Optimism ahead of OBS spring sale

More than any other segment of the North American Thoroughbred marketplace, the 2-year-old sales season was turned upside down in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the majority of sales either postponed or canceled and figures down across the board. And thus, all eyes were on this season’s early sales as the market seeks a return to normalcy.

Early figures have been encouraging. The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training posted major gains from 2020’s turbulent edition, while the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale returned to the calendar and posted favorable returns.

And thus, there is a sense of optimism for this week’s

Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s flagship spring sale, set to run four sessions Tuesday through Friday.

“The OBS March sale kicked off the 2-year-old sale season with broad participation at all price points,” OBS president Tom Ventura said. “While online bidding has become an excellent alternative for buyers to bid on potential purchases, it was good to see more owners and trainers on the OBS grounds in March. I think everyone was excited and relieved to be at a sale under relatively ‘normal’ conditions. Hopefully, the OBS April sale picks up where we left off, and we are optimistic that it will, based on early indications.”

The OBS spring sale is returning to its traditional April dates after being pushed to June last year by the pandemic. The sale offers more 2-year-olds than any other North American auction, with more than 1,200 hips cataloged for this year’s renewal. Because of the breadth of offerings, it produces horses at various price points and can be considered something of a bellwether for the marketplace. Last year, the sale boasted the most expensive juvenile sold in North America, a $1.35 million Not This Time filly. Named Princess Noor, she went on to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante and Grade 2 Chandelier.

“There is truly something for everyone in the OBS April sale,” Ventura said. “Nearly 200 sires are represented in the catalog, including the leading established sires and many exciting newcomers.”

The pre-sale under-tack show on the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface was serving to showcase that variety of sires in the catalog, as well as showing parity in the offerings. As of Thursday evening, through four of six breeze show sessions, nine juveniles were tied for the fastest furlong, the traditional yardstick, at 9 4/5 seconds. Those juveniles were by nine different sires – although two-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief and his freshman son Practical Joke were both represented by fillies in the group. Two additional stallions were represented with the fastest quarter-mile works. Fillies by Classic Empire and Cupid, both first-crop sires, shared the bullet through four sessions, going in 20 2/5 seconds.