BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Despite Hurricane Milton barreling down on Florida and Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company officials having to reschedule their two-day OBS October Yearling Sale, holding it 24 hours earlier than planned, Tuesday action produced an increase in the average price for both days to $20,123 from $19,976 a year ago.
Originally planned for Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 8-9, OBS officials pushed the sale to Monday and Tuesday to avoid the potentially dangerous weather.
“I think one of the great things about OBS is the fact upper management and the team, they recognize when they need to alter a path and try and make things better not only for the buyers and the sellers but most importantly for the horses,” Jon Green of D. J. Stable said in an OBS press release. “I think that in a perfect world, the sale would have gone off without a hitch but we’re not in a perfect world and sometimes you have to pivot and be flexible.”
Gross sales fell during the two-day action as 286 yearlings sold for $5,755,100 compared to 384 generating $7,670,600 last year. The median price fell from $13,000 a year ago to $12,000 this year and 179 were listed as not sold. OBS officials reduced the commissions on the RNAs to 2.5% for this sale after the rescheduling.
A Florida-bred filly by Complexity topped Tuesday action, selling for $150,000 to Top Line Sales LLC as agent. Cataloged as Hip 459 from the consignment of Thoroughstock as agent, the dark bay or brown filly is out of the Badge of Silver mare Silver Lantana and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Six the Hard Way. Silver Lantana is a half-sister to multiple Grade 3-winner Lantana Bob and stakes-producer Speed Has Value. The top selling filly was bred in Florida by Norman Dellheim and Katie Leibe.
“This is my first time selling a horse like this. I’m from the hunter/jumper world and this is my first homebred, the first one where I had the mare and everything,” Liebe said. “I just think she has flawless conformation, and her dam line is really hot right now, as well as Complexity so it was just the perfect match. She does look the part, she’s a very classy filly. She’s like a puppy dog. Even my 4- and 6-year-old could lead her around. We’re very happy.”
Tori Gladwell of Top Line Sales said plans are already being made for the top-selling filly.
“She was our pick for the whole sale,” Gladwell said. “She was our favorite individual: early, fast, sound for a pinhook. We bought her for a partnership so some of our partners are really excited about buying into her. It will probably be March (that she’ll sell) if she’s early enough, maybe April. That’s where she’ll probably end up.”
Hip 385, a Florida-bred colt by Ocala Stud’s Win Win Win, the leading freshman sire in Florida, went for $135,000 on a final bid from No Money No Honey as agent. Consigned by Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales as agent, the gray or roan colt is out of stakes-winning Marciano mare Prize Informant, a half-sister to stakes-winner Wise Answer. The colt was bred in Florida by Ashley Godwin’s Rivermont Farm.
“He was just a very athletic individual,” Kent said. “His 3-year-old half-brother Jasper Robusto is running extremely well in Japan right now and running in a stakes race on the weekend. But it was the individual that sold. He is very well balanced for a big colt and people liked his athletic look.”
Selling for $130,000 was Boujify, a filly by Justify cataloged as Hip 280. Leonard Green’s D. J. Stable LLC purchased Boujify out of the Colin Brennan Bloodstock as agent consignment. Boujify is out of the stakes-winning Street Cry (Ire) mare Financial Recovery, a half-sister to stakes winner and graded stakes-producer Blue Heart, stakes-placed and graded stakes-producer Diamondaire; Grade 3-placed Henshin Hero, stakes-placed Final Redemption, graded stakes-producer By Golly Mis Molly and stakes-producer Diamondesque.
Hip 448 went to Golf 24/25 for $130,000 out of the Darsan Inc. consignment. The Florida-bred colt is by Girvin out of The Big Beast mare She Can’t Help It, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winner World of Trouble, stakes-winner Money or Love and stakes-placed Alfie Solomons. The colt was bred in Florida by Darsan Inc.
D. J. Stable also purchased Hip 462, a filly by Vekoma consigned by Lisa McGreevy’s Abbie Road Farm, for $130,000. The filly is out of the Empire Maker mare Sinister Siren, a half-sister to stakes-placed Unanimously. She is from the family of Grade 2-winner Delightful Kiss and Grade 3-winner Delightful Mary.
Champions Equine LLC purchased Hip 249 for $100,000 out of the Beth Bayer as agent consignment. The Bay colt is by Bolt d’Oro out of the stakes-placed mare Lemon de Oro, by Lemon Drop Kid and is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Golden Alchemist.
Also bringing $100,000 was Hip 516 from the Lisa McGreevy’s Abbie Road Farm consignment. Dilligaf purchased the bay colt by Midshipman out of Thank You Note, by Uncle Mo. The colt is from the family of Grade 3-placed, stakes-winner Cool Spell.
Lisa McGreevy’s Abbie Road Farm topped all consignors with 30 head bringing a total of $841,600. Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales sold 26 yearlings for $684,700 while Beth Bayer rounded out the top three among consigners with 22 horses bringing $490,200.
Leonard Green’s D. J. Stable LLC was the leading buyer during the two-day auction, taking four yearlings for $355,000. K.O.I.D. Co. Ltd., purchased 10 head for $218,000 while West Coast Equine bought five horses for $207,000.
Next on the OBS calendar is the Winter Mixed Sale, set for January 28 – 29, 2025.
