Record Colt Paces June Opener

by Jessica Martini 
Topped by the record-setting sale of a colt by Scat Daddy, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s June 
2-Year-Olds Sale opened its four-day run in Ocala Tuesday. The dark bay colt (hip 78), consigned by Steve Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds on behalf of breeder Doug Arnold, Jr., brought a final bid of $575,000 from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum. It was the most ever paid for an OBS June juvenile, surpassing the $525,000 paid for Conquest Top Gun (Pioneerof the Nile) in 2013. A filly by Indian Charlie brought the top price at last year’s June sale when selling for $500,000. 

“This sale has really been on the improve,” OBS President Tom Ventura reflected of the record mark. “Consignors have a lot of confidence in the market and they are not afraid to bring a horse of that type of quality to this sale and that is being reflected in the prices, certainly at the upper end.”

For the session, 136 horses sold for a gross of $5,039,100. During last year’s first session, 177 horses sold for $5,358,900. Tuesday’s average was $37,052–up 22.4% from a year ago, while the median dropped 23.9% to $17,500. For the day, 10 horses brought $100,000 or more. That figure was eight a year ago. 

With 67 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 33%. At the end of last year’s opening session, the buy-back rate was 30.8% With the addition of post-sales, that figure improved to 25.3%. 

“Demand was strong at the high end,” Ventura said of the opening-day market. “And I think the rest of the market held up well.” 
The OBS June sale continues through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10:30 a.m.

Scat Daddy Colt in Demand at OBS
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, whose Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was a participant in the U.S. Classics this spring, made his second significant purchase of the juvenile sales season Tuesday in Ocala, going to a sale-record $575,000 to secure a colt by Scat Daddy. Racing manager Tim Stakemire bid for the colt on the phone with OBS officials. 
The dark bay (hip 78), who was consigned by Steve Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds on behalf of breeder Doug Arnold, Jr., is out of Antoinette (Silver Hawk). He is a half-brother to stakes-placed Notassharpasuthink (Sharp Humor) and he shared the quarter-mile bullet breeze of :20 4/5 during the first session of the sale’s under-tack preview last year. 

“We had really high expectations for the horse coming in here,” said Venosa, who also consigned the $1.4-million OBS March topper earlier this spring. “He’s a horse that was broke a little bit later in the year. We were thinking about going up to Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic sale with him, but we really felt a few more weeks would benefit him and he would come here and really showcase his ability. The horse performed well back at the farm on the dirt track and he came here and performed well on the SafeTrack. He is just an amazing horse. Nothing but class.” 

The sheikh purchased a filly by Quality Road out of Diplomat Lady for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale in Timonium last month. 

Scat Daddy was represented by the top price at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale when a colt by the Coolmore stallion sold for $1.4 million. Conquest Top Gun (Pioneerof the Nile) was the previous top-priced June juvenile, selling for $525,000 in 2013.

Arnold Hits Home Run in first Juvenile At Bat
The name of Buck Pond Farm owner Doug Arnold is familiar in the industry, but it was the family’s next generation in the spotlight at OBS Tuesday, when Doug Arnold, Jr. sold a Scat Daddy colt for a June record $575,000. The juvenile is out of Antoinette (Silver Hawk), a mare the younger Arnold purchased for $19,000 at the 2008 Keeneland January sale. 

“She was actually the first mare that I ever purchased on my own,” Arnold recalled Tuesday. “It was January and I was very impatient. I had about $20,000 to spend. We would see something and it would go for $22,000 or we’d see something my dad didn’t like. I was there for a few days in cold weather, but my dad–I give him all the credit–because he helped me dig out the mare.” 

Arnold purchased Antoinette in foal to Sharp Humor and her first foal for Arnold was Notassharpasuthink, a $45,000 Fasig July yearling turned $170,000 OBS June juvenile. The full-sister to Tuesday’s session topper sold for $100,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. 

Arnold’s first mare led to another first yesterday with a colt who RNA’d for $145,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. 

“This is the first 2-year-old that I have ever sold,” Arnold smiled. “We usually raise and sell as yearlings. This horse, I raised myself and we really liked him as a yearling. He barely didn’t bring the reserve, so we sent him down here.” 
Still admittedly “a little in shock” after watching the Scat Daddy break the June sale record, Arnold said, “We knew a lot of people were on the colt, but you never know really. Steve [Venosa] does one of the best jobs of any of the 2-year-old guys, so he put us in a good position to sell the horse for great money.” 

While enjoying the big sale, Arnold has other big challenges this summer. 

“I am taking the Kentucky bar exam July 27,” Arnold revealed. “I’ve always wanted to be in the horse business. I like the racing side, particularly. So maybe I’d like to do that. But mainly I’ll be focusing on the law a little bit. Definitely, I’m always going to be in the horse business, though. I love the horses. I always have. I grew up on a horse farm. It’s in my blood. It’s what I love to do.” 

Asked if he shouldn’t be studying, Arnold laughed, “I brought my books and my dad is probably going to tell me to go study, but maybe we’ll take one day to enjoy this. It’s still a month away.” He paused before adding, “But the short answer to that question is yes.”

Metanovic Strikes for Pulpit Colt
Bloodstock agent Mersad Metanovic, bidding on behalf of Karl Pergola, went to $335,000 to secure a son of the late Pulpit during Tuesday’s opening session of the OBS June sale. Hip 118, consigned by de Meric Sales as agent for Golden Legacy Stables, is out of stakes placed Beautiful Song (Unbridled’s Song). He worked a furlong last week in :10 flat. 
“He looks like a stallion in the making,” Metanovic said. “He had a beautiful breeze and he’s well put together. I loved him, the vet loved him and the owner loved him. He did everything right. He’s a pretty special-looking horse. If he wins anything big, he’s a stallion in the making.” 

Metanovic admitted he was surprised by the juvenile’s final price tag. 

“I honestly didn’t think we’d buy him for this money,” Metanovic said. “I thought it would take at least a half million. If this horse was in the March or April sale, he’s way up. So we’re pretty happy.” 

Of Pergola, who is in the construction business in Albuquerque, Metanovic added, “He breeds a lot and he has a lot of horses in New Mexico. He wants a big horse–he sees what is going on. He’s let me buy a few minor horses. Now he says I have to buy ‘The Horse’.” 

Speedy High Cotton Colt to Stonestreet 
John Moynihan kickstarted the OBS June sale when purchasing a son of High Cotton for $220,000 on behalf of Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton. Hip 64, out of Alotofappeal (Trippi), worked a co-bullet quarter in :20 4/5 during last week’s under-tack preview. He is a half to stakes winner B C’s Train (Silver Train) and stakes-placed Schivarelli (Montbrook). He was co-bred and consigned by Ocala Stud. 

“He was a beautiful horse,” Moynihan said. “He trained great. The sire has gotten a few really, really good racehorses and that is what this horse looked like. His work was unbelievable. This horse went out in :45 and change and that doesn’t happen very often on this racetrack. Most horses that do that are going to win stakes races.” 

High Cotton, who stands at Ocala Stud for $5,000, is the sire of Grade I winner Currency Swap and graded stakes winner Spurious Precision. 

“We’re extremely happy that Stonestreet bought the horse,” commented Ocala Stud’s David O’Farrell. “He was very well received and we know he is going to be in good hands. And it’s great for the stallion. It’s exciting to sell a Florida-bred to an outfit like that. We think he’s a racehorse and he’ll make more news in the future.” 

The colt was another popular sales offering from Ocala Stud, whose homebreds have been in demand this spring. 
“You never know how you are going to compete when you are bringing homebreds by your own stallions to this type of environment,” admitted O’Farrell. “There is no question that the 2-year-old sales have gotten a little more selective. The pedigrees have improved and the stock has gotten better. For us to bring homebreds by our own regional stallions, it can be tough. But it has been a really phenomenal sales season for us. We believe they are going to go on and run, but it is very gratifying that we are still able to compete in this market.” 

The farm’s freshman sire Adios Charlie (Indian Charlie), who stands for $3,000, was represented by juveniles selling for $675,000 and $600,000 at OBS March and for $420,000 at the OBS April sale.