Having an optimistic mindset is a trademark for most horsemen engaged in the Thoroughbred industry. Following the second day of under-tack shows for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. 2026 March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Jesse Hoppel had tangible reason to believe great results could be on the horizon for his consignment.
Multiple representatives of the Hoppel barn thrived under the clear, warm conditions that greeted workers Thursday, none more so than Hip 284, a chestnut filly by Drain the Clock who equaled the OBS track record for the distance when she breezed a quarter in :20 1/5 during the opening set.
breezed a quarter in :20 1/5 during the OBS March under tack show.
(OBS/Photos by Z)
Consigned by Hoppel LLC, the filly is out of the Street Boss, mare Queen of Aces and is from the female family of Grade 1 winners Adjudicating and Time for a Change. From what Hoppel has seen from offspring by Drain the Clock thus far, the filly’s precocious effort was right in line with expectations.
“We knew she was fast. We let her run and found she was faster than most of them here,” Hoppel said. “She had a good day. I have a lot of Drain the Clocks right now…and to tell you the truth, I can’t think of one I don’t like. I think all in all, the sire might be a pretty decent stallion.”
The 2025 OBS June Sale also produced a :20 1/5 time when a son of Beau Liam became the first horse to hit that mark since a pair of entrants at the 2024 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. One of the :20 1/5 workers in the 2024 April Sale was graded stakes winner Cash Call. Graded stakes winner Nooni, a graduate of the 2024 OBS March Sale, also worked in :20 1/5.
Bred by Southern Comfort Farm, the Drain the Clock filly was one of several standouts sent forth by Hoppel on the day. Her barnmate, Hip 299, a dark bay or brown colt by Mo Town, posted the second fastest quarter when he went in :20 2/5. The colt is out of the mare Reckon, by OBS March grad and leading sire Into Mischief, who is a half sister to Japanese stakes winner Hug (JPN).
“That horse has been unreal. I bought him as a baby and was thinking I would call somebody and get a partner on the way home. And I ended not calling anybody and keeping him for myself,” Hoppel said of the Mo Town colt. “He just grew up and got better and better and better. You pull him out on the end of the shank and he’s absolutely striking. Fellow consignors that I respect on the way up to the chute today were asking, “Who is that?”. Just a physically imposing individual.”
Hoppel also saw Hip 294, a bay colt by Tiz the Law, and Hip 250, a bay filly by Aloha West, cover the quarter-mile distance in :20 4/5.
The Tiz the Law colt is out of the Dixieland Band mare Ragtime Road and is a half brother to stakes-placed winner Decimator, an OBS graduate. The Aloha West filly is out of the winning Shackleford mare Perfect Impression, a half sister to graded-stakes winner Take Charge Paula, an OBS March graduate.
“Having a good breeze show always gives you confidence,” Hoppel said. “We work all winter for a single day with these horses and to make it all come together and peak on that day at that time, it’s great feeling for us. I like seeing other people have great days and fortunately today was a good day for us.”
Two horses tied for the fastest eighth on the day as Hip 372, a bay filly by Nyquist consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), and Hip 391, a bay colt by OBS graduate Yaupon consigned by Kings Equine, each worked in :9 3/5.
The Nyquist filly is out of the Lucky Pulpit mare Smooth and Savvy, a half sister to Grade 1 winner Smooth Like Strait. The Yaupon colt is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Stand Back and is a half brother to graded stakes placed winner Step Forward, an OBS graduate.
One horse worked in :20 3/5, Hip 293, a bay colt by Caracaro consigned by Global Thoroughbreds LLC. The colt is out of the American Pharoah mare Racing Royalty, a half sister to multiple stakes winner Train the Trainer and from the female family of Grade 1 winners Outwork and Fierceness.
Consignor Tom McCrocklin joined Hoppel in having a pair of horses cover a quarter in :20 4/5, Hip 343, a bay filly by Upstart and Hip 330, a bay filly by Army Mule.
The Upstart filly is out of the stakes winning Eltish mare Shananies Song and is a half sister to graded stakes winners Favorable Outcome, an OBS March graduate, and Mouheeb, also an OBS graduate.
The Army Mule filly is out of the winning Tribal Rule mare Sea Smoke, a full sister to graded stakes winner Marckie’s Water.
A total of 10 horses worked in :9 4/5:
- Hip 253, a bay colt by Mo Donegal consigned by GOP Racing Stable. The colt is out the mare Petunia, a daughter of leading sire and OBS March graduate Into Mischief, and is a half brother to stakes-placed winner Zoe’s Prime, an OBS graduate.
- Hip 255, a chestnut colt by Maclean’s Music consigned by RiceHorse Stable (Brandon & Ali Rice). The colt is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Picardia, a half sister to Grade 1 winner Lear’s Princess and Grade 1 winner and producer Pretty City Dancer.
- Hip 272, a dark bay or brown colt by Mo Donegal consigned by GOP Racing Stable. The colt is out of the winning, stakes-placed Bertrando mare Princess Bertrando and is from the female family of multiple graded stakes winner Gunnevera.
- Hip 286, a bay filly by Highly Motivated consigned by Navas Equine. The filly is out of the Buratino mare Queen of Lies, who hails from the female family of multiple graded stakes winner Tizaqueena.
- Hip 287, a dark bay or brown filly by Imperial Hint consigned by Golden Rock Thoroughbreds. The filly is out of the graded stakes winning Tale of the Cat mare Queen Ofthe Catsle and is a half sister to the dam of OBS March graduate and stakes winner Verifire.
- Hip 302, a dark bay or brown colt by Knicks Go consigned by Global Thoroughbreds LLC. The colt is out of the winning Elusive Quality mare Reflected, a granddaughter of graded stakes winner Thunder Kitten.
- Hip 315, a dark bay or brown filly by OBS graduate Yaupon that is a half sister to graded stakes winner Runaway Storm. Consigned by Parrish Farms, the filly is out of the winning Run Away and Hide mare Runaway Betty.
- Hip 316, a bay colt by Cyberknife consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne). The colt is out of the winning, stakes-placed Native Ruler mare Runfastandloud, a half sister to stakes winner Run With the Brave.
- Hip 321, a dark bay or brown filly by Life Is Good consigned by S G V Thoroughbreds (Steven Venosa). The filly is out of the stakes winning and graded stakes placed Street Sense mare Sandstone.
- Hip 379, a bay colt by Practical Joke consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne). The colt is out of the winning Unbridled’s Song mare Song Sung True who hails from the female family of Grade 1 winner I Want Revenge.
The under-tack show continues March 6 at 8 a.m. with Hips 409 – 612. Full results can be found at obssales.com.