BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Excitement rang throughout the auction ring during Wednesday’s second session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale as a daughter from the first crop by Tiz the Law was hammered down at $1.9 million.
Action was brisk again Wednesday with 172 head selling for $26,141,500 for an average of $151,985 and a median of $75,000. The average is a 19.6% increase compared to the $127,101 average on the second day of last year’s OBS Spring Sale. The Median represents a $25,000 jump over last year’s $60,000 median. Last year, Wednesday’s session sold 189 juveniles for $24,022,000.
A winner of the Belmont (Grade 1), Runhappy Travers (G1), Curlin Florida Derby (G1) and Champagne (G1), Tiz the Law was represented by the bay filly that sold as Hip 365 to Donato Lanni as agent for Michael Lund Petersen. She first turned heads last week when she worked a quarter mile in :20.20, equaling the track record over the SafeTrack surface at Ocala Training Center. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin as agent, she is out of the stakes-placed, stake-producing mare Moonlight Sky, by Sky Mesa, a half-sister to Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) Abel Tasman and a full-sister Grade 3-winner Sky Girl. Moonlight Sky has also produced Grade 3-placed Urban.
Lanni went at it again a few hips later to purchase Hip 371 for $925,000 for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations. The bay colt consigned by de Meric Sales as agent is by American Pharoah out of More Roses, by Uncle Mo, a half-sister to Grade 2-winner Merneith. The colt worked a furlong in :10 flat at the under tack show last week.
Japan’s Naohiro Sakaguchi went to $925,000 to acquire Hip 603, the second to last horse to go through the ring Wednesday. The bay colt, consigned by Scanlon Training and Sales as agent, is by Into Mischief out of multiple Grade 1-winner Separationofpowers, by Candy Ride (Arg) and worked an eighth mile in :9.80 at the breeze show. Separationofpowers is a half-sister to stakes-winner Empire of War.
Hip 351 sold for $800,000 to Three Amigos from the Tom McCrocklin as agent consignment. The gray or roan colt is by Bolt d’Oro out of the Grade 2-placed, stakes-winning mare Miss Pippa, by Master Command. The colt is a half-brother to stakes-winner Paluxy and breezed two furlongs in :20.60 at the under tack show.
Hip 411 was also purchased by Lanni as an agent for Zedan Racing Stable for $800,000 out of the consignment of Sequel Bloodstock as agent for Chester and Mary Broman. Rookie Racer is by first crop sire Vekoma, winner of the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 1 Runhappy Carter Handicap. The dark bay or brown colt is out of Newbie, by Bernardini and is a half-brother to Grade 3-winner Classy Edition, stakes-winner Newly Minted and stakes-placed New Girl in Town. Rookie Racer stopped the clock in :9.80 for an eighth mile at the under tack session.
Speedway Stables LLC went to $725,000 to purchase Hip 477, a colt by Oscar Performance out of Post Script, by Quality Road. Consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables Inc. as agent, the bay colt is a half-brother to stakes-winner Act a Fool. Post Script is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-producer Miss Chapin; and Dream Fuhrever, the dam of Endlessly, winner of this year’s Grade 3 Jeff Ruby and a contender for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). The colt worked an eighth mile in :9.80 at the under tack session.
Lanni for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations also purchased Hip 342 for $675,000. The bay colt is a son of Nyquist out of Miss Hetty, by Congrats and is a half-brother to Grade 3-placed Sonic Breeze, Miss Hetty is a half-sister to Grade 2-winner Glenville Gardens. The colt produced a :10 flat eighth mile during the under tack session.
Hip 468 went to Lael Stable for $600,000 from the consignment of de Meric Sales as agent. By Justify out of the stakes-placed mare Pink Twist, by Malibu Moon, the chestnut filly worked a furlong in :10.40 at the under tack show. Pink Twist is a half-sister to stakes-winner Ostrolenka and stakes-placed Great Gracie Dane.
Lanni as agent for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations also purchased Hp 417, a son of Curlin out of the stakes-winning Noble Causeway mare Noble and Beauty. The chestnut colt is from the family of Grade 1-winner and leading sire Tapit and lit up the money board with a final bid of $575,000 after working an eighth-mile in :10 flat at the breeze show.
The top selling Florida-bred on the day was Hip 516, by first crop sire Caracaro, a stakes-winning runner-up in both the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers and Grade 3 Peter Pan. Consigned by Azpurua Stables as agent, the bay colt the colt was purchased for $300,000 by Taproot Bloodstock as agent. He is out of Real Ruffian, by Ghostzapper, a half-sister to Grade 3-winner Temporary Saint. The colt is a half-brother to stakes-placed First Illusion and produced a :20.60 quarter mile during the under tack program.
The top consignor Wednesday was de Meric Sales with 10 juveniles selling for $3,165,000 while Tom McCrocklin was a very close second, marketing eight 2-year-olds for $3,164,000.
Donato Lanni as agent for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations led all buyers, signing the ticket on three head for $2,175,000. Lanni as agent for Michael Lund Peterson was the second leading buyer with his one purchase by $1,900,000.
The OBS Spring continues Thursday with Hips 605-906 set to sell starting at 10:30 a.m. The final day of the four-day auction is Friday.
