International players fuel solid opening session of OBS Spring Sale

The Ocala Breeders' Sales (OBS) kicked off its Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training during a solid session on Tuesday, with gains in average and median prices when compared with the opener of last year's record auction in Ocala, Florida.

From 304 head cataloged on the day, OBS reported 148 horses brought a total of $14,243,500 (£11,014,785/€12,704,775) compared with 168 selling for a total of $15,904,000 at last year's opening session. The average price was $96,240 (£74,445/€85,845), compared to $94,667 in 2018 while the median price was $58,500, compared with $52,000 a year ago. The buyback rate was 30 per cent; it was 20 per cent last year.

On Tuesday, a dozen horses changed hands for a price of $250,000 and above, compared with 14 at that level a year ago. This year, there were no horses selling above $500,000 on day one, compared with two individuals last year.

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"I think it was a good start," said Tod Wojciechowski, OBS director of sales, noting there was broad-based activity by domestic and foreign buyers. "I think it demonstrated the international importance of the sale. I have been impressed with the wide variety and array of buyers from all over the world. We saw buyers from Korea, Japan, the Middle East, domestic, and I think we will see that throughout all four days."

The top price Tuesday of $430,000 was paid by Timothy Hills, agent for Patrick Welsh, for a son of Hard Spun consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables. The chestnut colt worked a quarter in :21 flat during the under tack show. He is out of stakes winner Katerbug, by Pulpit, a half-sister to stakes winner Outplay.

Narvick International, agent for Katsumi Yoshida, went to $425,000 to acquire a son of Uncle Mo consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent. The bay colt breezed a quarter-mile in :21 4/5 during his pre-sale workout. He is a half-brother to Graded stakes winner Isabella Sings, out of stakes-placed Isobel Baillie, by Lomitas.

Some consignors said the first day's action could have been impacted by conditions during the first day's under tack show workouts on April 15, when the horses breezed into a strong headwind, and by two days of workouts that were cancelled due to rain and strong winds.

As a result of the Friday and Saturday cancellations, there was a long day of workouts Sunday, with buyers left to inspect those horses Monday and early Tuesday before the noon start time.

Some 200 of the horses offered on Tuesday breezed on April 15.

"Unfortunately for those horses selling early that got hit with the headwind that first day, and then with the change in the schedule, I think people got a little behind (in looking)," said Dunne.

"I think people came in late and almost bypassed today with the combination of the times the horses went and the time they had to do their work. I think it's just going to get stronger as it (the sale) goes and I think we're seeing a little bit of that now with the horses that breezed the second day, they're starting to sell stronger."

"It's not like the deck is stacked any particular way; horses fall in the catalogue the way horses fall," Wojciechowski said of the first day.

Dunne said the buying pattern on Tuesday reflected buyers' desires for horses that posted the fastest workout times.

"It's all or nothing," he said. "Whether people want to admit it or not, it's all about time. It's understandable if you're an agent or a trainer and you're trying to sell a horse to someone, it's hard to explain why you want to buy one that went in :21 4/5 when there is one down the shedrow that went :21 1/5. I would say those horses had a huge disadvantage. "

Eddie Woods, whose consignment sold all 14 horses sent through the ring Tuesday, said the market was similar to what has been seen in other domestic sales over the past several years, with the usual emphasis on quality.

"It wasn't pretty or anything, but they sold," Woods said. "The top end is solid, like always, and then after that it gets really tricky."

The sale continues until Friday, with sessions beginning at 10.30 am local time (3.30pm GMT) daily.

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