HALLANDALE BEACH - St. Elias Stable’s Rated by Merit looms as a strong favorite in a field of seven entered  for the $200,000 Affirmed, next Saturday’s second leg of the 2024 Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions.

    The homebred son of Battalion Runner is undefeated and untested in two career starts, including a 6 ¼-length romp in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, the six-furlong first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series. The Michael Yates trainee scored by 9 ¾ lengths in his July 13 debut at six furlongs, earning a 92 Beyer Speed Figure that was the fastest produced by a 2-year-old in 2024 at the time. He followed up with a 93 Beyer Speed Figure while setting a stakes record (1:09.45) in his Dr. Fager win. Jesus Rios, who was aboard for Rated by Merit’s two dominating wins, has the return mount.

    Ian Parsard, Stefania Farms and Shining Stables’ Neoequos, a son of Neolithic who contested the early pace early before settling for second in the Dr. Fager, is scheduled to return in the Affirmed. Amy Dunne and trainer Patrick Biancone’s Classic of Course, who finished third in the Dr. Fager after losing a photo finish for win in the Proud Man Stakes, is also entered.

    Arindel’s Lou, John Minchello’s Zizka, and Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Big Paradise round out the field.

    Averill Racing’s R Morning Brew was entered to seek her third victory without defeat in the $200,000 Susan’s Girl, the second leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series for juvenile fillies that will co-headline next Saturday’s program.
The daughter of Curlin’s Honor, who followed up a 4 ½-length debut victory with a 5 ½-length score in the $100,000 FSS Desert Vixen Sept. 7, is slated to face 6 rivals in the seven-furlong Susan’s Girl. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has awarded the return mount to Edgard Zayas.

    Christian Maingot and trainer Jose Pinchin’s Wiggle an’ Wine and Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston’s Win N Your In, who finished second and third, respectively, in the Desert Vixen are scheduled to return in the Susan’s Girl.  Win N Your In finished three quarters of a length behind Wiggle an’ Wine after finishing 4 ¾ lengths clear of the Pinchin trainee while winning the Sharp Susan Aug. 10.

    Patricia’s Hope LLC’s Rogue Diamond, an impressive two-length debut winner for trainer Larry Rivelli at Hawthorne, is scheduled to make her FSS debut in the Susan’s Girl. Stonehedge’s Don’t Fool With Me, Shadybrook Farm’s I’malwaysthinking, and trainer Angel Rodriguez’s Kip the Distance round out the field.

    The two featured stakes will be supported on an 11-race program by the $100,000 Gil Campbell Memorial Handicap, which drew a field of 7 including Arindel’s Octane, who won the Gr. III Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn.

    Before she went through the ring at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2024 October Yearling Sale, Hip 459 already held a special place in the heart of Katie Liebe as the filly represented the first horse she had bred herself. Once the daughter of Complexity exited the auction arena, she carried with her another distinction for Liebe and her husband Norman Dellheim, that being the title of sales topper.

    Consigned by Thoroughstock, Agent, the dark bay or brown filly by Complexity sold to Jimbo and Torie Gladwell of Top Line Sales for $150,000 on Tuesday to top the two-day OBS October auction held Oct. 7-8.

    Out of the Badge of Silver mare Silver Lantana, the Complexity filly is a half-sister to stakes placed winner Six the Hard Way. Silver Lantana is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Lantana Mob.

    “This is my first time selling a horse like this. I’m from the hunter/jumper world and this is my first homebred, the first one where I had the mare and everything,” Liebe said. “I just think she has flawless conformation, and her dam line is really hot right now, as well as Complexity so it was just the perfect match. She does look the part, she’s a very classy filly. She’s like a puppy dog. Even my 4- and 6-year-old could lead her around. We’re very happy.”

    Torie Gladwell said the filly’s physical attributes and active family made her Top Line’s top choice of the OBS catalog. “She was our pick for the whole sale,” she said. “She was our favorite individual: early, fast, sound for a pinhook. We bought her for a partnership so some of our partners are really excited about buying into her. It will probably be March (that she’ll sell) if she’s early enough, maybe April. That’s where she’ll probably end up.”

    Hip 459 was one of seven horses to bring six figures during the OBS October auction, equaling the number of horses who broke that barrier at last year’s sale.

    The sale’s second highest price came when Hip 385, a gray or roan colt by Win Win Win, sold for $135,000 to No Money No Honey, Agent. Consigned by Kaizen Sales, the colt is out of the stakes winning Marciano mare Prize Informant, herself an OBS sales graduate.

    “He was just a very athletic individual,” Richard Kent of Kaizen Sales said of the colt. “His 3-year-old half-brother Jasper Robusto is running extremely well in Japan right now and running in a stakes race on the weekend. But it was the individual that sold. He is very well balanced for a big colt and people liked his athletic look.”

Three horses were hammered down for $130,000.

Hip No. 280, Boujify, a daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify, sold to D. J. Stable LLC for $130,000. The dark bay or brown filly, consigned by Colin Brennan Bloodstock, Agent, is out of stakes winner Financial Recovery, by Street Cry (IRE). The filly was the only offspring by Justify offered in the sale.

    “Bringing a Justify down here, he’s doing so well,” Brennan said. “She has a very good pedigree, it’s an active family. The family has sold really well in the past at 2-year-old sales and yearling sales. We felt that (this sale) was a good fit. She’s nearly a June foal. I think the good horsemen saw past the fact that she was a little immature and really has a lot of potential. I’m tickled.”

    BD. J. Stable LLC also paid $130,000 for Hip No. 462, a daughter of Vekoma consigned by Abbie Road Farm (Lisa McGreevy), Agent.  The dark bay or brown filly is out of Sinister Siren, by Empire Maker, from the family of champion and OBS graduate Delightful Mary.

    Other six figure horses included Champions Equine LLC going to $100,000 for Hip No. 249, a son of Bolt d’Oro consigned by Beth Bayer, Agent. The bay colt, a half-brother to graded stakes placed Golden Alchemist, is out of stakes placed Lemon de Oro, by Lemon Drop Kid.

    Hip No. 516, a son of Midshipman consigned by Abbie Road Farm (Lisa McGreevy), Agent, also brought $100,000, selling to Dilligaf. The bay colt is out of Thank You Note, by Uncle Mo, a daughter of stakes winner Coarsegold.

    Tuesday’s session generated a gross of $4,050,200 from 187 head sold with an average of $21,659 and median of $13,000. For the entire sale, 291 horses sold for a total of $5,804,100 compared with 384 grossing $7,670,600 a year ago. The average price was $19,945 compared with $19,976 in 2023, while the median price was $12,000 compared with $13,000 last year. The buyback percentage was 37.5% compared to 34.6% a year ago.

    The 2024 OBS October Yearling Sale had an abbreviated opening session on Oct. 7 when the sale was moved up one day due to severe weather concerns. After selling Hips 1-200 on Monday, Hips No’s 201 –595 were offered on Tuesday including those yearlings supplemented into the catalog.

    “I think one of the great things about OBS is the fact upper management and the team, they recognize when they need to alter a path and try and make things better not only for the buyers and the sellers but most importantly for the horses,” said Jon Green of D. J. Stable, who led all buyers by gross with four head purchased for a total of $355,000. “I think that in a perfect world, the sale would have gone off without a hitch but we’re not in a perfect world and sometimes you have to pivot and be flexible.”

    Abbie Road Farm was the leading consignor with 30 sold for a total of $841,600.

    Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company announced on Monday that award-winning writer Alicia Hughes has been named to the position of Director of Communications.

    Hughes comes to OBS with nearly three decades of experience covering and working in the Thoroughbred industry. A resident of Lexington, Hughes formerly served as the lead turf writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader, Racing Editor for BloodHorse publications, and Director of Communications for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

   Hughes is a past president of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters and was the 2021 recipient of the Charles W. Engelhard Award from the KTA-KTOB for outstanding coverage of the Thoroughbred industry. She was also honored with the 2020 Legacy Legends Awards at the Derby Diversity and Business Summit for being a leading advocate for diversity and inclusion.

    “OBS has a history that is synonymous with quality, and it is a privilege to join such a passionate and dedicated staff,” Hughes said. “I look forward to amplifying the exceptional work being done at OBS as well as the breeders, consignors, and buyers who drive the commercial marketplace.”

“We are excited to add Alicia to the OBS team,” said Tom Ventura, OBS President. “Her credentials speak volumes and we feel fortunate to add her talent with a depth of knowledge, experience and respect in the horse business.”