If recent history is any indication, buyers can expect to find several future stakes winners at today’s OBS June sale of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age.
The June sale’s most famous graduate is Dr. Zic, who was consigned by Another Episode Farm and sold for $40,000 in 2008. The 4-year-old filly earned the biggest win of her career in April at Keeneland, upsetting Informed Decision in the Vinery Madison Stakes (G1).
That sale also produced Hoosier Kingdom, a son of Repent who sold for $22,000. He went on to win four stakes, including the Indiana Futurity at Hoosier Park in 2008. Florida-bred Frolic’s Dream, who won the Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fillies Stakes and the Cassidy Stakes at Calder in 2008, also passed through the sales ring in June 2008 but was bought back after she failed to meet her reserve.
The June 2006 sale produced Florida-bred Exotic Bloom, a daughter of Ocala Stud Farm stallion Montbrook who sold for $65,000. She went on to win the Windward Stakes at Presque Isle Downs and the My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park last year.
That sale also included Florida-bred Fearless Leader, a son of Suave Prospect who sold for $21,000 and won the Blue Sparkler Stakes at Monmouth Park last June.
After two strong sales at OBS this spring, optimism is high that today’s sale will produce solid numbers. The April sale of 2-year-olds in training saw gross sales of $20.8 million, a 4.2 percent increase over the 2009 total, even though 62 fewer horses were sold. The average price of $28,084 was up 13 percent from the previous year. The average price of $106,383 at the March sale of selected 2-year-olds in training also was up 9.7 percent from 2009.
“The April sale was a good sale, and the June sale is similar in that it has a wide range of horses, from $10,000 to $200,000,” said Tom Ventura, OBS’s general manager and director of sales. “I think there’s enough activity in the barns (Monday) morning. I’m pleased with that, and I’m hoping we keep up the pace from the April sale.”
Part of the optimism stems from Calder Casino & Race Course’s announcement that overnight purses will be increased by 10 percent beginning Thursday as a result of purse supplements from alternative gaming and the Florida gaming tax reduction that goes into effect July 1. Calder’s ability to offer slots, racing and poker simultaneously over the last two months and a reduction in the state tax rate on slot-machine revenue will give horsemen more cash to run for.
“Anything that happens positively in Florida is important to us,” Ventura said. “The legislation that passed is going to help us down the road, but of more immediate importance to us is that they just approved a purse increase at Calder, and that helps. And right now, some maidens can run for almost a $40,000 purse at Calder, and that certainly gives people incentive to buy a 2-year-old here and race in Florida.
“I think owners can feel that they have a better chance of getting a return on their investment. We all know it’s a risky business, but if the purses keep going up, it gives them more of a reason to buy a horse.”
A total of 415 juveniles and 18 older horses are cataloged for the sale, and most of them breezed on the synthetic surface of the OBS training track either Saturday or Sunday.
The sale features 20 juveniles and five older horses consigned by Leprechaun Racing as agent for Stonewall Farm. That group was among more than 130 horses put under receivership May 26 by order of a Fayette, Ky., Circuit Court judge. The court appointed Bluewater Sales as receiver under an agreement between Fifth Third Bank and Stonewall Stallions and related entities. Fifth Third had sued Stonewall and several partners for $14.8 million in defaulted loans.
“I think it’s drawn more interest to the sale,” Ventura said of Stonewall’s group. “There are certainly some quality pedigrees in there and horses by the right stallions, and that has piqued some interested. The horses didn’t breeze because they weren’t quite up to it, but people were able to watch them go through the lane and got to look at them on the end of the shank.”
–E-mail Nick Fortuna at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
– Photo of Dr. Zic - Keeneland photo by Z
– Photo of Florida-bred Exotic Bloom by Coady
