By Sarah Mace
After two of the four days of trading at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2016 April sale of two-year-olds in training, the New York-bred market is holding steady, keeping pace with the median of the general population of the sale, while producing a trio of six-figure horses.
Of 36 Empire State-breds offered in Tuesday and Wednesday’s sessions, 23 have sold (36.1% RNA percentage) for an average price of $63,652 and median of $45,000. The median matches the sale median thus far, which is unchanged from last year. The average has not quite kept pace with the general sale average which is $74,092 through session two. Total RNAs so far have come it at 28.9%.
Three individuals have sold for six figures, the top filly of Tuesday’s opening session by Shackleford, who brought $310,000, and a pair of fillies by New York sire Frost Giant, one on Tuesday and one yesterday.
Tuesday’s Frost Giant filly (Hip 96), a dark bay or brown individual foaled on Valentine’s Day 2014 and bred by Anthony Bruno, was purchased by Sallusto & Albina, Agent for $150,000. She is the second foal out of Reata’s Vixen (Sligo Bay), a six-figure earner who is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Royal Currier, who earned nearly $870,000. Graded winner Swing and Miss appears under the fourth dam.
The filly, who breezed an under tack quarter in :20 4/5, sold last summer to Web Carroll Training Center for $57,000 at the Fasig-Tipton preferred New York-bred yearling sale. Her OBS consignor was Southern Chase Farm, Inc. (Greg & Karen Dodd), Agent.
Wednesday’s Frost Giant filly (Hip 400), a chestnut foaled on March 29, 2014, was hammered down to George and Stephanie Autry for $100,000 on the nose after posting a sharp furlong in :10 1/5 for consignor Scanlon Training & Sales.
Bred by Gabriel Duignan, the filly is the third foal out of Watch Smartly, a multiple winner by Smart Strike and out of multiple stakes winner and graded stakes performer Watch Rachel. Watch Rachel’s dam Watch Wendy is also a stakes winner.
The April sale continues Thursday and Friday, with sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m.
