By Jessica Martini
OCALA, FL – The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training got a late boost from its supplemental section when a colt by Uncle Mo brought the top price of $375,000 during Friday's final session of the three-day auction. The 2024 June sale concluded with numbers just a tick off the sale's 2023 renewal. A total of 582 2-year-olds grossed $21,386,800 during the three-day auction, with the average of $36,747 down 2.2% from last year's figure and the median held at $20,000.
Ramon Morales purchased Friday's session topper–and the sale's third highest-priced juvenile–on behalf of Marc Tacher from Julie Davies's consignment.
Earlier in Friday's session, the Green family's D. J. Stable went to $325,000 to acquire a colt by Justify from the de Meric Sales consignment. The colt was one of five juveniles purchased by the operation at the June sale.
“I think there are good spots and there are soft spots,” Jon Green said of the market this week in Ocala. “That's the way it's been for all of these auctions over the last couple of years. We are kind of waiting and picking our spots to aggressively bid on the top ones we like. At this sale, we probably have a strike rate of 33%, which means we are getting outbid on two out of every three horses that we like. So there is definitely a strong market in pockets and I think if you bring a nice horse to any of these auctions, you are going to get rewarded for it.”
As the juvenile sales season in Ocala concluded, Greg Martin of Britton Peak said he was happy with his consignment's results this spring.
“Personally, it went well,” Martin said. “I was very happy with the results all through the sales, March, April and June. It's like every sale, you bring quality and people are going to pay. For horses who work well and vet well–there are so many hoops you have to jump through–but at the end of the day, if you get past that last hurdle, people pay. You have to bring the right pedigree, you have to bring the right animal. But it's like anything else, if you bring the product, people will pay for it.”
Britton Peak sold all six through the ring at the three-day June sale, led by a $250,000 daughter of Munnings. The consignment also sold a colt by Tiz the Law for $500,000 at the OBS Spring sale.
Looking ahead to the yearling sales, Martin said he plans to repeat the formula which has worked for him in the past.
“I am going to stick with what I've been successful with,” he said. “If the right horses are there, people are on them. People are sharp. Once in a while, you will find a diamond in the rough, but most likely, you are going to have to pay. I am going to be cautious, I always am, and I will manage the risk.”
Marc Tacher | Photos by Z
Tacher Strikes Late for Uncle Mo Colt
With just a few hips left in the OBS June sale Friday, trainer Ramon Morales bid $375,000 to acquire a colt by Uncle Mo (hip 1021) on behalf of Marc Tacher.
“Marc came last week and saw the horse and he loved him,” Morales said. “We waited for him and are happy to get him.”
Consigned by Julie Davies, the bay is out of stakes winner Kim K (Will Take Charge), a daughter of multiple stakes winner Trip for A.J. (Trippi). He was purchased by 3 Friends for $185,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale and, supplemented to the June sale, galloped during last week's under-tack show.
Tacher's Sonata Stable enjoyed a runner-up effort with Arzak (Not This Time) last weekend at Saratoga in the GI Jaipur S. He purchased the 6-year-old for $575,000 from Julie Davies's consignment at the 2020 OBS Spring sale.
Justify Colt Joins D.J. Stable
A colt by Justify (hip 768) will be carrying the colors of the Green family's D.J. Stable and Robert Cotran after selling for $325,000 early in Friday's final session of the OBS June sale. The juvenile is out of Intentonseduction (Street Sense), who is a daughter of Giant Mover (Giant's Causeway) and is a half-sister to graded winners Family Tree (Smart Strike) and Liora (Candy Ride {Arg}). Liora was second in the 2018 GI Kentucky Oaks and Family Tree's son Heroic Move won the recent GIII Steve Sexton Mile.
Justify | Sarah Andrew
“When you are coming to any of these 2-year-old sales, you are looking for a couple of things,” Jon Green said. “One is pedigree, the other is longevity as far as, is the horse going to run two turns. Certainly, this Justify colt checked both of those boxes. The horse is going to go to Joe Orseno, who has Hades for us and a number of other horses. He was not only the top horse on his list, but also on top of Mark Casse's list as well. We were happy to get him for the price we did.”
West Bloodstock purchased the colt for $45,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. He was consigned by De Meric Sales.
“One of the strengths of the OBS June sale is that it gives horses that have a little bit of a problem or hit a bump in the road or have a stumble on the way, it gives them an opportunity to show what they can do without being pressed to try to do it earlier than they are ready,” Green said. “This colt is a big, two-turn kind of horse and he would have not done as well, in my estimation, in March or April. He did have a couple of hiccups. He's over that and he looks like he will be able to go forward with us now as the races get longer.”
D.J. Stable joined with Gary Barber a few hips later to acquire a filly by Maclean's Music (hip 783) for $250,000, also from the de Meric Sales consignment.
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