By Sarah Mace
The progeny of New York’s freshman sire Alpha proved extremely popular at this week’s four-day Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April sale of 2-year-olds in training. A trio of Alpha colts fetched six figures, capped by Hip 986 who sold to Linda Rice for $350,000 in the concluding session of trading.
Born on January 28, 2016 at Sequel Stallions in Hudson, Hip 986 was Alpha’s first reported foal. Alpha is a multiple Grade 1-winning son of Bernardini who famously dead-heated with Golden Ticket in the 2012 Grade 1 Travers Stakes for Godolphin and Kiaran McLaughlin. Winner also of the Woodward Stakes, he stands at Becky Thomas’s Sequel Stallions for $5,000.
Bred by Eddie Woods’ Other Things, the colt’s dam is Kentucky-bred stakes winner Silence Dogood (Grand Slam), bought by Woods from the Sequel consignment for $32,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed sale. Woods consigned the colt at OBS, where he worked a quarter in :21 4/5 in the under-tack show.
Silence Dogood comes from a strong, deep family. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Silver Haze and productive Chester and Mary Broman broodmare Unbridled Star. Unbridled Star is the dam of stakes-winner and sire Friend Or Foe, stakes winner Star Grazing and Stolen Star, dam of millionaire Highway Star. Grade 1-placed Rodman also appears under the second dam. The colt’s third dam is multiple Grade 1 winner Taisez Vous, and his extended family includes European champion Bint Pasha and Grade 1 winner Beautician. Silence Dogood has produced two winners to date.
The New York-bred contingent at OBS was 80 horses strong. Of these 63 sold (including eight to-date by private sale) for a buyback percentage of 21.2%. Fourteen individuals brought six figures. The New Yorkers averaged $67,889 and the all-important median price came in at a strong $52,000.
The OBS sale as a whole was a record-breaker for the second straight year. In all 707 horses grossed a sale record $69,429,500, compared with 678 youngsters who brought a record $60,935,900 a year ago. The average price was a sale record $98,203, topping last year’s record of $89,876. The sale median was $55,000, which is 15.8% above the 2017 sale record $47,500. Buybacks were 17.9%, up slightly from 17% a year ago.
