OBS March

By Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL--The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's grounds continued to buzz with activity during a second straight day of very strong trade as the March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale concluded Wednesday. Bidding was fast and furious right from the start with the top horse of the day--and the sale as a whole--coming in the second juvenile through the ring, Hip 318, a colt by More Than Ready, who summoned $1.2 million from Kaleem Shah. A daughter of American Pharoah (Hip 532) also achieved seven figures...

Shortly before purchasing eight horses on the first day of the OBS March Sale, West Point Thoroughbreds CEO Terry Finley joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Tuesday morning as the Green Group Guest of the Week to talk about the strength of the sales market, trying to find the perfect formula in analyzing and purchasing horses at auction, the latest with superstar Flightline (Tapit) and much more. "There is no secret sauce, and we bring that up to prospective partners all the time, to acknowledge something that's obvious...

Fresh off a $600,000 purchase for a Bolt d'Oro colt on Day 1 at the OBS March sale Tuesday, Kaleem Shah came out firing Wednesday, securing Hip 318 for a cool $1.2 million moments after the start of the second day of the sale. Consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables, the son of More Than Ready worked an eighth in :9 4/5 during Sunday's final breeze session. Out of the Indian Charlie mare Broad Spectrum, the bay is a half-brother to SW Broad Approval (Carpe Diem).

Not long after a son of Into Mischief broke the seven-figure barrier at $1.1 million, another colt by Spendthrift's sizzling sire summoned a cool million from the Brad Cox colt group, in which Spendthrift is a major player. The colt's breeder, Chester Broman, will stay in for 25%. Bred in New York, Hip 277 is out of Broman's MGISW Artemis Agrotera (Roman Ruler), whose first foal Chestertown (Tapit) topped this sale at $2-million in 2019.

A son of red-hot stallion Into Mischief (Hip 257) was the first to hit the million-dollar mark at OBS March Tuesday, summoning $1.1 million from Japan's Hideyuki Mori. A $180,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchased by Eddie Woods' Quarter Pole Enterprises, the bay breezed in :9 4/5.

Extreme weather conditions have prompted OBS officials to delay Sunday's OBS March breeze show, which will now begin at 10:00a.m. The third breeze session was originally slated for Saturday, however, forecasts of heavy precipitation prevailing in the area prompted the late change in plans. A tornado also reportedly tore through the Ocala area Saturday, although sales' officials confirmed that the OBS grounds were largely not impacted. Temperatures, expected to plummet Saturday evening giving rise to a chilly Sunday morning, in the vicinity of 30s. Additionally, Daylight Savings Time begins overnight...

The action at the OBS sale's grounds proved boisterous Friday with many horses making up for a missed engagements after weather prematurely ended Thursday's initial breeze session. However, spectators were given something to talk about right from the onset, courtesy of Hip 213, a filly by Adios Charlie, who negotiated a quarter mile in a swift :20 2/5, the fastest time posted at the distance over the first two days of breeze action. Consigned by Ocala Stud, agent, the Feb. 6 foal is out of MSW Travelator (A P Jet)....

On the opening day of the OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, just 7 1/2 weeks ahead of the First Saturday in May, buyers will have a chance to purchase the half-siblings to a pair of GI Kentucky Derby contenders. The first of the two to go through the ring Mar. 15 will be an Always Dreaming half-brother to GII Risen Star S. winner Epicenter (Not This Time). Consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables as Hip 121, the bay is out of stakes winner and GSP Silent Candy (Candy Ride...

The under-tack show for the upcoming OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale kicks off Thursday with the first of three sessions. Hips 1-212 breeze during Thursday's session, followed by Hips 213-424 Friday and Hips 425-635 Saturday. Each session begins at 8 a.m. The OBS March Sale runs Mar. 15-16 with a 10 a.m. start each day.

Jean Gros (More Than Ready) became the 214th worldwide black-type winner--and first in Japan--for his legendary sire with a spectacular performance in Sunday's $333,992 Listed Marguerite S. at Hanshin Racecourse. The 6-5 favorite was away alertly, but was checked hard off heels prior to the entry to the turn, perhaps having caused his own problems. The full-brother to Tom's Ready, MGSW & GISP, $1,036,267, soon recovered from that bit of trouble and traveled strongly on the turn before easing off heels and into the four path on the swing for...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Sunday and Monday running at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses, with a pair of newly turned 3-year-old fillies taking a step up into Group 3 competition off maiden-breaking victories: Sunday, January 9, 2022 3rd-CKO, ¥9,900,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m THE KING (JPN) (c, 3,...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses. Sunday's Boxing Day program at Nakayama features the world's biggest betting race annually, the G1 Arima Kinen, in which Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) will look close her career on a winning note in defense of...