Francis Vanlangendonck

Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has been named the sixth chairman of the board in the history of Ocala Breeders' Sales Company, Inc., succeeding Francis Vanlangendonck, who steps down after 35 years on the OBS board. Vanlangendonck had held the position of chairman since 2022, succeeding Mike O'Farrell, who was elected chairman in 2007 and was an OBS board member for nearly 40 years. George Onett was the first chairman in 1975, followed by Harry T. Mangurian, Jr., Norman E. Casse, O'Farrell and Vanlangendonck. Treasurer Nick de Meric...

Valerie Dailey, a Thoroughbred breeder in Florida since 1985, has been elected President of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association at a board meeting following the annual member meeting, the organization announced Friday. "I'm honored to have been selected to serve as president for a second time," Dailey said. "The industry has definitely changed since my initial term in 2022 and we have a challenging road ahead. My goal is to educate and get the word out about greatness of the Florida-bred Thoroughbred and our significant impact on the...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale blazed through its penultimate session Wednesday in Lexington with frenetic bidding from start to finish producing a $72,127 average that was nearly 47% higher than the figure from the corresponding session a year ago. At the conclusion of the session, the three-day average of $64,772 is 24.1% ahead of the 2024 record figure of $52,206. And with a full session to go, the total gross of $53,177,500 is just $5.398 million off last year's total sale record gross of $58,575,500. "It...

What has been a competitive yearling sales season makes a two-day stop in Central Florida with the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's October Yearlings Sale to be held Tuesday and Wednesday in Ocala. A total of 507 horses, including 48 supplemental entries, have been catalogued for the sale, with Tuesday's opening session featuring hips one through 258 and Wednesday's session offering hips 301 through 551. Each session begins at noon. "We're all anticipating a good sale, and it looks like a lot of people are coming into town," said consignor Francis...

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association has released a list of panelists for its upcoming Pedigree and Conformation Clinic, which will be held in Lexington at Fasig-Tipton Oct. 20. The topics and speakers at the clinic include: Pedigrees/Conformation/Horse Selection, presented by Jacob West (Claiborne Farm/Bloodstock Agent); Purchasing at Public Auction, presented by Jeffrey Bloom (Bloom Racing Stable); The Role of an Auction House and the Auction Process, presented by Anna Seitz Ciannello (Fasig-Tipton); Yearling Prep for the Sales, presented by Francis Vanlangendonck (Summerfield Sales Agency); Equine Nutrition, presented by Anthony...

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) has re-elected David O'Farrell as chairman of its board of trustees, along with new members serving three-year terms Jonathan Green, Walker Hancock, Dean Reeves and Adrian Wallace, the organization said via a press release on Wednesday. Re-elected to three-year terms were current trustees Billy Koch, Braxton Lynch, David O'Farrell and Francis Vanlangendonck. Following its annual members meeting, trustees met to elect officers for the association. Officers named for 2025-2026 are: David O'Farrell, chairman, Garrett O'Rourke, vice-chairman, Dan Metzger, president; Brant Laue, secretary; and...

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company kicks off its 2025 calendar of live sales with the one-day Winter Mixed Sale, which begins Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. A total of 342 short yearlings, broodmares and broodmare prospects have been catalogued for the auction, down from the 663 head catalogued for the two-day 2024 Winter Mixed Sale, but OBS is conducting a digital sale in conjunction with Tuesday's live auction. The online sale features 25 horses of racing age and 2-year-olds with bidding through Thursday at noon. Consignors expect to see similar...

Edited Press Release The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association (FTBOA) announced Oct. 25 that George Isaacs, general manager of the historic Bridlewood Farm located in Ocala, was re-elected president of the organization at a board meeting following the annual member meeting. "Having served many years on the board of directors for the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association, I have witnessed great dedication from the staff, board members and membership in making our organization flourish," Isaacs said. "I am grateful to our entire team for being vital to the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - Fasig-Tipton will be looking to continue the momentum set by its record-setting select sale when bidding returns to the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion Sunday evening for the first of two sessions of the New York-Bred Yearlings Sale. Bidding begins Sunday at 7 p.m. and Monday's session will begin at 12 p.m. With the end of the sweltering conditions which punctuated the last week in upstate New York, activity was high at the sales barns on a picture-perfect Saturday morning as a mixture of end-users, pinhookers and...

Francis Vanlangendonck of Summerfield Sales has been elected chairman of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company (OBS) board, succeeding Mike O'Farrell, who had been in the position since 2007. The fifth chairman in OBS history, Vanlangendonck has been on the board since 1990. He previously served as secretary/treasurer and was vice president under O'Farrell from 2007-2021. "I am honored by the trust and confidence the board has shown by voting me OBS chairman," said Vanlangendonck. "I certainly have a big pair of shoes to fill following Mike O'Farrell. His integrity and...

Three-year-old Bear Brian (Tiznow), a winner in his only trip to the post so far, topped Tuesday's opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Winter Mixed Sale when bringing a final bid of $150,000 from Canadian-born trainer Kerri Raven during the day's racehorses in training section. A colt by Practical Joke was the session's top-priced short yearling when selling to Clark Shepherd of Shepherd Equine Advisors for $130,000. Both were consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield. "The only thing that limits you here is the quality of the...

Fred Brei and Milan Kosanovich will return to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association board of directors while Bobby Jones, Francis Vanlangendonck and Dr. Fred Yutani all remain on the board for second terms. Each will serve a three-year term that will run until October 2023. Leaving the board because of term limits as outlined in the FTBOA by-laws were Barry Berkelhammer and Greg Wheeler. Wheeler will, however, remain on the board ex officio as a past president of the Association. Phil Matthews, DVM, was elected as the president...