BY BROCK SHERIDAN

A gray or roan colt by leading sire Tapit was the highest-priced juvenile sold on the first day of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company Spring Sale, going to bloodstock agent Gayle Van Leer for $1 million. Tuesday’s session was the first of four days of the OBS Spring Sale that runs through Friday. Hips 303 through 604 will sell Wednesday and each session will begin at 10:30 a.m. EST.

“[The Tapit colt] reminded me an awful lot of Sandman,” Van Leer said of the Arkansas Derby (G1)-winner who sold for $1.2 million at the 2024 OBS March sale. “I fell in love with him, he’s my Derby horse. This colt is just such a smooth moving horse and he caught my eye immediately during the under-tack show. We tried on the [Gun Runner colt] that brought $3 million during the March sale so we were prepared to go to a million.”

Tuesday action saw 156 juveniles generate gross sales of $19,782,000 for an average of $126,808 and a median price of $60,000. That compares to the first day of last year’s OBS Spring Sale when 159 head brought $20,958,500 in gross sales for an average of $131,814 and a median of $85,000. The average was down 3.8% and 43 horses were not sold. The top-sellling 2-year-old on the first day last year was a filly by Caracaro that brought $775,000.

Selling as Hip 249, the top-selling colt is out of the Grade 1-placed mare Palacio de Amor, by Dixieland Band and was consigned by Jimbo and Torie Gladwell’s Top Line Sales LLC on behalf of Lugamo Racing. The colt is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes-placed, stakes-winner Threefiveindia; stakes-winning, stakes-producer Hero’s Amor and stakes-placed Playful Love. Palacio de Amor is also a half-sister to stakes-placed, stakes-producer Island Hop. Purchased for $300,000 by Lugamo Racing Stables at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the colt worked an eighth mile in :10 flat at the under tack show.
(Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

“He has been a star since the day we got him,” Torie Gladwell said. “We’re really happy for Gayle because she was really excited to get that horse. He’s almost a June baby but he’s so sound and just smart for a Tapit. I think once they get him to the racetrack, every day he’s just going to get better.”

 

Hip 190, a filly by Curlin, sold for $900,000 to Donato Lanni as agent for Charles and Susan Chu’s Baoma Corp. Consigned by de Meric’s de Meric Sales as agent, the bay filly is the first foal out of the stakes-placed mare Motivated Seller, by Into Mischief and is from the family of Group 1-placed French Lady (NZ), the dam of stakes winning, stakes-producer Coup. She breezed an eighth mile in :9.80 at the under tack session.
(Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

“She was an obvious type of horse, athletic, well bred,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who will condition the filly for Baoma. “Curlin’s hot. She’s from a good family and she breezed really well. We’re blessed to have clients to be able to buy horses like that.”

Baffert currently has in training for Baoma fellow OBS April grad Tenma, one of the leading contenders for the 2025 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Baoma also stands stallions Valiant Minister and Tunwoo in Florida at Bridlewood Farm.

“She is a beautiful filly. She did everything she was supposed to do and we were expecting a big number,” Tristan de Meric said. “Very happy with the result. She’s just a very balanced filly, very early looking, one that you can go right on with. She’s a filly we have high hopes for and best of luck to Bob and to her new owners.”

Hip 300 was purchased by C R K Racing for $675,000 out of the Hidden Brook as agent consignment. The dark bay or brown filly is by Constitution and is the second foal out of the stakes-placed Quality Road mare Quality Heat, a full sister to Grade 3-winner and multiple graded stakes-placed Frank Conversation. She was purchased by Hidden Brook last year for $215,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale and worked a quarter mile in :21.20 at the breeze show.
(Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

Case Clay Thoroughbred Management signed the $600,000 sale ticket on Hip 246, a gray or roan colt by Vekoma out of the Rockport Harbor mare Paden Affair, a half-sister to Grade 3-placed, stakes-winner and graded stakes-producer Indian Burn; and graded stakes-placed Christmas Away. Consigned by Nick Sallusto’s Thorostock LLC, the colt was a $275,000 yearling purchased by Kimmel/Sallusto at last year’s Keeneland September Sale and a $75,000 weanling at the 2023 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale where he was selected by Susan Naylor Moulton. The colt worked a quarter mile in :20.60 at the under tack show.
(Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

Hip 96, a Florida-bred filly by Tapit out of the stakes-winning mare Mae Never No (Ire), No Nay Never sold for $575,000. Liz Crow signed the ticket for Go Go Grey Stable. From the family for stakes-winner and graded-stakes producer Joyful Chaos and Grade 3-winner Sal the Barber, the filly was purchased by consignor de Meric Sales for $100,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale. She was worked an eighth mile in :10 flat at the under tack show and was bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm.

“Very good opening day for us,” de Meric said. “The market is there for the right horses that jump through the hoops. We’re very happy with the Tapit filly. She’s a homebred of Bridlewood Farm that we were lucky enough to buy into in October. She was always a beautiful filly and really stood out.”
(Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

 

Selling for $550,000 to Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC was Hip 126, a colt by Gun Runner consigned by Paul Sharp as agent. The bay colt is out of the stakes-winning Mizzen Mast mare Maybe Wicked, a full sister to Grade 3-winner Money’soncharlotte and stakes-winner Mizzcan’tbewrong. The colt worked an eighth mile in :10.20 at the under tack show and has a yearling half-brother by Tapit that sold for $400,000 at the 2025 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale.
(Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

Hip 181 garnered a final bid of $525,000 from Spendthrift Farm LLC. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin as agent, the bay filly is by first crop sire Yaupon, a multiple graded-stakes winner of the Grade 1 Forego. She is out of Moon Over Mag Bay, by Malibu Moon and is from the family of Grade 2-placed, stakes-winning Florida-bred Shamrocket and stakes-winner Believe in Charlie. Purchased by McCrocklin for $62,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton July Sale of yearlings, the filly worked a quarter mile in :20.40 at the breeze show.
(Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

The leading consignor on the day was de Meric Sales with eight 2-year-olds selling for $2,257,000 while Top Line Sales LLC sold five head for $1,470,000. Grassroots Training and Sales LLC sold 15 head for $1,385,000.

The leading buyer was Clase Clay Thoroughbred Management with three purchases for $1,185,000 while Gayle Van Leer was the second leading buyer with her lone purchase of the $1 million Tapit colt. Donato Lanni as agent was the third leading buyer with purchase of the Curlin filly for $900,000.

Return to the April 15 issue of Wire to Wire