by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis, TDN
Cover image courtesy of Ocala Breeders Sale
Brisk trade continued from start to finish of the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Wednesday in Central Florida and the day concluded with figures well ahead of the auction's 2025 renewal. The session was topped by a filly by Nyquist who sold for US$2 million (AU$2.8 million) to Boyd Racing from the Wavertree Stables consignment.
Hip 372 - Nyquist x Smooth and Savvy filly | Image courtesy of Ocala Breeders Sale
Through two sessions of the three-day sale, 295 horses have sold for US$51,336,500 (AU$71.9 million). After two sessions in 2025, 269 horses had grossed US$39,588,000 (AU$55.6 million). The two-day average stands at US$174,022 (AU$244,000) and the median is US$90,000 (AU$126,000). At the conclusion of the sale a year ago, the average was US$152,351 (AU$213,000) and the median was US$70,000 (AU$98,000).
With 94 horses reported not sold at the close of business Wednesday, the two-day buy-back rate is 24.2%. It was 21.8% at the same point in 2025.
The session-topping daughter of Nyquist was one of three to sell for seven figures during the session, bringing the total so far at the sale to six–one off the total number to hit that mark a year ago.
Two consignors celebrated their first seven-figure sales Wednesday. Jesse Hoppel sold a US$1.05 million (AU$1.47 million) son of Mo Town and Susan Montanye's SBM Training and Sales sold a US$1.85 million (AU$2.6 million) son of Into Mischief, while, with the session topper, Wavertree Stables had its second of the auction, both by Nyquist.
Hip 416 - Into MIschief x Sweet Diane colt | Image courteys of Ocala Breeders Sale
“The market is very strong. It's a blessing to see all of these people here,” said Tami Bobo, who sold the Into Mischief colt through the SBM consignment.
Bobo credited the strong results with the tax bill passed last year which provided buyers with a 100% depreciation bonus and helped lead to record results at the yearling sales last fall. “The Big Beautiful Bill has done nothing but help all of us,” Bobo said. “So that is why the marketplace is where it is and I think it will continue to sustain itself.”
The OBS March sale continues through Thursday.
$2 million Nyquist filly was a queen
Maintaining the same spirited clip that was on display on day one, Wednesday's second session's action hit full tilt by the time Hip 372, a filly by Nyquist, exited the ring. Highlighting what turned out to be another banner day for consignor Wavertree Stables, the March 26 foal jumped over the seven-figure mark in a flash, and when the dust had settled, Killora/Linton, acting as agent for Boyd Racing, had garnered the filly for US$2 million (AU$2.8 million).
The filly posted a brisk :9 3/5 eighth of a mile breeze at OBS last week.
“She was just an absolute queen the whole week,” said Hannah Jennings, who signed on behalf of Randy and Jenny Boyd. “She was super professional. Obviously, her stride was fantastic on the track and physically she's everything we could want.”
“She (Hip 372) was just an absolute queen the whole week, She was super professional. Her stride was fantastic on the track and physically she's everything we could want.” - Hannah Jennings
Bred by Cannon Thoroughbreds, the Kentucky-bred was a US$300,000 (AU$421,000) Keeneland September yearling purchase by Forest Bloodstock. The bay is the third foal out of Smooth and Savvy (Lucky Pulpit), a half-sister to Grade I winner Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute).
“Nyquist is one of our favorites,” said Jennings of the Kentucky Derby winner. “He can get you a really elite horse and Ciaran Dunne sold two Grade I-winning Nyquist fillies out of OBS sales. So hopefully she can be the third.”
The highest-priced juvenile through two days of selling at OBS, the filly was the sole purchase for the Boyds. “It's been so tough,” commented Jennings on the day's activity. “We knew we'd need to stretch for her, but we never thought we'd have to stretch that far. But when the horse is the right one, everyone's on them.”
Into Mischief colt is a huge pinhook result
Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni capped a busy day at OBS Wednesday when he bid US$1.85 million (AU$2.6 million) to acquire a colt by Into Mischief (hip 416) on behalf of Frank Fletcher. The juvenile, who worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5, was consigned by S B M Training and Sales and became the first seven-figure sale for Susan Montanye's consignment.
“He is by one of the leading sires in our generation,” Lanni said of the colt. “He's a fast horse. (Trainer) Bill Mott is going to get him and Bill really liked him. So he got a pretty good endorsement.”
The colt is out of graded-placed Sweet Diane (Will Take Charge) and is a half-brother to stakes winner Miss Martini (Curlin). Tami Bobo purchased the colt for US$75,000 (AU$105,000) at last year's Keeneland September sale.
“He had compressed hocks,” Bobo said when asked how she had acquired a colt by Into Mischief at that price point last fall. “You've heard me say it before. I am a firm believer in how God makes a horse. For me, it wasn't an injury from day one. I've had graded stakes winners in the past and I've never had a problem with it. Once they fused, you are always good to go.”
The colt sold out of Book 5 at Keeneland and Bobo said it was thanks to Denali Stud's Conrad Bandoroff that she became aware of him.
“Conrad Bandoroff is a great consignor, he keeps up with his buyers,” Bobo said. “He called me. I was actually in Florida when he told me about the horse. I am never at Keeneland in Book 5, so I was already home. So it was a true blessing. Susan Montanye signed the ticket for me and Susan and (Montanye's husband) Andy, I want to give them props, because they came into the business the hard way. So for her to sell her first million-dollar horse and for us to be able to do that together collectively, it means the world to me.”
Of the colt's seven-figure price tag, Bobo said, “I truly thought the horse would bring over $1 million. I really did. The horse has trained like the big horse all year. Susan nicknamed him King Kong early on in the training season. She is diligent in sending us videos, so we really know where we are with our horses. And this horse just continued to show up.”
Mo Town colt makes US$1.05 million
The usually stoic Jesse Hoppel, from a family which has been selling horses in Ocala for generations, appeared misty eyed after selling his first million-dollar horse Wednesday at OBS. Minutes after Donato Lanni made a US$1.05 million (AU$1.47 million) bid to acquire a colt by Mo Town on behalf of Baoma Corp., Hoppel said the result, “Exceeded expectations. Period. That was unreal.”
The dark bay colt is out of the unraced Reckon (Into Mischief). He was purchased by the Hoppels for US$40,000 (AU$56,000) as a weanling at the 2024 Keeneland November sale. The colt was signed for in the name 'Antigo,' an homage to the birthplace of Don Rice, Hoppel's grandfather, who along with his brother Clyde, were pioneers of the Ocala pinhooking scene.
Hip 299 - Motown x Reckon colt | Image courtesy of Ocala Breeders Sale
“It would be easier if I just told you what I didn't like about him,” Hoppel said when asked what he had liked about the colt as a weanling. “But it wouldn't be much conversation.”
Hoppel recalled discussing the colt with his father, longtime pinhooker Pat, prior to sending him through the ring Wednesday.
“I grew up on the sales grounds,” he said. “I have a lot of horses I thought were really good. But me and my dad sat there yesterday and we looked at the horse and he said, 'I don't think I've brought a horse to sale this good before.' And I said, 'I know I haven't, dad.' From my dad, that's a huge compliment.”
The seven-figure result capped a profitable few minutes for Hoppel, who also sold a filly by Drain the Clock (hip 284) for US$500,000 (AU$702,000).
