OBS April Starts Tuesday

Juvenile sales action returns to Central Florida Tuesday for the first of four sessions of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. The auction, which has set records in each of its last four renewals, features a catalogue of 1208 head and is billed as a “something for everyone” market.

“We have a broader market in April with a more diverse buyer base coming in for the sale,” confirmed OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “If someone is only going to attend one 2-year-old sale a year, it's going to be this one. The volume of the catalogue attracts a wide array of buyers.”

In addition to its expansive catalogue, the April sale also boasts an impressive list of recent graduates to bolster its appeal. Among its 2016 graduates is last year's champion 2-year-old filly Champagne Room (Broken Vow)–purchased for $310,000 by agent Larry Zap on behalf of Joe Ciaglia, et al, from the de Meric Sales consignment–as well as GI Del Mar Debutante S. winner Union Strike (Union Rags), a $375,000 purchase by Ruis Racing from Old South Farm, and GIII Futurity S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Theory (Gemologist), who sold for $335,000 to China Horse Club International from the Mayberry Farm consignment. Multipler (The Factor), who captured Saturday's GIII Illinois Derby, also came out of last year's April sale where he RNA'd for $120,000.

This year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) went through the April sales ring in 2015, as did two-time graded stakes winner Sharp Azteca (Freud).

“I think that's the proof in the pudding as to why all those different buyers show up in April, because of the success of the graduates all over the country, and for that matter, all over the world,” said Wojciechowski. “We see a lot of international people here and that continues to grow every year because those horses are going overseas and doing very well, whether it's in Europe or Asia or the Middle East. And domestically, we have horses coming out of the April sale and winning at the highest levels all over the country.”

Last year's April sale recorded its highest average and median, with 165 juveniles selling for $14,012,000. The average was $84,921 and the median was $50,000. A colt by Broken Vow brought the auction's top price of $1.2 million–it was the second time in sales history that a horse sold for seven figures, following on a $1.9-million daughter of Tapit in 2015.

The records continued to fall when action returned to the OBS sales ring for last month's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, with demand at the top level of the market propelling the auction to its highest-ever gross and average.

“Obviously, there was a lot of competition in March–that was demonstrated by the numbers,” Wojciechowski said. “April is a little bit of a different animal, but I'd like to see a continuation of that excitement that we saw on the grounds in March.”

During last week's six-session under-tack preview, two juveniles shared the fastest furlong time. Hip 778 worked a furlong in :9 3/5. The filly by More Than Ready out of Miss Mary Apples (Clever Trick) is consigned by Wavertree Stables. Also working in :9 3/5 was hip 793, a colt by Tiznow out of Moonbow (Distorted Humor) consigned by Bobby Dodd. Hip 200, a colt by Wildcat Heir out of Business Decision (Put It Back), turned in the breeze show's fastest quarter-mile work of :20 2/5. The colt is consigned by Blue River Bloodstock.

“We came out of a great breeze show, a very safe show, and a lot of good horses had a chance to display their ability,” Wojciechowski said. “The breeze show was well-attended and there is a lot of activity at the barns. So we are hoping for a good sale.”

The April sale will be held Tuesday through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10:30 a.m.