Filly offerings dominated the second and final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training on Wednesday, led by a daughter of Congrats that brought a sale-high $1.7 million from Kerri Radcliffe, agent. Hip No. 360 was consigned by McKathan Bros. agent.
Out of Azalea Belle, an unraced daughter of Dixie Union and the Grade 2-winning Westerly Breeze, the February 13 Kentucky-bred is from the family of Grade 3 winner Officer Rocket and multiple Grade 3-placed stakes winner Jacksonport.
Previously sold as a yearling for $60,000 at Keeneland January and for $250,000 at Keeneland September, the filly worked one furlong in :9 4/5 at the under tack show.
The first seven-figure seller of the day was a filly by Tapit that brought $1.1 million from OXO Equine LLC. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, agent, the March 26 Kentucky-bred toured the ring as Hip 349.
Out of Arienza, a Grade 2-placed daughter of Giant’s Causeway, the filly counts as her second dam three-time champion older mare, Horse of the Year, and Hall of Famer Azeri. The latter’s most prominent runner to date was the Grade 2-winning Wine Princess.
Previously named Argusto, the filly was an RNA for $260,000 at Keeneland September and worked a quarter-mile in :21 2/5 at the under tack show.
OXO Equine was also the winning bidder at $1.050 million for an Arch colt, also consigned by McCrocklin acting as agent. The April 6 Kentucky-bred was offered as Hip 515.
Out of Enhancing, by Forestry, the colt counts as his second dam 1995 champion three-year-old filly Heavenly Prize, who reared multiple Grade 1 winner Good Reward and Grade 2 scorer Pure Prize. Grade 1 winner Persistently is also descended from this line. Counting Oh What a Dance as his third dam, the Arch colt is closely related to Tuesday’s session topper by Orb, who sold for $1.25 million.
Led out unsold after a $110,000 bid at Keeneland September, the colt worked two furlongs in :20 4/5 at the under tack show.
Robert & Lawana Low purchased a son of Pioneerof the Nile for $1 million. Hip 586 was offered by Eddie Woods, agent.
The March 12 Kentucky-bred is out of Heavenly Vision, a Forestry half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Cairo Prince. He counts as his second dam multiple stakes winner Holy Bubbette, who is also the second dam of 2016 Wood Memorial (G1) winner Outwork.
Last sold as a $240,000 Keeneland November weanling, the colt worked a quarter-mile in :20 4/5 at the under tack show.
Gross and average saw gains for the session while the median declined. On Wednesday, 152 horses sold for $29,791,500, a rise of 19.8 over the comparable session in 2016 when 151 head brought $24,869,500. The average was up 19 percent, from $164,699 to $195,997, while the median dipped 10 percent, from $100,000 to $90,000.
The final figures for the two-day auction also saw rises in gross and average with a small decline in median. At the conclusion of selling, 300 juveniles had sold for $56,627,000, an increase of 10.4 percent from a year ago when 320 grossed $51,288,000. The average rose 17.8 percent, from $160,275 to $188,757, while the median was off 2.4 percent, from $102,500 to $100,000.
Full results can be viewed at obssales.com.
hello, what does RNA stand for?
“Reserve not attained,” meaning that the final bid (“hammer price”) wasn’t high enough to reach the seller’s threshold price (“reserve”). So the “RNA” designates that the horse wasn’t sold.