner in Japan.

According to subsequent post-sale transactions added to the 2020 OBS March Sale statistics, 295 sales were recorded for gross receipts of 27,349,500 at last year's edition. The $92,710 average was down 35.9% from $144,603 in 2019. 2019 sales averages were also down from $164,494 the year prior. The median last year decreased from $95,000 in 2019 to $50,000.

“I think everybody on the ground is in a much better frame of mind just from walking around the barn and seeing the activity, and even in the grandstand during the under-tack show,” Ventura said. “We're looking forward to a good sale and I think the mind set at the barns is very positive. This is certainly a glass-half-full business and that's what we're looking forward to. Compared to last year, it's so, so different. As we get closer to the finish line here with this pandemic, I think people are ready to get back to business. We're ready to start the 2-year-old season and looking forward to a good couple of days.”

For more information, visit www.obssales.com. Watch full coverage of both sessions of the sale, beginning Tuesday at 11 a.m., at www.thoroughbreddailynews.com.

The post Things Looking Up As OBS March Kicks Off New Sales Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Consignors Talk First-Crop Sires Ahead of 2-Year-Old Sales

As the calendar inches inexorably towards March and a spring-long series of 2-year-olds in training sales, consignors are putting the finishing touches on juveniles heading to auction, paying particular attention to youngsters representing their stallions first crop to hit the track. The TDN is reaching out to consignors with 2-year-olds heading to the sales rings at OBS and Gulfstream Park next month to find out which freshman sires have impressed them.

Prolific consignor Eddie Woods has 24 juveniles catalogued for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which will be held Mar. 16 and 17, and a further 17 head catalogued for the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale, which will be held Mar. 31.

“The Gormleys are very nice,” Woods said when asked which freshman sires had impressed him. “They are quick, agile horses. They look like they will be pretty precocious and early.”

Winner of the 2017 GI Santa Anita Derby, Gormley (Malibu Moon–Race to Urga, by Bernstein) stands at Spendthrift Farm for a 2021 stud fee of $5,000.

Woods will offer a pair of 2-year-olds by Gormley at the OBS March sale (hip 371 and hip 531).

Practical Joke (Into Mischief–Mystic City, by City Zip) has been much-hyped in Ocala this winter. Woods will offer a colt by the multiple Grade I winner–who stands at Ashford Stud for a fee of $22,500 this year–at OBS March (hip 113).

“The Practical Jokes are the talk of the town,” Woods said. “I have some of them and they are quite nice. Most of them–apart from one–all look the same. They lean towards that Into Mischief-ey thing–bay horses with white stripes down their faces and a white sock here and there and that kind of build to them. And they've trained well.”

Of the other 2-year-olds by freshman sires at his Ocala farm, Woods continued, “The Connects (hip 164 and hip 530) are nice. I don't think they are the first few months of the racing year, but they will be nice horses at the end of the day. They are good movers. And the Masterys are (hip 513) nice horses, too.”

Connect (Curlin–Bullville Belle, by Holy Bull), winner of the GI Cigar Mile, stands at Lane's End for a 2021 fee of $15,000. Grade I winner Mastery (Candy Ride {Arg}–Steady Course, by Old Trieste) stands at Claiborne Farm for $25,000.

Woods will offer a son of 2-year-old champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile–Just Parker, by Forest Camp) (hip 142).

“The Classic Empire is very smooth, he's a beautiful horse,” Woods said. “He's a very likable horse and a good mover.”

While he doesn't have many to sell, Woods said he has been impressed by the first crop by champion Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}–Quiet Giant, by Giant's Causeway), who stands at Three Chimneys Farm for $50,000.

“I think I might have only one going to a sale, but the Gun Runners have come around really well and they act like nice horses,” Woods said. “They have a lot of class and a lot of scope. The thing I like the best about them is how much they've changed since the Fall. We're heading into the spring and it's like night and day on some of them. They've strengthened up, gotten stronger across their backs and they train really well. And they are just good, solid horses. They are all mentally stars and they act like nice horses. I was a little negative on him at the yearling sales because of their back ends, but I'm liking them quite a bit right now.”

The 2020 juvenile sales season, which had only just begun when the pandemic caused mass lockdowns across the globe, suffered through a series of cancellations and postponements, but Woods said he sees positive signs ahead of the 2021 auctions.

“I think the vibe is pretty good right now,” Woods said. “The farm visitations are pretty lively and plentiful. We are in a different mindset than last year. We went to the sale in March last where the bomb had just got dropped and not knowing where we were at. We were fortunate the sale went well and after that, it was just a very much hang-on-to-your-britches kind of year. This year, we kind of believe we know where we are at. Our sales are going to go on and things are more positive. And hence, everything is more positive. If you look at the breeding stock sales in the early part of the year, they were very, very good for what they are. So everything is in a really positive mode and we've got that feeling here on the farm with the phone calls and the people wanting to come look at the horses. So hopefully, it continues on to the sales. It will probably be the same as ever, all top end, but at least there will be people there for that.”

GENE RECIO

You can count Gene Recio among the consignors excited about the first 2-year-olds by Practical Joke, who won the GI Champagne S. and GI Hopeful S. at two and added the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at three. Recio will offer a colt by the Ashford stallion at the Gulfstream sale (hip 106).

“I have two Practical Jokes,” Recio said. “One of them is going to OBS April, a filly, and I have a colt out of Do the Dance (Discreet Cat) going to Fasig-Tipton Miami. They were both really good movers and very, very forward horses from the get-go. Even before we breezed, they galloped like they had a purpose, like they were going somewhere. So he's my pick right now for the earlier type horses and the Saratoga-type maiden special weight type horses. Both the ones I have are medium-sized, strong, very good moving and, touch wood, they have been very sound thus far.”

Recio has a pair of colts by American Freedom (Pulpit–Gottcha Last, by Pleasant Tap) (hip 58 and hip 446) among the 17 head he has catalogued for the OBS March sale.

“The American Freedoms are beautifully made horses,” Recio said. “I have two of those and both are really well-made. They both have great attitudes. He is by Pulpit and they seem to both have a lot of energy–a lot of good energy, the kind that wants to go out and go to work every day. Physically, they are just well balanced, bigger-than-average sized horses, with very pretty necks and good hips and good shoulders. They are kind of the shape that everybody seems to like.”

Winner of the 2016 GIII Iowa Derby, American Freedom stands at Airdrie Stud for a 2021 fee of $6,000.

At the Gulfstream sale, Recio will offer a colt from the first crop of Mohaymen (Tapit–Justwhistledixie, by Dixie Union) (hip 75).

“I have only one by Mohaymen, but if he is any indication of what the Mohaymens are like, I wish I had a whole barn full of them,” Recio said. “He's a big, scopey horse with a very pretty neck on him and as good a mover as I have. And he's very good-minded for a Tapit bloodline.”

Winner of the 2016 GII Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth S. and GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S., as well as a pair of graded wins at two, Mohaymen stands at Shadwell Farm at a fee of $7,500.

Asked about his expectations ahead of the 2-year-old sales, Recio said, “Same old story. I think if you jump through all the hoops–you breeze fast, vet clean and look good at the end of the shank–you'll do extremely well. If you don't, it's sometimes hit or miss in those areas.”

SUSAN MONTANYE (SBM Training and Sales)

Susan Montanye's SBM Training and Sales has a small but select group of juveniles by freshman sires heading to the auctions this spring.

“They are all going to the select sales, so I love them all,” Montanye said of the group. “I've told everyone who has called about them.”

Among SBM's offerings next month is a colt by Gormley (hip 44) and the operation has a second colt waiting in the wings for a later sale.

“I have one mare, and I'm going to breed her to Gormley, because of what I've seen and you can get to him fairly inexpensively,” Montanye said. “I have two of them–one I am taking to Miami and the other one I'm taking to April or Maryland, they just wanted a little more time with him. But they are both very, very nice. I think there is a lot of Malibu Moon in them. Both are pretty good-minded colts. Neither one of them are going to be my bullet, my fastest that I have in my barn, but I think both of them are more than just sprinters. They are both fast, don't get me wrong, but I think they are horses that can stretch out.”

Montanye continued, “My Classic Empire and Arrogate are both double-nominated, however the Arrogate (hip 78) is 100% sure going to go to the Miami sale. He is a super, super nice horse. It's a shame that the sire is no longer around because I think he would have made one hell of sire, just based off of what I see.

“The Classic Empire (hip 77), I have one in my barn and I know of a couple others that are very nice,” she continued. “I do have him double-nominated and I don't know where I'm going to take him yet. He is cool as a cucumber. I breezed him myself the other day. I try to get on them all at least a couple of times throughout the year. I had not been on my Classic Empire yet until last Thursday when I breezed him. He was flat-footed, walked out there like an older horse. I asked him to work, he worked. I asked him to pull up, he pulled up. Walked him home, never got fired up. Just as quiet as a mouse.”

Montanye admitted there were still uncertainties in the marketplace, but also signs for optimism.

“I don't know what to expect, truthfully,” she said. “I've heard the Koreans won't buy or can't buy. That's going to be a big blow to the industry as a whole, I think. Because it's not just about what they buy, but it's a matter of what they drive up. As far as who is coming to buy and what the market looks like, I thought it was hard to buy yearlings. And if you look at the November and January sale on babies, I thought it was extremely solid. All you kept hearing was tough, tough, tough. I thought it would be an opportunity to buy, but it was tough.

“Last year, we had the shitty end of the stick,” she said. “This year, I think as a whole you do need to be on the upper end with a nicer horse. The middle market might take a hit. I hope not because I had horses I bought that I didn't pay a lot for for the middle market. So I sure hope there is a market for them. Now that the election is behind us, at least we can move forward from that, and the stock market seems to be doing well. Gas prices are coming up, so oil is going to be better. All of that in itself is a reflection of what the industry does. I hope everybody is ready to come buy, because we have some nice horses.”

DAVID SCANLON

David Scanlon will offer a colt by Practical Joke (hip 148) at the Gulfstream sale and has another youngster targeted at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in May.

“We've been really high on Practical Joke,” the consignor said. “There has been a good buzz on him around town. And we've got a couple going. We have one big, precocious colt going to the Miami sale that I'm very high on. And we've got another horse with Bruno DeBerdt, with our syndicate, that we've got going to Maryland that we are very high on. They have good hind legs and very strong bodies. They are built very tough, kind of rugged-looking and very precocious. Both horses look like they are going to be very quick and early. They have a strong build to them.”

Scanlon Training and Sales will offer a filly by Classic Empire (hip 72) at the Gulfstream sale.

“We have a couple of Classic Empires that I am very impressed with,” Scanlon said. “We have three of those that we will be selling. They are very elegant looking, very pretty horses. And they are also training very well and they seem very precocious, like they are going to be quick and early.”

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