Record numbers at OBS March

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale of 2-year-olds in training finished with record gross and average returns after a rallying upper market balanced out tighter conditions down the ladder.

Trade was active during Wednesday’s closing session, bringing the number of sevenfigure horses up to an OBS March-record five, led by a $1.7 million Congrats filly.

The two-day auction saw 300 horses change hands for $56,627,000, up 10 percent from the 2016 sale, where 320 horses brought $51,288,000. The average sale price rose 18 percent to $188,757 from $160,275, while the median sale price went down 2 percent to $100,000 from $102,500. The gross surpassed the prior record of $55,432,000 established in 2015, while the average edged out the record of $187,201 achieved in 2014.

The buyback rate finished at 28 percent, a small increase from 26 percent in 2016.

The number of horses sold for seven figures rose to five from two last year, with four of those going through the ring Wednesday. The number of juveniles changing hands for $500,000 or more increased to 30 from 17, while the 72 horses sold for $250,000 or more marked an improvement over 66 last year.

Bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe bought the $1.7 million sale-topper, the most expensive offering of the 2017 juvenile season to date.

The dark bay or brown Congrats filly is out of the unraced Dixie Union mare Azalea Belle, whose two foals to race are both winners. Her second dam is Grade 2 winner Westerly Breeze, and the extended page includes Grade 3 winners Jacksonport and Officer Rocket.

The partnership of Todd Frederick, Chad Frederick, and Phoenix Farm and Racing bred the filly in Kentucky. This was the third time through the ring for the filly, who brought $60,000 as a short yearling at last year’s Keeneland January sale of horses of all ages, then sold to Zayat Stables for $250,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. McKathan Bros., a longtime partner with the Zayats in breaking their young prospects, consigned the sale-topper as agent.

The filly breezed an eighth of a mile in 9 4/5 seconds over the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface during the presale under-tack show.

The filly became the most expensive unraced offering at a public auction by Congrats, a resident of WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky., and his first seven-figure foal in that category. It was the second-highest overall price for a Congrats offspring at auction, trailing Grade 3 winner Jacaranda, who sold in foal to Candy Ride for $2 million at last year’s FasigTipton Kentucky fall select mixed sale.

Tuesday’s opening session produced the auction’s secondhighest price, with a colt from the first crop of Orb going to a partnership including LNJ Foxwoods for $1.25 million.

Eddie Woods finished the sale as the leading consignor, with 23 horses sold for $8,050,000. His group was led by a $1 million Pioneerof the Nile colt who sold to Robert and Lawana Low.

Radcliffe was the auction’s top buyer, with three purchases totaling $2,925,000.

Union Rags in demand

Union Rags got out of the gate fast with his first crop of runners, now 3-year-olds, and buyers kept that in mind with his second crop at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale of 2-year-olds in training.

The 8-year-old son of Dixie Union led all sires with three juveniles sold for $500,000 or more and was the only sire to have two foals bring $900,000 or more.

Leading the way was a Maryland-bred colt out of the stakes-winning Afleet Alex mare Alexandra Rylee who sold to bloodstock agent Dennis O’Neill for $950,000 late during Tuesday’s opening session. Not far behind was a $900,000 colt out of the Indian Charlie mare Delightfully So who went to Steven Young as agent.

Rounding out the halfmillion-dollar trio was a $685,000 half-brother to recent Grade 2 winner Tequilita, out of the Grade 2-winning Mr. Greeley mare Sangrita. Trainer Simon Callaghan signed for the colt as agent.

Union Rags stands at Lane’s End in Versailles for an advertised fee of $50,000. He has had 36 juveniles sell at public auction for an average price of $216,417.