An Ontario-bred two-year-old filly from the first crop of OMAHA BEACH (War Front) brought a bid of $375,000 during the first session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring auction which began on April 25. The filly, whose sire won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, among other races, worked one furlong in :10 for consignor Off the Hook, LLC, agent.
The buyers were Siena Farms and Maverick Racing.
The pricey filly was bred by Jesse Korona who is from Toronto and dabbled in Thoroughbred ownership in 2018 and 2019 before concentrating on the breeding side.
Korona, through trainer Reade Baker, purchased the mare Belatrix, in foal to Omaha Beach, for $40,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale. He sold the weanling filly a year later for $65,000 through Cara Bloodstock. The filly then sold as a yearling for $160,000.
Vancouver’s PETER REDEKOP purchased a pair of juveniles from the sale. Redekop bought a filly from the first crop of Vino Rosso for $175,000 from Top Line Sales, LLC. The filly had worked one furling in :9.4 at the gallop show.
Redekop then went to $310,000 to buy a colt by Into Mischief from the mare Curlina through agent Mike Agent from de Meric Sales.
For the session, 161 horses brought a total of $22,003,000 compared with 180 selling for a total of $22,793,000 at last year’s opening session. The average price was $136,665, up 7.9% compared to $126,628 in 2022, while the median price was $75,000, up 20% compared with $62,500 a year ago. The buyback percentage was 21.8%; it was 15.1% last year.
Hip No. 253, a colt by Arrogate consigned by Hartley / DeRenzo Thoroughbreds LLC, Agent, went to Donato Lanni, Agent, for $1,450,000 to top the first session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2023 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat at Monday’s Under Tack session, is a half-brother to stakes-placed Sunset Promise out of Destine, by War Front, from the family of champion Smoke Glacken.
The sale continues throughout this week.
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