press release

For Immediate Release

A bay colt by top sire Gun Runner sold post sale for $90,000 to Prancing Horse Farm LLC, topping the 2026 OBSOnline March “Second Chance” sale, a digital auction held March 27-31 featuring horses who breezed during the March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale and either scratched or failed to meet their reserve.

Consigned as Hip 507 by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), the colt is out of the winning, Group 3 placed American Pharoah mare Willow (IRE), who is out of European champion Peeping Fawn and is a half sister to British stakes winner and Grade/Group 1 placed September (IRE). The colt breezed in :10 3/5 during the March under-tack show.

The second highest priced horse to sell was Hip 32, a bay filly by first-crop sire Epicenter who elicited a final bid of $70,000 from O’Neill Bloodstock. Consigned by Top Line Sales, the filly is out of the winning Mucho Macho Man mare Hurley, who is a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Rite Moment. Hurley is a half sister to UAE Oaks (G3) winner Mimi Kakushi as well as stakes winners Moment is Right and Laudation.

The Epicenter filly breezed in :10 flat during the March under-tack show.

As of April 1, a total of 10 horses sold for gross receipts of $419,500 for an average of $41,950 and median of $37,500.

OBSOnline will also hold a “Second Chance” auction following the upcoming Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training taking place April 14-17. The April digital auction will begin at noon ET April 24 and conclude at noon April 28.

Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company will host a “Second Chance” digital auction on its OBSOnline platform featuring horses that were either unsold or breezed and scratched from the recently concluded OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale held March 10-12.  The online auction will take place March 27-31.

Horses offered will feature the same hip numbers they were initially assigned for the March Sale. They will be available for inspection at the location noted on their page.

Entries for the sale will be available for viewing online beginning March 25 at noon ET. Bidding will open March 27 at noon and close March 31 at noon.

“It is definitely something new,” said Tod Wojciechowski, Director of Sales for OBS. “The idea behind the Second Chance sale online is to provide an additional instance for consignors to sell their March horses as well as giving buyers another opportunity to reconsider horses they may have passed on or just overlooked.”

Medical information, including radiographs and video scopes, is available in the repository and can be accessed by buyers’ veterinarians. Each horse will also have a walking video.

To create an account or register to bid for the OBSOnline March Sale, visit obsonline.com.

For Immediate Release 

Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company has catalogued 1,220 horses for its 2026 Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which will be held over four days April 14-17. The catalogue is available online at obssales.com.

Sale sessions will begin at 10:30 a.m. ET.  Hips 1 – 306 will sell April 14 with Hips 307 – 610 going April 15. April 16 will offer Hips 611 – 916 with the sale concluding April 17 with Hips 917 – 1220.

The under-tack show will run from April 6-11 starting at 8 a.m. ET each day. Hips 1 – 203 are slated for April 6 followed by Hips 204 – 406 April 7, Hips 407 – 610 April 8, and Hips 611 – 813 April 9. The final two days of the under-tack show will have Hips 814 – 1016 going on April 10 followed by Hips 1017 – 1220 on April 11.

The under-tack show and sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as the TDN, DRF, BloodHorse, and Past The Wire websites. 

Last year’s OBS April Sale produced year-over-year gains in gross as well as a record average.

Featured on the cover of the 2026 OBS April catalogue is Morplay Racing’s champion Shisospicy (Mitole – Mischief Galore, by Into Mischief), who became the first 3-year-old filly to win the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) en route to earning the Eclipse Award for champion female sprinter. The gray or roan filly also became the first champion sired by fellow OBS grad and Eclipse Award winner Mitole, who stands at Spendthrift Farm.

Shisospicy was offered at the 2024 OBS April Sale by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds where she was an RNA after breezing in :9 3/5.

Among the top graduates out of the 2025 OBS April Sale were Grade 1 winners Cy Fair (Not This Time-Remarqued, by Arch), Intrepido (Maximus Mischief-Overly Indulgent, by Pleasantly Perfect), and Iron Orchard (Authentic- Onebrethatatime, by Brethren), all of whom are featured on the back cover.

Swinbank Stables, Medallion Racing and Joey Platts et al.’s Cy Fair took the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), becoming just the second filly to win the race. Cy Fair was an Eclipse Awards finalist for champion 2-Year-Old Filly. The daughter of Not This Time was purchased by Swinbank for $185,000 at last year’s OBS April Sale out of the Niall Brennan Stables consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.

Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC’s Intrepido annexed the Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park last October. He was purchased by his owners by Mike Pender, agent for $385,000 at the 2025 OBS April Sale from the Cardozo’s Brothers consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.

CSLR Racing Partners and R.A. Hill Stable’s Iron Orchard was victorious in the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack last Oct. 4. She was purchased for $500,000 from the Grassroots Training and Sales consignment at the 2025 OBS April Sale where she breezed in :9 4/5.

Also featured on the back cover is Breeders’ Cup winner Nysos along with fellowGrade 1 winners Cavalieri, Dark Saffron, Raging Torrent, Skippylongstocking, and Usha.

Nysos (Nyquist – Zetta Z, by Bernardini), a graduate of the 2023 OBS April Sale, posted a victory in $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) last November as part of campaign that saw him become an Eclipse Awards finalist for Older Dirt Male and Male Sprinter. Trained by Bob Baffert for owner Baoma Corp and lessees Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael B. Tabor, Nysos earned four graded stakes victories in 2025 and was purchased for $550,000 out of the Best A Luck Farm consignment by Donato Lanni, agent for owner Baoma Corp, at the 2023 OBS April Sale after breezing in :9 4/5.

Speedway Stables’ Cavalieri (Nyquist-Stiffed, by Stephen Got Even) is unbeaten in five starts including a victory in the Beholder Mile (G1) last March. She was purchased by Peter Fluor’s Speedway Stables for $900,000 from the Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2023 OBS April Sale after she breezed in :20 2/5.

Sultan Ali’s Dark Saffron (Flameaway -Meadow Saffron, by Military) upset male sprint champion Straight No Chaser to take the $2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse last April 5. Consigned by Julie Davies, Dark Saffron was purchased by Harmash Racing for $120,000 out of the 2024 OBS April sale after breezing in :9 4/5.

Yuesheng Zhang and Craig Dado’s Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief-Violent Wave, by Violence) saw his 2025 campaign highlighted by a victory in the Grade 1, $1 million Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga Race Course. The win gave Raging Torrent, who is standing his first season at stud at Lane’s End Fram, his second Grade 1 triumph to go along with a prior victory in Santa Anita Park’s Malibu.

Raging Torrent was purchased by Mark Davis for $75,000 out of the 2023 OBS April Sale from the consignment of Randy Bradshaw after breezing in 10 flat.

Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator – Twinkling, by War Chant) finally added a top-level victory to his accomplished resume when the hard-knocking 7-year-old kicked off his 2026 season by taking the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25 in his unprecedented fourth try in the race.

The Pegasus gave Skippylongstocking his 13^th win from 36 career starts and improved his bankroll to $5,461,250. He was purchased by Alonso for $37,000 out of the Top Line Sales consignment at the 2021 OBS April Sale after breezing an eighth in :10 2/5.

Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s Usha (Tiz the Law- Animal Appeal, by Leroidesanimaux) uncorked a powerful performance to prevail in her Grade 1 debut in the $300,000 La Brea Stakes last December. Usha was purchased by her owners for $600,000 at the 2024 OBS April Sale from the On Point Training & Sales consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.

Other notable recent graduates out of the OBS April Sale include multiple Grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick, Grade 1 winners Carson’s Run, Cogburn, Du Jour, Mixto, Power Squeeze and Tenma, Saudi Derby winner Golden Vekoma, and graded stakes winners May Day Ready, Mo Plex, and Vixen. Other standout graduates of the OBS April Sale include Hall of Famer Silver Charm and classic winners I’ll Have Another and Lil E. Tee.

OBS will again offer online bidding during the April Sale. Buyers may go to the OBS website and register to gain bidding approval, then access the OBS Bidding Screen with their credentials. For complete information on registration and online bidding please go to the OBS website: obs-internet-bidding.  

The iPad version of the catalog can be accessed via the equineline Sales Catalog App. The App allows users to download and view the catalog, receive updates and results, record notes and provides innovative search, sort and rating capability. For more information and downloads go to: equineline.com/SalesCatalogApp/ 

Current information about OBS sales, consignors and graduates is now also available via social media sites Facebook and “X”.  

The success Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. graduate Yaupon enjoyed with his first crop of runners in 2025 was enough to catch the eye of one of the more noted bloodstock agents in the Thoroughbred industry.

It also helped contribute to a bit of history being made inside the sales pavilion where the son of Uncle Mo first made his mark.

When the dust settled on the OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale a year ago, a new milestone for top-end success had been established as a total of seven horses sold for seven figures during the 2025 auction, the most ever for an OBS March sale. When the 2026 edition of the sale concluded its three-day run March 12, another illustrious chapter had been added to the annals as it delivered a record March gross and equaled the OBS March record with seven horses crossing the million-dollar threshold.

After having six horses reach the seven-figure stratosphere during the first two days of the sale, Hip 576, a bay colt by Yaupon consigned by King’s Equine, became the final horse to bust through that lofty barrier when he was purchased by agent Donato Lanni on behalf of the “Three Amigos”, also known as the ownership trio of Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman.

That final exclamation point put a stamp on a sale that continues to build upon the breadth and depth of buying power showcased a year ago. The overall gross of $72,050,000 from 443 head sold at the close of business Thursday surpassed the previous March record gross of $71,473,500 from 464 sold established in 2023. In addition to hitting that mark and besting the total gross of $65,660,500 generated by 432 sold in 2025, the cumulative average of $162,641 surpassed the 2025 figure of $151,992 with the median improving from $70,000 last year to $85,000 this season.

“Very gratified and pleased and happy for the consignors,” said Tod Wojciechowski, Director of Sales for OBS. “As I say all the time, they bring the horses and it’s the quality of the horses they bring is what brings those prices. Very pleased with the amount of trade that took place all three days, both domestically and internationally. We had involvement from a lot of different buyers, so we were very happy with that.

“What we saw early on proved out in the sale prices and proved out over the last three days.”

At the close of business Thursday, a total of 123 horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 21.7% compared to 17.6% in 2025.

Wednesday’s session saw Hip 372, a bay filly by Nyquist consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), top the auction when she sold for $2 million to representatives of Boyd Racing. That final bid put the filly, who breezed in :9 3/5, in a three-way tie for the honor of being the second-highest priced horse to sell at an OBS March sale – second only to Brant who brought a record $3 million last year – joining Muth (2023) and Chestertown (2019).

“(Buying) has been so tough, we knew we’d have to stretch for her,” said Hannah Jennings of Killora Stud after signing the ticket on behalf of Boyd Racing for the Nyquist filly. “We never thought we’d have to stretch that far but when the horse is the right one, everyone is on them.”

The Nyquist filly highlighted a Wavertree consignment that sold 13 head for a sales-leading gross of $7,730,000.

After witnessing the precocity showcased by Yaupon’s offspring on the track, Lanni stretched a fair amount himself to land Thursday’s session-leading son of the Spendthrift stallion. Yaupon was the leading first-crop sire of 2025 and the speed that was his trademark was flaunted by Hip 576 when the colt breezed in :9 4/5 during the under-tack show.

“He was beautiful, fast, and sound. He came out of the work really well,” said Lanni, who added the colt would head to California. “These horses, they have do it here and they have to do everything right. And he was a horse who did well. We love the sire. Big Yaupon fan.

“They’re precocious they’re quick, they look really forward. (Yaupon) had a good year last year. We were on the sidelines last year, we watched. But we’re getting in now.”

The colt is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Balbina, who is a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Ready’s Gal and a half sister to graded stakes winner Machen.

“He’s a beautiful horse, he’s got everything people want on a horse,” Raul Reyes of King’s Equine said of the colt. “He really looks good and he’s very fast, that helps too. We felt he would probably bring seven figures and he barely made it, but he made it.”

Lanni also signed the ticket for the second highest priced horse to sell during Thursday’s session, Hip 694, a daughter of Constitution that he purchased for $800,000 on behalf of owner Frank Fletcher. Consigned by de Meric Sales, the filly breezed in :10 flat during the under-tack show and is out of the winning Curlin mare Curls and Bows, who is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Dearest Trickski.

Fletcher led all buyers by gross during the OBS March Sale with two horses purchased for $2,650,000. He also purchased the sale’s second highest priced horse, Hip 416, a bay colt by OBS March graduate and leading sire Into Mischief, who elicited a final bid of $1.85 million and became the first seven-figure horse ever sold by Susan Montanye’s S B M Training and Sales consignment.

“The other thing that I think was noteworthy is… a lot of the younger consignors are becoming a bigger and bigger part of the sales as we lose people like Eddie Woods,” Wojciechowski said. “We see these younger consignors starting to grow more and more within the industry.”

The OBS March Sale also featured the first 2-year-olds by champion Flightline and Hip 698, a daughter of the Lane’s End stallion, produced the third-highest price of the third and final session when she sold for $775,000 to Hideyuki Mori. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), the filly breezed in :10 flat and is out of Grade 1 winner Dalika (GER), a daughter of Pastorius (GER).

Other notable prices on the day included:

Hip 683, a gray or roan ridgling by Epicenter consigned by King’s Equine who sold for $560,000 to William K Werner. The colt, who breezed in :9 4/5, is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Copper Quest, who is a half sister to graded stakes winner Copper Bullet.

Hip 671, a bay colt by Nashville consigned by Twelve Toes LLC who sold for $525,000 to St. Elias Stable. The colt, who breezed in :10 flat, is out of the winning Tapit mare Closet Shopper and hails from the female family of Grade 1 winner Sweet Lulu.

Thursday’s session finished with a gross of $19,396,500 from 130 head sold, down from the $25,161,500 generated by 152 sold during the third session in 2025. The session average of $149,204 was up over the $165,536 posted last year while the session median improved from $61,000 in 2025 to $77,500.

A total of 47 horses failed to meet their reserve during the final session, resulting in an RNA rate of 26.5% compared to 15.5% during the corresponding session a year ago.

The next OBS auction is the Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training which takes place from April 14-17 with the under-tack shows running from April 6-11. Sale results and information can be found at obssales.com.

Ciaran Dunne’s association with champion and sire Nyquist has been filled with one highlight after another, particularly when it comes to leading fillies by the Darley stallion into the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company pavilion.

During the second day of selling at the 2026 OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, another daughter of the former Reddam Racing color bearer made a case to add herself to the list of standouts to come out of Dunne’s Wavertree consignment.

On a day that saw three more horses sell for seven-figures, bringing the total to six who have hit that threshold over the first two days, Hip 372, a bay filly by Nyquist consigned by Wavertree Stables, proved most in demand when she sold for $2 million to representatives of Boyd Racing.

If past history is any indication, the Nyquist filly could become the latest daughter by the 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner to highlight Dunne’s astute horsemanship. Among the OBS graduates Dunne has sold are Grade 1 winners Tenma and Cavalieri, both daughters of Nyquist whom he consigned during their respective outings at the OBS April auction.

“He’s put a lot of meals on the table,” Dunne said of Nyquist. “We were very lucky that we were associated with (owner Paul) Reddam and he raced him so obviously from the outset, we were exposed to a lot of them. From Day One, they were just good horses so we kind of got a little bit of leg up on everybody else. He’s the gift that keeps on giving.”

Out of the Lucky Pulpit mare Smooth and Savvy, the Nyquist filly is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Smooth Like Strait and showcased her ability when she breezed in : 9 3/5 during the under-tack show.

“She’s a beautiful physical, she put in an unbelievable work,” Dunne said. “She vetted clean and you know, if you can’t sell her, you just need to quit selling.”

After a protracted bidding battle, Hannah Jennings of Killora Stud signed the ticket on behalf of Boyd Racing and said plans on who the filly would go to are still to be determined.

“She was just an absolute queen. The whole week she was so professional,” Jennings said of the Nyquist filly. “Obviously her stride was fantastic on the track. And physically she’s everything we could ever want.

“Nyquist is one of our favorites. He’s an elite horse and Ciaran sold two Grade 1 winning Nyquist fillies out of OBS, so hopefully she can be the third.”

Where freshman sires reigned on the opening day of the OBS March Sale, highlighted by Hip 95, a son of OBS graduate and first-crop sire Corniche selling for $1.35 million, proven stallions commanded the stage during the March 11 session.

The appeal of OBS March graduate and seven-time leading sire Into Mischief showcased itself once more when Hip 416, a bay colt by the Spendthrift stallion, elicited a final bid of $1.85 million from agent Donato Lanni on behalf of owner Frank Fletcher.

Consigned by Susan Montanye’s S B M Training and Sales on behalf of Tami Bobo, the colt is out of the winning, graded stakes placed Will Take Charge mare Sweet Diane and is a half brother to stakes winner Miss Martini.

“He’s by one of the leading sires of our generation,” Lanni said after signing the ticket.  “Bill Mott is going to get him, and Bill really liked him, so he got a pretty good endorsement. Frank (Fletcher) likes to run at Oaklawn and he looks like a dirt horse. I’m happy for Frank, he’s been in the business a long time and he’s very game.”

The colt made a strong impression when he breezed in :9 4/5 during the under-tack show, building on the high opinions Bobo and Montanye already held of him.

“I truly thought the horse would bring over $ 1 million. Not to sound boastful but this horse has trained like the big horse all year,” Bobo said. “Susan named the horse King Kong early on in the training season. Every week she was diligent in sending breeze videos and this horse continued to show up and continued to show up.

“For her to sell her first million-dollar horse and for us to do that together, it means the world to me.”

The OBS sales grounds have been meaningful to Jesse Hoppel throughout his career and Wednesday’s session produced a milestone moment for his consignment. Hoppel consigned Hip 299, a dark bay or brown colt by Mo Town, who would become the first seven-figure horse sold by him when he went to Lanni on behalf of Baoma Corporation for $1.05 million.

The colt is out of the Into Mischief mare Reckon, who is a half sister to Japanese stakes winner Hug (JPN), and posted the second fastest quarter during his under-tack session when he went in :20 2/5. In moments after the colt exited the ring, Hoppel found himself overcome by the emotions that settled in following his achievement.

“I grew up on these sales grounds…it’s unreal,” Hoppel said. “I’ve had a lot of horses I thought were really good but…me and my dad sat there yesterday and dad sat there and looked at that horse and said ‘I don’t think I’ve ever brought a horse to this sale that is this good before’, and I said, ‘I know I haven’t.’

“It would be easier if I told you what I didn’t like about (the colt), it wouldn’t be much conversation.”

Shortly after signing the ticket for the Mo Town colt, Lanni was joined by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert to discuss the newest addition to his barn.

“Beautiful horse who breezed exceptional,” Lanni said of the colt.  “His breeze was beautiful and he came out of it really well. He’s going to Bob and…Baoma have been very lucky here over the years. We’re glad to get him.”

Market strength continued to show itself through the first two days of the OBS March Sale as the auction is tracking well ahead of its 2025 figures. Wednesday’s session saw 143 horses sell for $28,012,000, an increase over the $23,263,500 generated by 147 head sold during the second session one year ago. The average of $195,888 improved over last year’s session figure of $158,255 while the median increased from $70,000 last year to $95,000 this session.

A total of 42 horses failed to meet their reserve Wednesday, resulting in an RNA rate of 22.7% at the close of business compared to 15.52% in 2025.

The overall gross of $51,526,500 generated by 297 sold is up over the 280 sold for $40,499,000 during the first two sessions in 2025. Cumulative average is also on the rise, from $144,639 in 2025 to $173,490 this year while the median has improved to $90,000 compared to $70,000 at this point in 2025. A total of 92 horses have failed to meet their reserve.

Other top prices during Wednesday’s session included:

Hip 440, a bay colt by Tiz the Law consigned by Global Thoroughbreds LLC who sold for $850,000 to Zedan Racing. The colt, who breezed in :10 flat, is out of the winning Uncle Mo mare That’s Her M. O.

Hip 343, a bay filly by Upstart consigned by Tom McCrocklin who sold for $800,000 to Mo Speed Racing. The Upstart filly, who breezed in :20 4/5, is out of the stakes winning Eltish mare Shananies Song and is a three-quarter sibling to graded stakes winners Favorable Outcome, an OBS March graduate, and Mouheeb, also an OBS graduate.

Hip 379, a bay colt by Practical Joke consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne) who sold for $775,000 to Spendthrift Farm LLC & Leland Ackerley Racing. The colt, who worked in :9 4/5, 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.

Hip 437, a dark bay or brown filly consigned by de Meric Sales who sold for $700,000 to MorPlay Racing LLC / Marquee Bloodstock. The filly, who worked in :9 4/5, is out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Tempered, a half sister to stakes winner and graded stakes placed Cowan, an OBS March graduate.

Hip 442, a chestnut colt by Drain the Clock consigned by Top Line Sales LLC who sold for $700,000 to Pedro Lanz, Agent for KAS Stables. The colt, who worked in :10 flat, is out of the Accelerate mare The Couples Girl, who is a half sister to stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed Run Curtis Run.

The OBS March Sale concludes on March 12 with hips 545-816 slated to sell beginning at 11 a.m. ET. Full results can be found at obssales.com.

Whether his race career matches that of his sire remains to be seen. But following the opening session of the 2026 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sales, it is safe to say a certain bay colt in the Pick View LLC consignment is well on his way to following in his father’s illustrious footsteps.

Just as his sire Corniche lit up the board when he took his turn in the OBS pavilion five years ago, Hip 95, a son of the first-crop Coolmore America stallion, produced a standout showing in his own right when he sold for $1.35 million to representatives of Legion Bloodstock to lead the opening day of action at the three-day sale.

Before establishing himself as the winner of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and champion 2-year-old male of that season, Corniche was known as an OBS sale topper when he brought $1.5 million at that year’s OBS April auction. His first crop of foals are 2-year-olds of 2026 and, fittingly, they are commanding a similar level of respect in the public auction arena.

“I have two (Corniches) and they’re both awesome. They love to train, they’re sound and they seem to thrive off the work,” said Pick View’s Joe Pickerrell. “Everything we’ve thrown at (this colt), he’s taken it in stride. He’s never had a bad day. I feel like he’s a horse who is going to have some big things coming.”

Out of Canadian champion Leigh Court, a daughter of Grand Slam, the bay colt first caught the eye of the Legion Bloodstock team over the winter as he was being prepped by Pick View’s Pickerrell and Courtney Roberts. After watching the colt work in :21 flat during the under-tack show, Kristian Villante of Legion Bloodstock said they were determined to make the youngster part of their roster.

“He’s a beautiful colt, his dad was a champion. We’ve been following him since January when he was on the farm and…he’s been a standout all year,” Villante said. “Joe had to pay a lot for him as a yearling and we are fortunate that we have some clients that are willing to step up and try and buy a horse that might be a Derby kind of colt.

“We bought a couple Corniches as yearlings and…I think he stamps them. He’s just putting out a beautiful horse. He should make it.”

Villante said the colt would eventually head to the barn of trainer Whit Beckman as Beckman trains Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up Drexel Hill for the Legion Bloodstock team.

“Whit came and saw (Hip 95), he actually came down here last month and he fell in love with this colt just like we all have,” Villante said. “He was here again this morning to see him. We were trying to not leave here without him. We were hoping he wouldn’t cost quite that much but that’s what you have to pay for horses like that.”

The battle for quality offerings was a consistent theme during the opening session as three horses sold for seven-figures on the day.

Just prior to the Corniche colt stealing the show, Hip 88, a dark bay or brown colt by champion Nyquist, elicited a final bid for $1.2 million from the pairing of Marquee Bloodstock and Morplay Racing.

Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), the colt is out of Argentine champion La Extrana Dama (ARG), by Catcher In The Rye, and breezed in :9 4/5 during the under-tack show.

“He stood out on paper, I love the Argentinian sturdiness,” said Ramiro Restrepo of Marquee Bloodstock, who added that a trainer for the Nyquist colt is still to be determined. “The racing down there is two-turns galore and obviously there are a couple champions in the pedigree which is impressive. And Nyquist, I mean, what a season he had last year and the year before that. He stands above a lot of horses in this catalog with that sire power and that’s what we were chasing.”

Both Morplay and Marquee Bloodstock know a thing or two about finding success on the OBS grounds. Morplay campaigns Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner and reigning champion female sprinter Shisospicy, a graduate of the OBS April Sale, while Marquee purchased freshly minted Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner The Puma at last year’s April auction.

“We dipped our toe into the racing space a few years back..,and we got hooked,” said Cam Dulgar of Morplay Racing. “With the success we’ve seen with Shisospicy, we’re extremely excited to be able to pick up this colt. The way he worked, hopefully it carries over and we’re excited to partner with Marquee.”

The unquestioned king of the under-tack shows this year was Gainesway’s first-crop stallion Drain the Clock, who saw his offspring post the fastest times at their respective distances for three straight days. Those strong showings on the track are translating into top results in the ring as Hip 132, a chestnut colt by Drain the Clock who worked in :9 4/5, sold to Pedro Lanz, agent for KAS Stables for $1.1 million.

Consigned by de Meric Sales, the colt is out of the Freud mare Making a Point and showcased the same fluid movement during his breeze that is quickly becoming a trademark of the sire.

“I’ve been here since the prep and I’ve noticed (the Drain the Clocks) are fast and can sustain speed,” Lanz said. “They are athletes, they are incredible athletes. When you see them, they look sharp. And I think they can go the distance. These horses’ strides are very long and they sustain their speed. I have 3-4 that I like in this sale.”

Lanz added the colt would head to the barn of trainer Brad Cox.

“This colt is a beautiful physical,” Lanz said. “If we wanted this horse, we knew we were going to have to fight for him.”

The competitive landscape backstopped the opening day of the OBS March Sale to year-over-year gains over the corresponding session from 2025. The overall gross of $23,149,500 from 144 sold was up over the $17,235,500 generated by 133 head sold in 2025. The average of $160,760 represented an increase over the $129,590 posted a year ago while the median jumped from $75,000 to $90,000 this year.

“It was certainly an excellent day,” said Tom Ventura, president of OBS. “We had a lot of activity in the barns during the week expecting that to translate in the auction ring, and it did. Hopefully we can keep that going for the next two days. Everybody here is working hard trying to find a good horse and the sales results have shown that. You don’t want to predict too much moving forward, we’ve got one day down and two to go. But very happy so far.”

A total of 60 horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 29.4% this year compared to 21.8% last year.

Other top prices during the opening session included Hip 139, a bay colt by Army Mule who sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $750,000. Consigned by Cesar Loya Training & Sales, the colt topped the opening day of under-tack shows when he breezed an eighth in :9 3/5 to lead all workers at the distance.

The colt is out of the winning mare Marching Fire, who is by champion OBS March graduate Midnight Lute and is a half sister to graded-stakes winner Sharp Sensation.

A total of eight horses sold for $500,000 or more including:

Hip 71, a chestnut filly by Nashville who sold for $550,000 to William K Werner. Consigned by RM Stables LLC, the filly, who breezed in :9 4/5, is out of the winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare Kencho, a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner and OBS March graduate Special Reserve.

Hip 57, a dark bay or brown colt by Army Mule consigned by Thorostock LLC that brought $500,000 from IEE Racing Stable LLC / Winning Move / Poe Racing. The colt, who breezed in :9 4/5, is out of the Speightstown mare Jeanne’s Speight, a full sister to stakes-winner Going to Kukaro.

Hip 135, a chestnut colt by Jackie’s Warrior consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent for Chester Broman, that sold to Bill Childs for $500,000. The colt, who breezed in :9 4/5, is out of the stakes-winning Carpe Diem mare Makin My Move, an OBS March graduate who is a daughter of multiple stakes winner Hard to Stay Notgo.

Hip 227, a chestnut filly by Not This Time consigned by de Meric Sales who sold to Brandon and Sara Bray, Kelsey Danner Agent for $500,000. The filly, who breezed in :10 flat, is out of the Street Sense mare Onslaught, a full sister to Grade 1 winner Callback.

The sale continues March 11 beginning at 11 a.m. with Hips 273-544 set to sell. Full results can be found at obssales.com.

For Immediate Release

Following a record-setting edition of its 2025 exercise, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale looks to build off that momentum and further boost market strength when it kicks off the juvenile auction season March 10.  A total of 816 horses are catalogued for the 2026 edition of the three-day sale, which runs through March 12.

Sessions will begin each day at 11 a.m. ET with Hips 1 – 272 selling March 10 followed by Hips 273 – 544 on March 11 and Hips 545 – 816 on March 12. The full catalogue can be viewed on the OBS website.

Last year’s OBS March Sale set the tone for an outstanding juvenile sales season when it posted gains in gross and average compared to 2024. Overall, a total of seven horses sold for seven figures during the 2025 auction, the most ever for an OBS March sale, highlighted by future Grade 1 winner Brant selling from the Eddie Woods consignment for a record OBS price of $3 million to Zedan Racing.

With his victory in last year’s Del Mar Futurity (G1), Brant became the third straight OBS March sale topper to become a graded stakes winner joining Nooni, who sold for $1.8 million to Zedan Racing in 2024, and multiple Grade 1 winner Muth, who sold for $2 million to Donato Lanni, agent at the 2023 March auction.

Given how challenging it was for pinhookers to buy at the yearling and mixed sales, there is optimism that an equally competitive landscape will continue to elevate the 2-year-old marketplace.

“According to these other sales (March) is set up to be a good strong sale. Every sale I go to, I’m having trouble buying horses because they’re so expensive,” said consignor Jesse Hoppel of Hoppel LLC. “I hope since I’m selling them here, it’s hard for them to buy them off me because I have so many people trying to buy them. Hopefully, the fact we had to give so much for them means we can sell them for a lot too. I think we’re on the verge of having a really great 2-year-old season.”

The strength at the top end of the market shows little sign of slowing down, particularly given the ample presence of international buyers on the sale grounds. Last year’s March Sale saw Japan-based Hideyuki Mori rank as the second leading buyer with eight head purchased for $2,090,000 and another diverse base of shoppers is expected to positively influence this year’s results.

“I don’t have any reason to expect it to slow down. I really don’t. If it slows down, that’s out of my ability to predict why,” said consignor Tom McCrocklin. “I’ve been waiting for 2-3 years for it to drop and it’s like a snowball; it keeps getting stronger and stronger. It’s very top heavy, you hear the same thing all the time. There is a premium for quality. What is perceived to be the best will bring plenty of money.”

This year’s under-tack show, which was held over four days, saw two horses – both by Gainesway first-crop sire Drain the Clock – equal the OBS track record for a quarter mile when they breezed in :20 1/5. The first came when Hip 284, a chestnut consigned by Hoppel LLC, hit that mark during Thursday’s under-tack session and was matched when Hip 748, a chestnut colt consigned by Doble J Equine Sales, posted that time on the final day of under-tack shows Saturday.

“I haven’t found one (Drain the Clock) I didn’t like yet,” Hoppel remarked.

The OBS March Sale has historically been one of the most productive juvenile sales. In 2025,sevenOBS March Sale graduates accounted earned Grade 1 wins including Brant, 2025 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner and Eclipse Awards finalist Bentornato, 2025 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) victor White Abarrio as well as Argos, Sandman, Scottish Lassie, and Velocity.

Notable graduates of the OBS March Sale include seven-time leading sire Into Mischief, Grade 1 winners Iscreamuscream and Speed Boat Beach, champions Forever Together, Midnight Lute, and Stardom Bound, and Breeders’ Cup winners Secret Circle, Structor and Stopchargingmaria.

The catalogue pages for all entries are available via the OBS website at obssales.com and in printed form at the sales. 

The sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as the DRF, TDN, BloodHorse, Pastthewire, and Hipismo.net websites. 

OBS again offers online bidding during the March Sale. Buyers will be able to go to the OBS website and register to gain bidding approval, then access the OBS Bidding Screen with their credentials. For complete information on registration and online bidding please go to the OBS website: obs-online-bidding 

Current information about OBS sales, consignors and graduates is now also available via social media sites Facebook and ‘X’. A link on the homepage directs users to either site. 

Sales results will be available on the OBS website, updated frequently during each session of the Sale. In addition, the latest news regarding OBS graduates, sales schedules, nominations, credit requests, travel information and other news relevant to OBS consignors and customers is also available. E-mail should be addressed to obs@obssales.com. 

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.

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.

“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.