By Jessica Martini
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age kicks off its four-day run Tuesday morning with bidding on the first of 1,226 catalogued horses scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.
The June auction, which produced its highest-ever priced offering a year ago with a $680,000 son of Candy Ride (Arg), received a timely update during Belmont Stakes Racing Festival last weekend with Celestine (Scat Daddy)'s victory in the GI Just a Game S. The filly, who graces the cover of this year's catalogue, RNA'd for $975,000 at the 2014 June sale.
“It was almost like a promotional video for the June sale,” OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said of Celestine's victory. “That was a quality win, very impressive, and she is a graduate of this sale.”
During the 2015 June sale, OBS sold 591 juveniles for a total of $23,475,500. Buoyed by a robust upper market, last year's average rose 25.5% to $39,722, while the median dipped 10% to $18,000.
Wojciechowski expects that strong upper-market trend to continue.
“I suspect it will be similar to what we've seen all year,” he explained. “There is strength at the top. The good thing is, we have something for everyone here in June.”
While providing buyers with offerings at every price level, the June sale has gone from an afterthought in the juvenile sales season to a destination in its own right.
“I think June has grown and matured into its own market,” Wojciechowski confirmed.
During last week's six-session under-tack preview, a colt from the first crop of Gemologist (hip 215) turned in the fastest furlong work of :9 4/5. Consigned by Top Line Sales, the juvenile is out of Distant Storm (Storm Cat) and from the family of champion Outstandingly.
A pair of juveniles shared the fastest quarter-mile work time of the preview. Hip 93, a colt by Into Mischief from the Thoroughbred Champions Training Center consignment, worked in :20 4/5 during Sunday's first session of the preview. Hip 1026, a daughter of Majesticperfection from SBM Training and Sales, also worked in :20 4/5 during Friday's final session.
“I think there are some outstanding horses in here, no doubt,” Wojciechowski commented. “We saw them perform on the racetrack last week and when you go back to the barn, they look just as good on the shank. So there are plenty of nice horses for all levels.”
The June sale runs through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10:30 a.m.
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