Medaglia d'Oro colt leads surging OBS sale

The partnership of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Twin Creeks Racing, Bridlewood Farm, and Robert LaPenta secured a son of Medaglia d'Oro for $850,000 at Wednesday's session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2017 April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Offered by Paul Sharp, agent, Hip No. 584 is out of the multiple Grade 2-winning Indian Vale, by A.P. Indy and out of Grade 1 vixen Marley Vale. The April 13 Kentucky-bred, who brought $300,000 at Keeneland September, worked one furlong in :10 1/5 at the under tack show.

The session's highest priced filly was Hip 591, a daughter of Malibu Moon which sold for $650,000 to Speedway Stable. Eddie Woods, agent, consigned the March 6 Kentucky-bred.

Out of the Grade 2-placed stakes winner In the Slips, by More Than Ready, the filly is from the family of Melbourne Cup (G1) winner Delta Blues. Previously sold as a $220,000 Keeneland November weanling and a $47,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling, she worked a quarter-mile in :20 4/5, co-fastest time at the distance in her session at the under tack show.

There was a rise in gross and average for the session, but a decline in median. On Wednesday, 158 horses sold for $13,917,500, a rise of 12.9 percent over the corresponding session in 2016 when $12,323,500 was grossed from the sale of 165 juveniles. The average rose 17.9 percent, from $74,688 to $88,085, while the median dipped 8.9 percent, from $45,000 to $41,000.

At the halfway mark of the four-day auction, 335 horses have sold for $29,660,700, a rise of 23.5 percent over last year when 330 had sold for $24,011,000. The average is up 21.7 percent, from $72,761 to $88,539, while the median has risen 11.1 percent, from $45,000 to $50,000.

The sale continues daily through Friday with sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. (EDT). Full results can be found at obssales.com.