Having enjoyed a career milestone at the start of the juvenile sales season, consignor Jesse Hoppel is heading into the last major two-year-old auction of the year with reason to believe there is more momentum in his corner.
On the final day of under-tack shows for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale, Hoppel’s consignment proved to be well represented, highlighted by Hip 876, a dark bay or brown filly by Vekoma who breezed a quarter-mile in :20 2/5 to post the fastest time at the distance on the day and tie for the fastest quarter-mile clocking during the five days of works.
Hoppel considers OBS his homebase. Hence, it was fitting he sold his first career seven-figure horse on the grounds in March when a son of Mo Town from his consignment went for $1.05 million. He brings another well regarded bunch to the June auction, including a Hip 428, a gray or roan filly by Justify, who tied for the fastest quarter during the third day of under-tack shows when she breezed in :20 4/5.
“We’ve had a good year. There are a lot of people involved. And I aim horses for this sale every year,” Hoppel said. “Some people come here because it was Plan B. I’ve got a lot of horses here where it was Plan A all along. The fact that they’re standing up doesn’t surprise me either. They were meant to come here and do well.”
The Vekoma filly who stepped onto the oval Saturday did her part to separate herself from the pack with her on-track performance. She is out of the winning Discreetly Mine mare Sonora, who is a daughter of stakes winner Road to Mandalay and a half sister to stakes winner and OBS graduate La Concerto.
“This filly is so talented, I need them basically to put it on record that she is really fast,” Hoppel said. “And I feel like a sale like this where we’re racing the clock, we can really make a horse like her standout more so than we can at a gallop type sale.”
The second fastest quarter on the day came when Hip 925, a dark bay or brown filly by Highly Motivated consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, worked in :20 3/5. The filly is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Sweetnsour Kitty and is a half sister to graded stakes winner and OBS June graduate Crude Velocity, who was sold out of the Ramirez consignment last year. Crude Velocity captured the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs May 2 and was most recently second in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Saratoga June. 6.
The fastest eighth of a mile Saturday came when Hip 1019, a dark bay or brown colt by Army Mule consigned by S G V Thoroughbreds LLC (Steven Venosa), breezed in :9 4/5. The colt is out of the Ghostzapper mare Signadora, a full sister to multiple graded stakes winner Proctor’s Ledge.
Hip 1056, a 3-year-old dark bay or brown colt by Astern (AUS) consigned by Doble J Equine Sales, recorded the fastest three-eighths move, clocking in at :33 flat. The colt is out of the Hard Spun mare Novel Idea and is from the female family of champion and Breeders’ Cup winner Fantastic Light.
Hip 900, a 2-year-old bay filly Vino Rosso consigned by Blue Sapphire Stables, also worked three eighths, going in :33 1/5. The filly is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Stormy Below from the female family of champion Miss Alleged.
A total of 8 horses worked an eighth in :10 flat:
- Hip 846, a gray or roan filly by Liam’s Map consigned by Hoppel LLC. The filly is out of winning, stakes placed Big Drama mare She’s No Drama, an OBS graduate.
- Hip 921, a dark bay or brown filly by Mendelssohn consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock. The filly is out of the Tonalist mare Sweeping Cherry, a half sister to stakes winner and graded stakes placed Rally Cry.
- Hip 950, a dark bay or brown colt by Charlatan consigned by Endurance Equine. The colt is out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Thorny Rose, a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Brushed By a Star.
- Hip 963, a bay filly by Charlatan consigned by Six K’s Training & Sales LLC. The filly is out of the stakes-placed Pioneerof the Nile mare Tossup and is a half sister to stakes winner Summerintahoe.
- Hip 967, a dark bay or brown colt by OBS graduate Kantharos consigned by Goldencents Thoroughbreds. The colt is out of the winning Outwork mare Traffic Lane and is from the female family of Grade 1 winner Bell’s the One.
- Hip 1004, a dark bay or brown colt by McKinzie consigned by Top Line Sales LLC. The colt is out of the winning mare Overcooked, who is by OBS graduate and leading sire Into Mischief and out of stakes-winning OBS graduate Overprepared. Overprepared is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Shadow Cast.
- Hip 1012, a dark bay or brown colt by OBS June graduate Yaupon consigned by Julie Davies. The colt is out of the winning, stakes-placed Eltish mare Rare Bit, who is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Mass Media and from the female family of multiple Grade 1 winners Sultry Song and Solar Splendor.
- Hip 1016, a chestnut filly by Good Magic consigned by Grade One Investments LLC. The filly is out of the mare Sacred Kitten, a daughter of OBS graduate Kitten’s Joy and full sister to multiple group winner Taareef.
Two horses worked in :21 flat:
- Hip 845, a bay filly by Mutasaabeq consigned by Hoppel LLC. The filly is out of the Effinex mare She’s a Spark, a half sister to graded stakes winner Robin Sparkles.
- Hip1022, a chestnut filly by Constitution consigned by Tom McCrocklin. The filly is out of the stakes winning and graded stakes placed Unusual Heat mare Super Patriot.
The OBS June Sale takes place from June 16-18 with sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. each day. For full results of the under-tack show, visit obssales.com.