By Jessica Martini
A filly by Good Magic (hip 1112) turned in the fastest quarter-mile work of Saturday's final session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training when covering the distance in :20 3/5 for consignor Tom McCrocklin.
“I don't clock my horses at any point,” McCrocklin said. “All these 2-year-olds I sell, I never have a stopwatch in my hand. But at this point, I think I know who can run and who can't. That filly has appeared to be fast for a while and she showed up today and had a really good breeze.”
McCrocklin purchased the youngster for $190,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale. She is out of Tiz Heavenly (Tiznow), a daughter of multiple graded-stakes winner Tasha's Miracle (Harlan's Holiday).
“Good Magic and her physical,” McCrocklin said of his decision to purchase the filly last year. “She's a very, very pretty filly, very balanced. There are some fast horses on the female side of the pedigree. Tasha's Miracle was a very fast filly. She ran in the Railbird and the Hollywood Oaks. And there are some very fast horses under the third dam. Obviously when you are selling 2-year-olds, speed is at a premium.”
The filly's pedigree has advantages beyond speed, according to McCrocklin.
“I like the Good Magic part because it adds some Classic stamina into the pedigree,” he said. “He is a son of Curlin, but I don't think he was a typical son of Curlin. He was very precocious. He was a very good 2-year-old. [The filly] has a lot of Good Magic qualities in her. And she is out of a Tiznow mare. So again, we are bringing speed and stamina on both sides of the pedigree.”
Five horses shared the day's fastest furlong time of :9 4/5.
Caliente Thoroughbreds sent out a son of Solomini (hip 1109, video) to share the day's fastest furlong. The chestnut is the first foal out of Timberlea (Flatter), a half-sister to graded winner Untrapped (Trappe Shot). He was purchased by Gerardo Barragan for $50,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.
A colt by Triple Crown winner Justify (hip 1124, video) worked Saturday's furlong bullet for Scanlon Training & Sales, which purchased him for $125,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale. The bay is out of graded-stakes winner Touching Beauty (Tapit).
A filly by Demarchelier (GB) (hip 1128, video) worked in :9 4/5 for Niall Brennan Stables. The juvenile is out of Treasured (Arch), a full-sister to stakes winner Desert Phantom. She was purchased by Cayson Lane for $16,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.
Envision Equine sent out a colt by Army Mule (hip 1187, video) to share Saturday's furlong bullet. The bay is out of Western Kitty (Western Fame) and is a half-brother to stakes-placed What in Blazes (Straight Fire). He is from the family of Tiznow, Budroyale and Paynter and was bred by KMN Racing.
A colt by GI Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist (hip 1219, video) turned in his bullet work for Best a Luck Farm, which purchased him for $150,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale. He had sold for $130,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Keeneland November sale. Out of the unraced Zetta Z (Bernardini), the juvenile's third dam is GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Unbridled Elaine (Unbridled's Song).
After sending out nearly 30 horses to work during the week, McCrocklin admitted it was a relief to get to the end of the marathon seven-day under-tack show.
“I was very pleased overall,” he said of his consignment's results. “We had 27 breezes and 25 horses went in :20 and change or :21 and change for a quarter-mile–all my horses go a quarter by design. I am proud of the consistency.”
Of track conditions throughout the week, McCrocklin added, “I was very happy with the track. I think the two things that are consistent with this track are temperature and wind. There is nothing OBS can do about either of those. I find that if you have a headwind, so does everyone else. If you have tailwind, so does everybody else. And I'll leave it up to the buyers to do their own handicapping and grade on a curve.
“As far as the temperature, there is no secret the cooler it is, it tends to be a little faster and bouncier. And the hotter it is, it tends to slow down and get just a little bit sticky. But it's a very safe surface and the horses tend to come back very well from their breezes. Our X-rays have been really good so far, so no complaints on the track. I think OBS does a great job.”
The OBS March sale opened the juvenile sales season with strong figures–led by five million-dollar sales–last month and McCrocklin expects to see continued strength at the top of the market, but is worried about lower levels of the playing field.
“I think it's a very deep market,” he said. “You hear it everywhere you go, but I worry more on the lower-middle to lower end. I don't find that we have the depth of buyers that we need. I've developed the expression, it's easier for me to sell a horse for $200,000 than it is for $30,000. I think that's the world we live in right now.”
The OBS Spring sale will be held next Tuesday through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10:30 a.m.
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