by Sarah Mace
The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2012 March Sale of Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training got off to a solid start for New York-breds in the first session on Tuesday, with seven of the eight colts and fillies offered changing hands for an average price of $92,857.
Trainer Todd Pletcher signed as agent for the top two New York lots, both bred by Eaton & Thorne, Inc. and foaled at Thorndale Farm in Millbrook. The top Empire-bred, a colt by Ready’s Image (Hip 91), went for $220,000. Purchased as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton New York Preferred sale in Saratoga for $150,000 by Nick de Meric (agent), the colt is out of an unraced daughter of Storm Creek, Queen of Valentine, who has produced two winners and is a half-sister to multiple Grade 3-winner and Grade 1-performer Feline Story (Tale of the Cat).
The Ready’s Image colt is one of fourteen horses who worked eighths in: 10 flat at the first session of the OBS March Under Tack Show last Thursday. Consignor Nick de Meric said before the sale, “He’s a crackerjack looking colt. He’s a super individual.”
Todd Pletcher also paid $150,000 for Hip 18, a chestnut filly from the first crop of New York Freshman Sire Bustin Stones. Her unraced dam Land on Your Feet has produced three winners and is a half sister to stakes-winner Reflect the Music (A.P. Indy).
This filly, too, sold last summer at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale in Saratoga, going to Inlander Stable for $87,000. Consignor Niall Brennan of Niall Brennan Stables (agent) said, “She’s a New York-bred by a New York stallion, so obviously that gives her tremendous added value. She’s a popular filly, and she can run. She’s a real two-year-old.”
The filly’s sire Bustin Stones, who stands at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, was a Grade 1-winning sprinter who went unbeaten in six starts and retired with $480,150. Winner of the 2008 editions of the Grade 1 Carter Handicap and Grade 2 General George Handicap, Bustin Stones was voted 2008 New York Champion Male Sprinter.
Finally, a Kentucky-bred son of Vinery New York’s Bluegrass Cat (Hip 44) hit a home run in Session 1. He was purchased by Bob Baffert (agent) as his “pick of the day” for $300,000 as the seventh highest priced 2-year-old in the session.
