Brisk Opener to OBS June

OCALA, FL–The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, the final stop in the juvenile sales season, began with a day of brisk trade Tuesday and a colt by First Dude leading the way when selling for $400,000.

“It was a good day and we're pleased with the results,” confirmed OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “It was a good, solid day and we hope to follow it up tomorrow with another one.”

For the first session of the two-day auction, 199 juveniles sold for $7,217,500. The average was $36,269–up 46.3% from last year's four-day figure–and the median of $18,000 was up 33.3% from last year's cumulative figure.

During the opening session of last year's four-day sale, 147 horses sold for $3,645,300. The session average was $24,798 and the median was $13,500. The four-day average a year ago was $28,968 and the median was $13,500.

“This is the sale of last resort and the horses on the top end are fewer here than at most of the other sales,” commented bloodstock agent Pete Bradley. “However, the right people are here for them and it looks like they are selling fairly well.”

Bloodstock agent Steve Young, who was able to purchase the first horse he bid on at the sale, agreed interest was high for the top offerings.

“I haven't bid on anything other than this horse,” Young said after signing the ticket on a Curlin colt (hip 310). “But just by looking at the results, it appears that, although there aren't a lot of people here, the good horses are bringing what they are supposed to bring. It's the last sale of the year, so there are a lot of things that are different here than at other sales. But I think there are some very nice horses for June. This sale is the last go-around, so people have to have a mindset of what they want to do, whether they take what the market gives them or pick a trainer. This is the last chance they have to sell them.”

With 59 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 22.9%.

“It looks like, from a quick glance at the results, the buy-back is fairly low,” Bradley said. “People are here to sell their horses.”

A colt by First Dude (hip 199), consigned by Top Line Sales on behalf of breeder David Dizney, brought the day's top price when selling for $400,000. Dizney himself signed the ticket on the juvenile after organizing a partnership to race the colt who worked a bullet quarter-mile during last Wednesday's under-tack preview.

The OBS June sale concludes with a session beginning at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Dizney Keeps His Dude

When the hammer dropped on hip 199, it was the colt's breeder David Dizney signing the ticket at $400,000 Tuesday in Ocala. Dizney put together a partnership of friends to campaign the dark bay colt who worked the fastest quarter-mile of :20 3/5 during last Wednesday's first session of the under-tack preview.

“His work was amazing–:20 3/5 is exciting,” Dizney said. “It was hard to pass him up. Right now, we're just going to get him to the farm and reassess him. He can go short and it looks like he can go two turns, too.”

The juvenile, consigned by Top Line Sales, is out of Natalie's Moment (Kris S.) and is a half to stakes-placed Sola Gratia (Touch Gold) and to the dam of recent GIII Hendrie S. winner Code Warrior (Society's Chairman).

Asked if he had thought about the price at which he would have let the youngster go, Dizney admitted, “I really didn't. There is a good Florida stallion stakes coming up that runs for a lot of money. He's nominated to that, so I think it's all good.”

First Dude stands at the Dizney's Double Diamond Farm in Ocala for $10,000. Hip 199 was the highest-priced juvenile to sell at public auction by the stallion, who won the 2011 GI Hollywood Gold Cup.

Midnight Lute Colt Rewards McKathan

Luke McKathan was understandably excited after he sent his Midnight Lute colt out to work a furlong in a co-bullet :9 4/5 during last week's under-tack preview of the OBS June sale and the veteran horseman was downright jubilant after the youngster sold for $320,000 to trainer Linda Rice.

“He's a freak. I guarantee you,” McKathan said of hip 335. “I thought he'd bring $200,000. But wow.”

The bay colt is out of stakes-placed Screen Giant (Giant's Causeway). McKathan, who consigned the youngster under his Timber Creek banner, purchased the colt for $9,500 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale.

While McKathan's sons J.B. and Kevin are no strangers to high-priced sales, Tuesday's transaction was a highwater mark for the father.

“I sure had fun,” he laughed. “I never thought I'd see that. That's the highest horse I've ever sold. That was great. Ain't that nice?”

Rice purchased the colt Tuesday on behalf of Sheila Rosenblum.

“His breeze was really outstanding,” Rice said after signing the ticket on hip 335. “And at the barn, he has a great shoulder and he's got nice size with a long neck. So he had really nice conformation at the barn and he was really brilliant on the racetrack.”

Of the colt's final price, Rice added, “I knew he would be well-liked. There are a lot of sharp buyers here. I was hoping to get him bought at $200,000, but I had to reach a little. We were shopping this colt and the First Dude colt that sold earlier for $400,000. That one got away from us, so I was happy to get this one.”

The Midnight Lute colt was Rice's fourth purchase of the June sale. She purchased a filly by Union Rags (hip 61) for $200,000; a colt by Scat Daddy (hip 33) for $185,000; and a filly by The Factor (hip 216) for $100,000.

“The sales have been pretty competitive all spring,” Rice said. “But I've had some luck coming to the June Sale. It's a little easier to get some horses bought. And you can never have too many good ones.”

Busy June for Bradley

Bloodstock agent Pete Bradley remained busy on both sides of the ledger Tuesday in Ocala, purchasing a colt by Twirling Candy on behalf of his racing partnership for $310,000, just seven hips after selling a Curlin colt for $240,000 for his pinhooking venture.

The Twirling Candy colt (hip 317) is out of stakes winner Saint Knows (Sweetsouthernsaint) and was consigned by Eddie Woods, whose Quarter Pole Enterprises purchased him for $90,000 at last year's Barretts October Yearling Sale. He worked a quarter last week in :21 1/5.

“This colt covered the ground extremely well,” Bradley said after signing the ticket on the dark bay. “He has kind of that Twirling Candy body and balance, but he went as smoothly and galloped out as well as any horse I saw at the sale. We're just tickled to have him.”

Bradley said the colt's final price tag reflected the strength that has been prevalent at the top of the market at all the juvenile sales this spring.

“I was thinking he would bring $300,000 to $350,000, but you had to pay a little more for nice horses this year,” he said. “That's the way the market has been at the top end.”

Bradley also purchased a filly by Tapit (hip 105) for $180,000 and a filly by City Zip (hip 90) for $150,000.

Bloodstock agent Steve Young purchased hip 310, a son of Curlin, on behalf of an undisclosed client for $240,000. Bradley had purchased the dark bay for $160,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August Yearling Sale.

The youngster is out of Runge (Posse) and is from the family of graded stakes winner Richwoman. He worked a quarter last week in :21 3/5 and was consigned by Woods.

“He is a route-bred horse that has plenty of speed,” Young said of the juvenile. “And I couldn't have more respect for Curlin. He's had a horse on the Derby trail every year he's been at stud and this horse has the mechanics and the attitude to be a two-turn dirt horse.”

Tapit Colt to Calumet

Calumet Farm, which sent three horses postward in this year's GI Kentucky Derby and finished third with Patch (Union Rags) in Saturday's GI Belmont S., may have found a 2018 Classic contender after the farm's Jak Knelman signed the ticket at $250,000 for a son of Tapit at Tuesday's first session of the OBS June sale.

“We're not sure where he is going yet, but we're excited to have him,” Knelman said. “He is just a nice horse, he's matured since he was a yearling and it's exciting to have a Tapit in the barn.”

The gray ridgling (hip 138) is out of graded stakes winner and Grade I-placed Magical Feeling (Empire Maker) and from the family of GI Travers S. winner Golden Ticket. He worked a furlong in :10 4/5 during last week's under-tack preview.

Bred by Peter Blum, the juvenile RNA'd for $375,000 at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He was consigned to the OBS sale by Eddie Woods.

Scat Daddy Colt Heads West

A colt by the late Scat Daddy will be heading out west to join the Southern California stable of trainer Vladimir Cerin after selling for $210,000 to Holly and David Wilson during Tuesday's first session of the OBS June sale.

“We liked his breeze,” said Florida horseman Mike Lightner, who joined with his son Raymie Lightner and Cerin to pick the youngster out. “Vladimir Cerin picked him out on the video. Raymie gave him a good video grade. And I liked his conformation.”

The chestnut colt (hip 68) is out of Intelyhente (Smart Strike), a full-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Bel Air Beauty, who is the dam of Canadian champion Stacked Deck (First Samurai). He worked a quarter in :21 1/5 during last week's under-tack preview.

Bred by William Duignan and Tranquility Investments, the juvenile was a $260,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. He was consigned by Wavertree Stables.

David Wilson, owner of a California-based car dealership, and his wife Holly have campaigned graded stakes winners Designed For Luck, Early Pioneer and Briecat. While they do buy at the juvenile sales, the couple predominately restocks at the yearling sales.

“We bought a couple in the April sale,” Lightner said. “We'll occasionally buy at the 2-year-olds in training sales, but we mostly buy yearlings.”