Beth Bayer had good reason to be biased about the gray or roan filly by Taiba in her consignment for the 2026 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company January Winter Mixed Sale.

    Not only was the newly turned yearling one of the more popular residents in Bayer’s shedrow once she arrived on the grounds, but she carried an added dose of sentiment as Bayer had bred the filly and hence, had been there for every moment of her development.

    “I bred her, I raised her…I’ve loved her since the day she was born,” Bayer said of the filly catalogued as Hip 80.

    The high opinion Bayer held of her homebred proved more than just emotions talking as the youngster headed up an outstanding day for her breeder/consignor when she sold for a sale-topping $150,000 during the one-day January Winter Mixed Sale held Jan. 27.

    In addition to selling the Taiba filly to Marc Gunderson, Bayer also consigned Hip 22, a colt by Nashville, who brought the day’s second highest price when he elicited a final bid of $140,000 to Always Dreaming. When the dust settled, Bayer had sold three of the top four prices during the session, including Hip 133, a colt by Zandon out of the winning Roman Ruler mare Built in a Day, who went to Pine Creek Ranch for $90,000.

    The market for short yearlings was expected to be solid heading into the sale, and that theory indeed held true once the bidding started. The Taiba filly proved most desirable as she is out of the winning Unbridled’s Song mare Tranquil Song and is a half sister to Isolate, a multiple group 2 winner in Dubai.

    “I loved everything about her. She just had so much class and has done everything right for me,” Bayer said. “It ended up paying off for me at the end of the day.”

    The son of Nashville Bayer brought to the auction was another who ended up paying handsome dividends.

    Bred by Boone Family Trust, the colt is out the stakes winning Forest Wildcat mare Rapid Racer and is a half sibling to graded stakes placed Lee’s Baby Girl. Rapid Racer is out of a half sister to the top producing mare Ticket to Houston, dam of multiple graded stakes winner Runway Model who herself produced Grade 1 winner and sire McKinzie.

    “When he arrived, I was pleasantly pleased with him because he was a big strong colt, lots of bone, lots of size, a lot of substance,” said Bayer, who also sold Hip 90, another son of Nashville, for $75,000 to Dark Horse Racing Stable. “He presented himself really well. He reciprocated what I thought he would bring.”

Overall, Bayer led all consignors with 21 head sold for $719,800.

    Bayer’s leading duo were among a trio of yearlings that cracked the six-figure mark during the session. Hip 191, a colt by Simplification, also reached that threshold when he sold for $100,000 to Rising Dividends Racing.

    Consigned by Danielle Loya’s Silver Oaks Farm and bred by Tami Bobo, the colt is out of the Sky Mesa mare Gidget Girl and is a half brother to King’s Plate winner and OBS graduate Mansetti and multiple stakes winner Straight Up G.

    Other notable hips included Hip 91, a colt by Pappacap consigned by Kaizen Sales (Richard Kent), and Hip 260, a colt by Cairo Prince consigned by Hare Hill Farm, both of whom sold for $85,000. The son of Pappacap was purchased by Pinhook Partners while Banks Bloodstock landed the Cairo Prince colt.
    Hip 49, a colt by Drain the Clock, was purchased by Pine Creek Ranch for $82,000 from the Silver Oaks Farm consignment while Hip 116, a filly by Engage now named Ms. Engaged from the Hare Hill consignment, and Hip 217 Mom Said Win, a filly by Win Win Win consigned by Colin Brennan Bloodstock at Highlander Training Center, each brought $65,000. The Engage filly sold to Silver Creek Thoroughbreds with Breeze Easy & Robert Cotran purchasing Mom Said Win.

    The highest priced broodmare or broodmare prospect to sell was Hip 267, Callie’s Courage, a daughter of Girvin consigned by Kaizen Sales, who sold for $48,000 to William Churly. Callie’s Courage sold in foal to Gunite and is out of the winning mare Mom’s a Cougar, a daughter of OBS grad Kantharos, who is a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner and OBS grad Mom’s On Strike and multiple stakes winner Otago.

    The January Winter Mixed Sale finished with across-the-board gains over the 2025 exercise in all key metrics. At the close of business Jan. 27, a total of 186 head sold for total gross receipts of $3,507,850, an increase over the $3,093,700 generated by 212 sold a year ago. The average came in at $18,859, up from $14,593 in 2025, while the median of $12,000 was an improvement over $7,500 a year ago. A total of 71 horses failed to meet their reserve for an RNA percentage of 27.6%, up from 21.4% in 2025.