Florida-bred yearlings were the talk of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company grounds in Ocala, Fla., Tuesday as they crowded the list of top sellers at the August Select Yearling Sale including the top seller. Three of the top five sellers and six of the top ten were also bred in Florida in a selected session that followed the upward trends set by the two-year-old in training sales at OBS earlier in the year.
In all, 127 yearlings sold for a gross of $5,684,000 and an average of $44,756. Both numbers were significantly higher than last year when 114 yearlings passed through the ring for total sales of $4,278,000 for an average of $37,526. The gross dollars were 32.9% higher than last year and the average was 19.3% higher. The $35,000 median this year was up 7.7% above the $32,500 median last year. The buyback percentage was 28.7% compared to 23.5 a year ago and this year six horses sold for at least $100,000 compared to two last year.
The session’s top seller was Hip Number 114, a colt by Colonel John out of the Bon Point mare Bon Caro who left the ring after attracting a final bid of $220,000. That price doubles what was paid for a filly by Midnight Lute who was the top seller at the select session of this sale a year ago. Signing the ticket on this year’s top seller was trainer Wesley Ward of Ocala while the consignor was Beth Bayer, Agent XIX, also of Ocala. She was bred in Florida by Fred R “Rick” Sutherland, also of Ocala.
“He exceeded my expectations,” Bayer said after watching the colt sell. “I knew he was going to be a top horse, I just didn’t by how much. He has been so professional throughout the whole sale. We’ve had so many people want to look at him and he never turned a hair. He’s class all the way.”
Hip Number 45 brought the second highest price as the Empire Maker colt dropped the gavel at $180,000. Out of the Top Account mare Redhead Riot, F.H.M.B. was listed as the buyer of the dark bay or brown colt who went through the sale as Angelus. Country Road Farm, Agent was the consignor.
The third highest priced yearling to pass through the ring was Hip Number 134, a Florida-bred colt by Majestic Warrior out of the Country Pine mare Countrywishingwell, making her half-sister to stakes winner Calico Bay. Consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield Sales, Agent XXX in Morriston, Fla., the bay colt was purchased for $150,000 by Nick de Meric, agent of Ocala.
Selling as the fourth most expensive lot was Hip Number 123, a filly by Street Sense out of the Meadowlake mare Charming Lauren. William Schettine signed the ticket on her after bidding $150,000 on the dark bay or brown filly consigned by Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales, Agent II of Ocala.
Rounding out the top five was Hip Number 88, a Florida-bred filly from the consignment of Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent for Cloverleaf Farms II that sold for $120,000. By Congrats and out of the Gold Fever mare Wasted Wisdom, the chestnut filly was also purchased by de Meric.
Photo by Louise Reinagel
