by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm
OCALA, FL – Without a breakout horse and plenty of racing, the Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training has been seriously putting through its paces in Thursday, with a pony Nyquistist attracting a session high of $550,000 by the end of the day. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, on behalf of Zedan Racing Stable, signed the ticket to top the session for the third consecutive day.
From a field of 302 horses, only 187 made the cut on Thursday and the session started at 10:30 a.m., moved at a breakneck pace and ended before 4 p.m. During the session, 143 horses were sold for $14,877,000. The session average was $104,035 and the median was $70,000.
“We had a high number of guests out today,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “It was definitely the softest day of sales we've had to date. But we still have tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to recover and have a better day tomorrow.”
Through three of the four sessions, 472 horses earned $61,608,500. The cumulative average of $130,526 is nearly identical to last year's figure at the same time, while the average of $75,000 is up 15.4% from a year ago.
“The market is clearly very volatile,” said Ciaran Dunne, whose Wavertree Stables signed on to top the session. “Traffic would have decreased years ago. The number of attendees today is quite sparse. A lot of people left town. I'm sure they can bid via phone and internet, but it's different when there are people in attendance. They may be caught up in the moment, whereas they might be more objective away from the heat of battle. We had a good day. It's very reminiscent of our March sale. It was good, but it wasn't great.”
Regarding the real dearth of buyers in Ocala on Thursday, Wojciechowski said, “We always want to have people on site. Certainly, it seems like online bidding is more popular these days.”
More than half of the horses listed for Thursday's session were in action in last Friday's under-wire show, which was conducted a day after heavy rain hit the area and was accompanied by gusty winds.
Slower conditions and timing are unlikely to influence buyers, according to Lanni.
“I know it's a slow day,” he said. “The track was definitely a bit slower and there was a headwind, but there were some good horses that ran that day. Every day here is different. I think everyone knows and adjusts and accepts each day when the horse is active. I think it's something that works and they know. Even though they go a little slower, I don't think it means much.”
The final session of the OBS spring sale begins at 10:30 a.m. Friday
Nyquistist Colt Tops at OBS Thursday
A foal by Nyquistist (hips 891), one of the final entries of the day, topped Thursday's spring OBS sale when it fielded a final bid of $550,000 from bloodstock dealer Donato Lanni, on behalf of Amr's Zedan Racing Stable Zedan.
“He is a very good representative of the male and we have done very well with him Nyquistist,” Lanni said. “The horse looked to be doing well and he came back well. He is someone we love and we are happy to have him.”
Ciaran Dunne | Z's photo
The bay colt, who worked long last week at :10 flats, was out of the Grade I Acoma (Empire Maker). He was consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables and was purchased for $150,000 at the Keeneland sale last September by the Red Wings pinhooking partnership of Dunne and Paul Reddam, who campaigned. Nyquistist.
“It seems like every time I make a sale I sit here talking about how great it is Nyquistist and between each sale he will do more to justify what you say about him,” Dunne said. “He's a beautiful horse. His work was fantastic and I think he was well received at the warehouse. Maybe we're a little disappointed with what he brings. I think he can carry a little more. But he was bought and sold well. Hope he goes to a good home.” @JessMartiniTDN
Strong day for the establishment
Junior Training and Sales had a strong day of sales on Thursday, taking two of the day's highest priced foals to auction and finishing the day as the third highest consignor with a total of 11 foals selling for $1,477,000. A colt from the first crop War of wills (hips 717) from the Pianist family MGSW (More Than Ready) spent much of the afternoon as the top-priced colt and was only beaten by one of the last hips to cross the ring at the end day. Purchased by Grassroots for just $25,000 at Fasig-Tipton's October yearling sale, he fielded a final bid of $400,000 from trainer Cherie DeVaux after The wind blows in :10. He was joined on the top price list by another late in the day when a colt passed army mule (hips 886), everyone worked for the eighth time in :10, was sold for $350,000 to Lael Stable after being purchased for $190,000 at Keeneland last September. The pair of colts were two of five six-figure sales for Grassroots in Thursday's session. Their first daughter, a mixed-race daughter of Arizona Spin to run (hips 625), sold for $120,000 later working at: 9.4. @SGrimmTDN
Woodford buys Bolt d'Oro Filly
Girls have the highest price of the day (hips 643) overtook Woodford Thoroughbreds by $450,000 early in the third session of the OBSAPR on Thursday. By Bolt d'Oro, who also sold $800,000 colt during Wednesday's trading session, worked with her for a long time in:10.
“I like the stallion and I think he has held his own in a very competitive Kentucky stallion market,” said Will Walden. “And I would say his colts probably more than his colts turned out to be better runners than him. Physically, she's a long, chubby, sexy girl who I think would stretch out and get two turns. She has a lot of qualities. Every time I go back to the warehouse she is the most professional and I fall in love with her all over again.”
Will Walden (right) with Niall Brennan | Z's photo
This is the fourth time this filly has made it to the sale after she failed to meet her reserve as a yearling at both the Fasig-Tipton October and July sales. But Walden notes that the little girl could be valuable to Woodford beyond her racing career.
“We'll see how she is [racing] career go. Her pedigree is a bit lackluster at the moment but she has a sister racing at Oaklawn and Bolt d'Oro is, by far, the best stallion the dam has visited so there will be more to come . But she is beautiful and I would like to think that in the future she will have beautiful children.”
Hip 643 is one of two guys going home to Woodford after their outing in Omaha Beach (hip 127) during Tuesday's opening session.
“We bought one,” Walden continued [Omaha Beach filly] for $390,000 at the start of the week. We came to buy the Caracaro that Donato Lanni had [hip 199] for Three Amigos and no one even raised their hand so it was competitive. It seems the market has fluctuated. Tuesday starts off soft, Wednesday strong, Thursday a bit soft so hopefully this pattern holds and tomorrow is a strong day.” @SGrimmTDN
