If there was a commonality to be found throughout the four days of under-tack shows ahead of the 2026 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March Two-Year-Olds in Training sale, it was that having offspring by Gainesway stallion Drain the Clock in one’s consignment would likely lead to some stellar results.
An already standout week for the first-crop sire finished on a high note Saturday when Hip 748, a chestnut colt by Drain the Clock consigned by Doble J Equine Sales, became the second horse by the sire to equal the OBS track record this week when he breezed a quarter-mile in :20 1/5 during the final day of under-tack shows.
under tack show.
Thursday’s under-tack show was highlighted when Hip 284, a chestnut filly by Drain the Clock also clocked in at :20 1/5 for consignor Hoppel LLC. The hits continued Friday when Hip 508, a chestnut filly by Drain the Clock, tied for the fastest eighth when she breezed in :9 3/5 for Top Line Sales LLC.
Out of the Exhi mare Exsqueeze Me, an OBS graduate who is a half sister to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Wavell Avenue, Hip 748 made it three straight days of the offspring by the young sire shooting to the top of the breeze ranks.
“I started hearing whispers even in October and you need to be cautiously optimistic or else you could look foolish. But given his pedigree and given his precociousness and speed, it’s something we thought was definitely possible,” Ryan Norton, stallion director for Gainesway, said regarding the aptitude of Drain the Clock’s offspring. “Now, did I think it was going to be to this level of having multiple sub 10s and two tie the breeze up record at :20 1/5, no. But obviously, we’re very happy. I’ve felt like the prettiest girl in school the last couple days because everyone has been blowing my phone up.
“(His offspring) are the most consistent group of horses I think I’ve seen in a long time from a stallion,” Norton continued. “It’s not necessarily one thing but they’re pretty like he is, they look fast and I always thought the pinhookers would gravitate towards him because they are big and pretty.”
The commanding presence first-crop sires have had during the under-tack shows was further showcased when Hip 688, a bay filly by Jack Christopher consigned by Randy Miles, posted the fastest eighth on Saturday when she worked in :9 3/5 on a day that had its start delayed nearly 40 minutes due to dense fog before giving way to clear skies.
March under tack show.
“I can sum up (my expectations) with no sleep last night,” Miles laughed. “Nobody ever thinks they can go :9 3/5 and I’m not one of those guys who thinks speed is everything. But I knew she could do something really special. I just hoped we didn’t mess it up between leaving the barn and getting the rider on her. I didn’t want to say anything, I didn’t want to tout her, I just wanted her to show off. I can’t say enough about this filly. I think we’re going to read about this filly in the next couple years, I really do. I’m just tickled.”
The filly is out of the stakes winning War Chant mare Court Dancer and is from the female family of Grade 1 winner Fourstar Crook.
“She’s not real tall. She’s not small but she’s not one of those big, stretchy imposing types,” Miles said. “But you can see once she gets fit…she’s going to look really good as she matures.”
Three horses worked a quarter in :20 3/5:
- Hip 628, a bay filly by Mo Town consigned by Hoppel LLC. The filly is out of the winning Brilliant Speed mare Brilliant Slew, a daughter of stakes winner and OBS graduate Lacie Slew.
- Hip 695, a bay colt by Bolt d’Oro consigned by Pick View LLC. The colt is out of the winning Curlin mare Curls in Place and is a half brother to graded stakes winner Big Invasion.
- Hip 782, a dark bay or brown colt by Global Campaign consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock. The colt is out of the winning mare Full of Zip, by OBS graduate City Zip. Full of Zip is a half sister to stakes winners Don Dulce and Sweet Relish.
Two horses worked in :20 4/5
- Hip 718, a bay filly by Jackie’s Warrior consigned by Tom McCrocklin. The filly is out of the winning, stakes-placed Treasure Beach (GB) mare Double Blessed, who is a half sister to Grade 1 winners Victory to Victory and Arthur’s Ride.
- Hip 808, a bay colt by Golden Pal consigned by Doble J Equine Sales. The colt is out of the winning, stakes-placed Animal Kingdom mare Grace and Dignity and is a half brother to stakes-placed winner Love and Poetry.
A total of 24 horses worked in :9 4/5:
- Hip 374, a gray or roan filly by Vino Rosso consigned by Britton Peak. The filly is out of the winning Sky Mesa mare Snow Mesa and is from the female family of graded stakes winner Fort Prado.
- Hip 615, a gray or roan filly by Liam’s Map consigned by Golden Rock Thoroughbreds. The filly is out of the Bodemeister mare Bodee Beautiful, who is a half sister to stakes winner and producer Stormy Novel.
- Hip 631, a bay colt by Jackie’s Warrior consigned by Britton Peak. The colt is out of the multiple graded stakes winning Broken Vow mare Broken Dreams and is a half brother to multiple graded stakes winner Caribou Club, who is by OBS graduate City Zip.
- Hip 641, a chestnut filly by Golden Pal consigned by Old South Farm. The filly is out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Camielee and is a half sister to stakes winners and graded stakes placed Uno Mas Bourbon and Vodka N Water.
- Hip 653, a bay filly by McKinzie consigned by de Meric Sales. The filly is out of the stakes-placed winning Tale of the Cat mare Catsadiva and is from the female family of multiple Grade 1 winner Win.
- Hip 660, a bay filly by OBS graduate and champion Corniche consigned by Britton Peak. The filly is out of the Curlin mare Chaybaby, who is a half sister to stakes winner Diamonds R and from the female family of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming and Grade 1 winner and producer Hot Dixie Chick.
- Hip 661, a bay colt by Maximus Mischief consigned by Double R Equine Sales. The colt is out of the Upstart mare Chickapoo Princess, who is a half sister to multiple stakes winner and graded stakes placed Yorkiepoo Princess, an OBS graduate.
- Hip 674, a bay filly by Girvin consigned by Niall Brennan Stables. The filly is out of the Curlin mare Colorful Curls and hails from the female family of Grade 1 winner Eskimo Kisses and Hall of Famer Winning Colors.
- Hip 682, a dark bay or brown colt by Nashville consigned by S B M Training and Sales. The colt is out of the Henny Hughes mare Cool Jazz and is a half brother to stakes-placed winner Sol Sibarita.
- Hip 683, a gray or roan colt by Epicenter consigned by Kings Equine. The colt is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Copper Quest, who is a half sister to graded stakes winner Copper Bullet.
- Hip 702, a bay filly by Jackie’s Warrior consigned by Julie Davies. The filly is out of the stakes winning mare Defy, who is by leading sire and OBS March graduate Into Mischief and out of stakes winner Shy Lil.
- Hip 705, a bay colt by Bolt d’Oro consigned by Randy Miles. The colt is out of the winning Giant’s Causeway mare Devil’s Beauty, who is a half sister to graded stakes winner and Grade 1 producer Devil by Design.
- Hip 714, a chestnut filly by Nashville consigned by First Call. The filly is out of the winning Tale of the Cat mare Donnatale and is a half sister to graded stakes-placed winner Union Lake.
- Hip 716, a bay colt by Golden Pal consigned by S G V Thoroughbreds (Steven Venosa). The colt is out of the Practical Joke mare Dontgetabovuraisin and is from the female family of Grade 1 winner and OBS graduate Mitole.
- Hip 727, a gray or roan filly by Nashville consigned by Julie Davies. The filly is out of the winning Unbridled’s Song mare Edit and is a half sister to stakes-placed winner Our Circle of Love.
- Hip 737, a dark bay or brown colt by Nashville consigned by Kings Equine. The colt is out of the War Front mare End Times, a daughter of Grade 1 winner Last Full Measure and a half sister to Grade 1 winner Valiance.
- Hip 742, a bay filly by Cyberknife consigned by Kings Equine. The filly is out of the multiple stakes winning Mission Impazible mare Espresso Shot, who is a half sister to multiple stakes winners Venti Valentine and Landed.
- Hip 764, a dark bay or brown filly by Blame consigned by Britton Peak. The filly is out of the stakes-placed winning Cairo Prince mare Fifthatnarraganset, an OBS graduate.
- Hip 773, a chestnut colt by Omaha Beach consigned by King of Kings. The colt is out of the Verrazano mare Force to Excel, who is a half sister to stakes-placed winner Force It.
- Hip 785, a bay colt by Mind Control consigned by Blue Sapphire Stables. The colt is out of the U S Ranger mare Gather Round, who is a half sister to graded stakes winner Drum Major as well as Broodmare of the Year Drumette, the dam of champion Monomoy Girl.
- Hip 793, a chestnut colt by Jack Christopher consigned by L. G., Agent. The colt is out of the graded stakes winning Practical Joke mare Girl With a Dream.
- Hip 796, a bay filly by Nashville consigned by Goldencents Thoroughbreds. The filly is out of the Curlin mare Glorify and is a half sister to stakes-placed winner Empire of Glory, an OBS graduate.
- Hip 805, a dark bay or brown filly by Greatest Honour consigned by Golden Rock Thoroughbreds. The filly is out of the More Than Ready mare Goodn’ready, a daughter of graded stakes winner Redaspen.
- Hip 816, a dark bay or brown colt by Golden Pal consigned by Hoppel LLC. The colt is out of the Gun Runner mare Gun Girl and hails from the female family of graded stakes winners Nicole H and Gun Song, that latter of whom is an OBS March graduate.
Full results of the under-tack shows can be found at obssales.com. The sale begins March 10 and runs through March 12 with sessions beginning at 11 a.m. ET each day.