BY BROCK SHERIDAN

The high demand for yearling Thoroughbreds in Kentucky and New York earlier this year made its way to the Horse Capital of the World® Tuesday for the first day of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale. 

Tuesday’s session saw 146 yearlings sell for $3,255,600, an increase of 89.9% compared to last year’s first day of the OBS October Sale when 104 head generated $1,713,900 in gross sales. The average leaped 35.3% to $22,299 from $16,480 a year ago. The median price of $15,000 was a 50% increase compared to the $10,000 median on the first day last year. Seven of the top nine sellers were bred in Florida.

Although the comparison’s may be a bit skewed with last year’s OBS October Yearling Sale having its sale sessions adjusted due to Hurricane Milton, the average was still 17.7% above the $18,940 average during the first day of the 2023 October Yearling Sale.

The sale continues Wednesday at noon featuring Hips 301 – 530 plus supplemental Hips 531 – 551.

Hip 177, Expectations, a filly by first crop sire Mo Donegal, dropped the gavel at $240,000 to take the best-selling honors. Consigned by Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales as agent, the bay filly is out of On the Good List, by Speightstown, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Dunbar Road. Bloodstock agent Christophe Nouvellet on behalf of Dream With Me Florida LLC purchased the filly. 

“I sold Serena Song’s as a yearling and this filly has that kind of class,” Kent said. “That’s big words.

“The price was excellent. The filly justified the price. She was just a super star all week. She’d been scoped eight times and showed herself just brilliantly over 100 times. She’s a very classy filly. We had all the players in town bidding on her.”

“She’s a good physical and we’re going to hope for the best,” Nouvellet said. “She’s a good mover and I think on paper she has everything to succeed. We just like to buy good horses.”

Nouvellet recently purchased the 200-acre McKathan Brother’s Farm in Citra, Fla.,

A Florida-bred colt by first crop sire Corniche brought $200,000 on a final bid from MJB Stable. Selling as Hip 148, Mr Predicted, is out of Mollyball, by Take Charge Indy and was consigned by Edisley Soler in the name of Soler & Soler Thoroughbred Corp., who also bred the bay colt. Mollyball is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Adriano, graded stakes-placed, graded stakes-producer Gold d’Oro, graded stakes-producer Star Torina and stakes-producers Moravia and Sugar Canyon.

Also bringing $200,000 was Hip 251, a bay colt from the first crop by Jack Christopher that went to new owner DiBello Racing Stable LLC. Consigned by Beth Bayer as agent, the colt is out of Madelyn’s Magic, by Hard Spun, a half-sister to graded stakes-winners Totally Boss and Super Steed. 

“We had been waiting all day for him to come up,” Bayer said. “I love Jack Christopher as a new sire. All the ones we’ve seen have looked like athletes and (this colt) had a nice pedigree as well and a very good mind. He showed really well every single time.”

A Florida-bred filly by Bucchero got the auction off to a fast start selling for $110,000 to Thorostock, Nick Sallusto as agent. Consigned by Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales as agent, Hip 1 is a chestnut filly is out of the Florida-bred mare Dagney’s Revenge, by Greatness and is from the family of Ocala Stud stallion and Grade 3-winner Awesome Slew and Grade 3 winners Seeking Slew and Canadian Frontier. She was bred in Florida by Ashley Godwin’s Rivermont Farm.

The yearling payment on Hip 1 has been made for rich Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Florida Sire Stakes series. A 2-year-old payment of is due by Jan. 15, 2026 to make the filly fully eligible for the lucrative series. 

Hip 144, a Florida-bred filly by Vekoma, sold for $95,000 to Dennis Campbell out of the Bobby Jones Equine LLC as agent consignment. She is out of Miss Unique, by Midnight Lute and her second dam is stakes-winner High Mist, by Olmodavor. From the family of Grade 3-winner Primal Storm, the filly was bred in Florida by Alan Amato.

Red Wings went to $90,000 to acquire Hip 169, a Florida-bred colt by first crop sire Epicenter out of the stakes-placed Tapizar mare Nomizar. Nomizar is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-placed Paige Anne. Consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield, the colt was bred in Florida by George and Karen Russell’s Rustlewood Farm Inc.

Vekoma was also represented by Hip 134, a filly consigned by Sue Vacek as agent that brought $80,000 from Avatar Bloodstock. The dark bay or brown filly is out of Liam’s Map mare Melissa’s Girl, a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Florida-bred Mr Raj and stakes-placed Florida-bred Volatiled. The filly was bred in Florida by Carolin Von Rosenberg DVM.

Summerfield also consigned Hip 72, a Florida-bred filly by Good Magic that sold to Tami Bobo for $75,000. She is out of the stakes-winning mare Holly Hundy, by Yes It’s True, a half-sister to stakes-placed Relish the Ride and Cryptos’ Holiday. She was also bred in Florida by Rustlewood Farm Inc.

Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales was the top consignor, marketing 18 head for $605,000 while Summerfield sold 13 yearlings for $285,000. Beth Bayer consigned 10 yearlings for $259,000.

The top buyer on the day was DiBello Racing Stables LLC after signing the ticket on three yearlings for a total of $255,000. Dream With Me Florida LLC bought two yearlings for $253,000 while MJB Stable was the third leading buyer with their purchase of the Florida-bred colt by Corniche for $200,000.

Check Florida Sire Stakes Eligibility: 2025 OBS October Yearling Sale

Return to the October 7 issue of Wire to Wire