Record-Setting OBS April Sale Concludes

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training concluded its record-setting four-day stand Thursday. It was the second straight year the auction set new marks for gross, average and median, with 767 horses selling for $57,032,000, compared to 815 juveniles grossing $48,757,000 in 2013. The average of $74,357 was up 24.3% from a year ago, while the median rose 34.3% to $47,000. The four-day buy-back rate was 18.5%, compared to 14% after last year’s post-sale figures were included. 

“We capped off a great sale with a great day,” commented OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “The momentum rolled through all the way to the last day. Even last year, we had a little drop off on the last day. We didn’t see that this year. We’re very fortunate and very happy with the results.” 

The April sale’s gross has exploded in the last four years. In 2010, the auction grossed $20,547,000. The following year, the aggregate was $25,598,000. In 2012, that figure was $33,506,000. 

Last year’s top price of $900,000 was the only lot over $700,000 at the 2013 sale. Three topped that figure this year, led by a son of Tapit who sold to Mike Repole for $725,000. A total of 52 horses sold for $200,000 or more, up from 38 a year ago. 

A son of Indian Charlie brought Thursday’s top price when selling for $625,000 to Ashford Stud. The juvenile was consigned by De Meric Sales, which was the auction’s leading vendor with 70 sold for $5,788,500. Trainer Mark Casse was the sale’s leading buyer with five purchased for $1,765,000. 

During Thursday’s session, 178 head grossed $13,167,000, compared to last year’s fourth session when 187 horses brought $10,208,500. The average of $73,972 was up 35.5%. The median rose 45% to $43,500. With 57 horses reported not sold, the day’s buy-back rate was 24.3%. 

The juvenile sales season at OBS continues with the June Sale scheduled for June 17-18. 

“I think the catalogue for June will be larger than last year and I do believe the momentum from this sale will carry forward,” Wojciechowski added. “I think from both a buyers’ and sellers’ standpoint, we’ll have a larger catalogue and we’ll have buyers here who maybe didn’t get all the horses bought that they needed to get bought and they’ll need to come back in June.”