Long a source of top class racehorses, the OBS March Sale has produced six champions, 21 millionaires and the winners of six Breeders’ Cup races. Since the beginning of 2014, 93 OBS March graduates have won or placed in 178 stakes races, winning 62 of them including 25 graded stakes. Six March graduates accounted for eight grade one victories, including six of the 15 grade one races at the 2014 Saratoga meeting.
Repole Stable’s Stopchargingmaria’s three 2014 graded stakes wins included back to back victories in Saratoga’s Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) in July and Alabama Stakes (G1) in August. The daughter of Tale of the Cat ended the year with an 11-6-2-1 record and $1,494,000 in the care of trainer Todd Pletcher. She was purchased by Repole Stables for $220,000 out of the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2013 sale after she breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
Antonino Miuccio’s Palace also enjoyed summer at The Spa, scoring in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) before his victory in the Forego (G1) four weeks later. The son of City Zip ended his 5-year-old campaign with a 23-11-5-3 record and earnings of $1,349,550. Trained by Linda Rice, he was sold for $160,000 by Crupi’s New Castle Farm, Agent, at the 2011 OBS March Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. watch his under tack video
Magalen O. Bryant’s late blooming V. E. Day skipped the Triple Crown races in the spring, but also found Saratoga to his liking, following a win in the Curlin Stakes with a sensational stretch run that carried him to a last jump victory in the Travers Stakes (G1). Unraced at two, he was 8-4-1-0 under the care of James Jerkens and ended his 3-year-old campaign with earnings of $859,010. Consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, to the 2013 OBS March Sale, he was sold for $135,000 to Chester Stables LLC, Agent, after working a quarter in :21 4/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa’s Itsmyluckyday surpassed the million dollar mark with a victory in Monmouth’s Salvator Mile (G3) in July, before topping off the year by avenging his defeat by Moreno in Saratoga’s Whitney (G1) by beating him a month later in the Spa’s Woodward Stakes (G1). The colt by Lawyer Ron worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 3/5 before he was purchased for $110,000 by trainer Eddie Plesa out of the Eisaman Equine consignment at the 2012 OBS March Sale. He ended his career 21-9-4-2 with $1,706,350 in earnings. watch his under tack video
On the west coast, Braly Family Trust’s Tom’s Tribute carried the OBS March banner and was a force in graded stakes company all year, highlighted by a victory in Del Mar’s Eddie Read Stakes (G1) in July. Trained by Jim Cassidy, the son of Lion Heart completed 2014 with a 16-6-3-2 record and earnings of $634,880. He worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5 before he was purchased for $310,000 by Marilyn Braly on the recommendation of Gary Young from Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, at the 2012 OBS March Sale. watch his under tack video
Currently working steadily for trainer Todd Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs toward his 3-year-old debut, WinStar Farm LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Carpe Diem ended 2014 by finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) after an eye-catching win in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. High on everyone’s lists of Triple Crown contenders, the son of Giant’s Causeway was a $1.6-million co-sale topper at the 2014 OBS March Sale, purchased out of the Northwest Stud consignment after working an eighth in:10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. He begins 2015 with a 3-2-1-0 record and $709,800 in earnings. watch his under tack video
There’s another March graduate on the Derby Trail. Stonestreet Stable’s unbeaten Ocean Knight jumped from an Aqueduct maiden win in December to the recent Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs and despite losing ground on both turns, scored his first stakes victory in the care of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Two for two with earnings of $156,000, he was purchased out of the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2014 OBS March Sale for $320,000 by John Moynihan on behalf of Stonestreet after working a quarter in :20 3/5, the Under Tack Show’s fastest work at the distance. watch his under tack video
Alto Racing LLC’s Sweet Whiskey, trained by Todd Pletcher, got 2014 off to a good start for OBS March, taking Gulfstream’s Old Hat Stakes (G3) by 2-3/4 lengths over fellow OBS graduate Co Cola (June ;13). It was the first stakes win for the daughter of Old Fashioned, sold for $300,000 at the 2013 OBS March Sale by Eddie Woods, Agent, after working an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. She ended the year 11-2-4-1 with earnings of $432,500. watch her under tack video
C R K Stable’s Kobe’s Back blew by front-running fellow OBS graduate Cherubim (June ’13) in deep stretch of the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita, and beat him by 5-1/4 lengths. It’s was the first graded stakes win for the colt by Flatter, sold for $480,000 by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, at the 2013 OBS March Sale after an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. Trained by John Sadler, he finished the year 9-2-1-1 with earnings of $276,250. watch his under tack video
Guillermo Berrios’ My Wandy’s Girl, trained by Mike Hushion, tracked the pacesetter in the Barbara Fritchie Handicap (G2) at Laurel in February, then wore her down in deep stretch and scored by a length. It was the first American graded stakes win for the mare by Flower Alley, repatriated to the U.S. after an eight race winning streak in Puerto Rico that included three stakes wins. Purchased for $15,000 out of the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2011 OBS March Sale, she’s how 23-15-4-2 and has earned $573,710 to date. watch her under tack video
Under the care of Bob Baffert, Tanma Corporation’s Chitu stalked the pace in the Sunland Derby (G3) in March, moved up on the turn and battled Midnight Hawk for the lead until mid-stretch, then drew away late and scored by 2-1/4 lengths. It was the first stakes win for the colt by Henny Hughes, sold for $300,000 by Southern Chase Farm, Inc.(Greg and Karen Dodd), Agent, after working a quarter in :20 3/5 at the Under Tack Show for the 2013 OBS March Sale. The win gives him a 4-3-0-1 record and earnings of $501,800. watch his under tack video
WinStar Farm LLC’s Revolutionary, a multiple graded stakes winner at three, added the Pimlico Special (G3) to his resume in May. It was the third graded stakes win for the Todd Pletcher trainee, hero of 2013 Withers Stakes (G3) and Louisiana Derby (G2). Retired with a 13-5-2-3 record and earnings of $1,353,125, the colt by War Pass was sold for $235,000 at the 2012 OBS March Sale by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, after an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. watch his under tack video
John C. Oxley’s Spring in the Air circled horses on the turn then closed with a rush on the outside and won the $162,891 Hendrie Stakes (G3) at Woodbine by a length on May 24th. It was the second graded stakes win for the daughter of Spring at Last, sold by Eddie Woods, Agent, at the 2012 OBS March Sale for $130,000 after a quarter in :21 3/5 at the Under Tack Show. At year’s end, the 2012 Sovereign Award winner, trained by Mark Casse, was 20-4-6-2 with $930,318 in earnings. watch her under tack video
Gary Barber’s Jack Milton trailed in the early going of the Poker Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park on Memorial Day, but came wide off the turn, hit the front near the eighth pole and drew off from there to score by 2-3/4 lengths. It’s the second graded stakes win for the son of War Front, consigned by Eddie Woods to the 2012 OBS March Sale. Trained by Todd Pletcher, he finished 2014 with a 13-4-1-5 record and $564,261 in earnings. watch his under tack video
William & Corrine Heiligbrodt’s Cinco Charlie, currently on a three stakes race win streak for trainer Steve Asmussen, wasted no time getting his first graded stakes score, taking Churchill’s Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) in June after winning at first asking. Purchased for $190,000 out of the Cary Frommer consignment at the 2014 OBS March Sale after working an eighth in :10 1/5 Under Tack Show, the Indian Charlie colt has earned is now 9-6-0-2 and has earned $335,802. watch his under tack video
G. Biegler, J. Border, S. Eberwine, R & R Exline & G. Zubok’s Sheza Smoke Show led a 1-2-3 OBS sweep of Santa Anita’s Senorita Stakes (G3) in June, closing down the stretch and getting up late to beat Famous Alice (April ’13) by a length and a quarter, with Morning Fix (April ’13) another half length back in third. The daughter of Wilko ended her juvenile campaign 10-3-0-1 with $150,644 in earnings. Trained by Peter Eurton, she was purchased by Marette Farrell for $100,000 on behalf of Ryan Exline out of the Secure Investments consignment at the 2013 March Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. watch her under tack video
For the second straight year, Yukio Baba has enjoyed success with an OBS March graduate. In 2013, represented by Narvick, he paid $230,000 for Ocala Stud’s Asia Express, a colt by Henny Hughes who had worked a quarter in :21 flat at the Under Tack Show. At the races, the team of trainer Tezuka and rider Moore guided Asia Express to a 1-1/4 length victory in the $1.3-million Asahi Hai Futurity (G1) at Nakayama Racecourse, and he was voted Japan’s champion two year old colt. In 2014, he ended year with a 3-1/2 length victory in the Leopard Stakes (G3) at Niigata Racecourse boosted his earnings over the million dollar (U.S.) mark. watch his under tack video
Phaedrus Flights LLC’s Ekati’s Phaeton pressed the pace in the Old Hat Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, took charge on the turn for home and then turned back a late run by fellow OBS graduate R Sassy Lass (April ’14) en route to a half length victory. It was the first stakes win for the 3-year-old daughter of Tale of Ekati, sold to Phaedrus Flights for $50,000 by Select Sales, Agent, at the 2013 August Yearling Sale. Consigned by Gayle Woods, Agent, to the 2014 March Sale, she worked an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. Trained by Bill Kaplan, she’s now 5-3-1-0 and has earned $118,360 to date. Selected Sale photo watch her under tack video
Paul P. Pompa’s Night Prowler was way back in the early going of the Dania Beach Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream, but the 3-year-old gelding by Giant’s Causeway came running in the lane and closed with a rush to win her first stakes race by half a length. Trained by Chad Brown, he’s now 4-2-0-2 and has earned $118,375. Consigned by Eddie Woods,Agent, to the 2014 OBS March Sale, he turned in an eighth in :10 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
A total of 610 juveniles have been cataloged for the two-day expanded format OBS March Sale, set for Tuesday and Wednesday, March 17th and 18th, with both sessions beginning at 11:00 a.m. The extended Under Tack Show will span three days, beginning Wednesday, March 11th with Hips 1 – 203. Hips 204 – 406 will go Thursday, March 12th and Hips 407 – 610 will go Friday, March 13th. All three session will begin at 8:00 a.m. The Under Tack Show and Sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as the DRF and Blood-Horse websites.