BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Hip 173, gray or roan colt by Tapit, drew a final bid of $1,200,000 to top Tuesday’s action at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale of Two Year Olds in Training as West Point Thoroughbreds, D J Stable, C J, Lane’s End Bloodstock as agent outlasted all bidders. Out of Distorted Music, by Distorted Humor, the colt, who galloped at the first under tack show Wednesday, is a half-brother to Grade 3-winner She Can’t Sing while Distorted Music is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed, stakes-producer Zinzay. Tom McCrocklin as agent for the Complete Disperesal for Lothenback Stables Inc. was the consignor.
On the day, 153 sold for $20,904,000 for an average of $136,627 and a median of $72,000. Last year on the first day of the March Sale, 124 head brought a total of $19,443,000 for an average of $156,798 and a median of $87,500.
Prominent Japanese breeder Katsumi Yoshida went to $850,000 to acquire Hip 183 from the consignment of Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds LLC as agent. The dark bay or brown colt worked a :10 flat furlong during the under tack show and is by Not This Time out of the Twirling Candy mare Dos Vinos, a half-sister to stakes-winning and graded stakes-producing China Grove.
A pair of juveniles went for $750,000 Tuesday.
Bill Childs purchased Hip 89 out of Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree consignment as agent after the colt worked an eighth in :9.80 at the breeze show. The bay colt is from the first crop by McKinzie, winner of several Grade 1 races including the Whitney, Pennsylvania Derby, Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity and Malibu; out of Breech Inlet, by Florida-bred Horse of the Year Holy Bull. The colt is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed, stakes-winner Merveilleux.
Hip 106 went to BSW/Crow Colts Group and Spendthrift Farm out of the Pick View LLC as agent consignment. By Uncle Mo out of Canteen, by Candy Ride (Arg), and from the family of Grade 1-placed, stakes-winner Lady Melesi, the bay colt worked an furlong in :10.40 at the under tack show.
There was also a pair of $700,000 2-year-olds that went through the auction ring Tuesday.
Woodford Thoroughbreds put in the final bid on Hip 26, a bay filly by Munnings out of Ansaam, by Bernardini, a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Denman’s Call and Grade 3-placed Torosay. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables as agent, the filly worked an eighth-mile in :9.80 at the under tack show.
Hip 202 went to Muir Hut Stables LLC after working an eighth mile in :10.20 from the barn of consignor Old South Farm LLC as agent. The bay colt is by Into Mischief out of Grade 3-winning mare Electric Forest, by Curlin, a half-sister to Grade 3-winner Kentuckian and stakes-winners Electric Forest and Uncle Chuck.

Hip 271, a Florida-bred colt by Cajun Breeze – Judit Seipert
Hip 267 was purchased by On The Run Racing for $500,000 out of the consignment of Pick View LLC as agent. The bay colt is by Curlin out of the stakes-placed and multiple graded stakes-producing mare Golden Artemis, by Malibu Moon and worked a quarter-mile in :21.40 at the breeze show. The colt is a half-brother to Grade 1-winner and graded stakes-producer My Conquestadory, Grade 3-winner Runningsonofagun, stakes-placed Saharan and graded stakes-producer Conquest Lil Miss.
The top selling Florida-bred on the day was Hip 271, a chestnut colt by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze consigned by breeder Tom McCrocklin as agent and purchased for $210,000 by West Point Thoroughbreds, Lane’s End Bloodstock as agent. Out of Goldminer’s Dream, by Distorted Humor, the colt is from the family of Grade 2-winner Excaper and posted an under tack time of :20.80 for two furlongs.
Tom McCrocklin lead all consignors Tuesday, selling 10 head for $2,012,000 with de Meric Sales marketing 12 juveniles for $1,664,000. Pick View LLC sold five 2-year-olds for $1,545,000.
West Point Thoroughbreds/D J Stable/C J, LEB as agent led all buyers with the $1.2 million purchase of the top seller. Kasumi Yoshida purchased two for $1,160,000 while Woodford Thoroughbreds signed the tickets on two juveniles for a total of $1 million.