BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Demand for 2-year-old Thoroughbreds remained high Wednesday at Ocala Breeders’ Sales as two juveniles left the auction ring with seven-figure price tags and the average price increased again compared to the second day of the March Sale last year. Wednesday’s average price on 141 head sold was $162,543, a 5.8% increase compared to $153,692 on the second day during the 2024 auction. Gross sales were $22,998,500 compared to $23,976,000 from 156 head on the corresponding day last year. The median dropped from $75,000 to $70,000. A total of 31 horses failed to meet their reserve during the second session for an RNA rate of 17.8%. Last year’s RNA rate for the session was 26%.

Hip 486, a filly by Good Magic, dropped the gavel at $1.1 million to top the second day action after being purchased by bloodstock agents John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto for Flanagan Racing LLC. Consigned by Top Line Sales LLC as agent, the bay filly is out of Rose Mine, by Street Cry (Ire). Her second dam, Reach the Stars (Ire), by Galileo (Ire), is a half-sister to champion older mare and Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1)-winner Escena, Group 2-winner Humbel, Grade 3-winner Showlady and stakes-producer renowned Cat. The filly worked a :9.80 at the under tack show Friday.

“We got outbid on the Maxfield yesterday…but this filly was the highest graded filly I saw,” Kimmel said. “These good fillies that breeze well and have the physical that she has, you really have to pay for. Her physical attributes are something where if you could produce offspring that look like her, she’ll be a hell of a broodmare. I’ve had many good fillies over the years and this filly exudes that kind of quality.”

 

Hip 404, a colt by freshman sire Independence Hall, a multiple graded stakes winner of the Grade 2 Fayette and Grade 3 Nashua, was purchased by JPM Bloodstock for $1 million. The bay colt was consigned by Eddie Woods as agent and is out of the stakes-placed mare Orecchiette, by Harlan’s Holiday. Orecchiette is a half-sister to multiple Grade 2-winner Lane Way and stakes-placed Ragtime Rose. The colt worked a :9.80 eighth mile at the under tack show. 

“The best thing about this horse was that if you look at his video, it’s spectacular,” Woods said. “It almost gets better every time you look at it. He gets quicker and quicker and quicker in the work, he looked wonderful. He vetted well and he’s beyond handsome.”

Woods was the second leading consignor Wednesday with nine juveniles grossing $2,519,500.

The Independence Hall colt will be heading to Mark Glatt’s barn in Southern California.

“It makes me nervous [with a first-crop sire] because you never know which way they’re going to go but we looked up [Independence Hall] and he ran very, very fast – he was consistently fast in all his races,” Glatt said. “At these 2-year-old sales, you’re here to buy the best athlete you possibly can. You look at the pedigree but we’re here to buy what we think are the best athletes. I’m extremely excited (to have the colt in the barn). Hopefully it was all worth it.”

First crop sire Charlatan, winner of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu, was represented by Hip 343, who went for $660,000 to Prime Bloodstock out of Jimbo and Torie Gladwell’s Top Line Sales LLC as agent consignment. The bay colt’s dam is the stakes-winning mare Miss Interpret, by Street Sense and the second dam, All Mette, by Touch Gold, is a half-sister to two multiple Grade 1 winners in Paulssilverling and Dads Caps. The colt breezed in :10 flat during the under tack session.

“The Good Magic filly, everyone on the sales grounds loved her,” Jimbo Gladwell said. “She’s just been a queen. We had high hopes. You never know if they’re going to go for a million, but we were very happy with the price.”

Top Line Sales led all consignors Wednesday, selling nine 2-year-olds for $4,060,000.

“We’re having a great day. A lot of it was how the horses drew up in the catalogue,” Jimbo Gladwell continued. “We just had some excellent horses go on the second day of the breeze show. The sale seems a lot more positive today, some faster times and a little more for the buyers to look after. It’s a good vibe around here and things are going well.

Bloodstock agents John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto also bid $650,000 to purchase Hip 325 on behalf of Flanagan Racing LLC. The chestnut colt is by Midshipman out of the Florida-bred mare Meetmeonline, by Line of David, a half-sister to Grade 2-winner Bucchero, stakes-placed Meetmeinkingston and Florida-bred multiple stakes-producer Meets Expectations, the dam of Grade 1-winning Florida-bred World of Trouble and Florida-bred stakes-winner Money Or Love. The colt worked a bullet :20.40 at the breeze show.

 

Hip 498 sold to Japanese trainer Hideyuki Mori for $610,000. Consigned by Paul Sharp as agent, the bay colt is by Tiz the Law out of Saucy Symphony, by First Samurai, a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Irish Mischief. The colt worked an eighth mile in :9.80 at the under tack program.

Hip 405 sold for $600,000 to AMO Racing USA LLC after working a :9.80 eighth mile at the under tack show. Consigned by Brandon and Ali Rice in the name of their RiceHorse Stable as agent, the dark bay or brown filly is by Bolt d’Oro out of the stakes-placed mare Orquidias Biz, by Fed Biz and a half-sister to Grade 2-placed McKale and Grade 3-producer Social Assassin.

Hip 491 also dropped the gavel at $600,000 on a final bid from Pedro Lanz as agent for KAS Stables. Consigned by Top Line Sales LLC as agent, the bay colt is by Authentic out of Rumandice, by Congrats, a half-sister to Grade 2-placed Goldrush Gal and multiple graded stakes-producer Cayala. The colt worked an eighth mile in :9.80 at the breeze show.

The top-selling Florida-bred on the day was Hip 505, who will be going west to the Bob Baffert barn after being purchased for $400,000 by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman in the name of Three Amigos. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin as agent, the chestnut filly is by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ freshman sire Leinster, winner of the Grade 2 Woodford presented by TVG; set a new course record in the Grade 2 Shakertown; and won the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint and Grade 3 Troy. The chestnut filly is out of Sea Smoke, by Tribal Rule, a full sister to Grade 2-winner Marckie’s Water. The filly was one of three juveniles to fire a bullet quarter mile in :20.40 at Friday’s under tack session. McCrocklin also bred the filly in partnership with Frank Mermenstein.

 

Florida-breds too remained popular with 24 head selling for $2,442,000—an average of $101,750.

John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto led all buyers with their two selections for Flanagan Racing LLC for $1,750,000. Hideuki Mori took six 2-year-olds for $1,665,000.

The OBS March Sale concludes Thursday, selling Hips 545 – 814. The final session begins at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

Return to the March 12 issue of Wire to Wire