By Jessica Martini
A short yearling by Omaha Beach (hip 409) topped the two-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Winter Mixed Sale when selling for $100,000 to Discovery Bay Bloodstock during the auction's open session Wednesday. Bred by Dominque Damico and consigned by her Fly By Thoroughbreds, the Florida-bred filly is out of Gardenista (Curlin), who is a daughter of multiple graded-stakes winner Valbenny (Ire) (Val Royal {Fr}).
During Wednesday's open session, 163 horses grossed $2,009,900 for an average of $12,331 and a median of $5,200. The buy-back rate was 21.3%.
Through two days, 274 horses sold for $4,428,800. The average was $16,164 and the median was $8,000. From a smaller catalogue, the 2024 January sale concluded with figures on par with the auction's 2023 edition. A year ago, 380 horses grossed $6,346,200 for an average of $16,701 and a median of $9,500.
“I thought it was a solid sale,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “There was plenty of money for the perceived higher end. For some of the horses lower on that order, it was a little tougher for the sellers. One thing that hurt us this year from a gross number, we were pretty short in numbers on the horses of racing age section compared to last year. That's an ebb-and-flow situation from one year to the next.”
The OBS sales season continues in two months with the company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
“I think we are going to continue to see what we've seen in the marketplace,” Wojciechowski said of expectations for the spring 2-year-old sales. “There will be a lot of money there for the perceived top-end horses. It can sometimes be a challenge in the middle and lower ends, but I anticipate a good group of 2-year-olds for the upcoming season and I think we will have some good sales.”
Wojciechowski added the upcoming OBS March sale will include 2-year-old offerings from the dispersal of the late Robert Lothenbach. That dispersal begins at Fasig-Tipton with a digital sale opening next Monday and continues with the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed sale in February.
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