Track Times Today - With Bernie Dickman - Racing, Breeding, Pari-Mutuels

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Sells for $1.4 million . . .

Even before he left the sales pavilion the afternoon of June 17 amid well wishes and congratulatory declarations, consignor Jesse Hoppel carried with him a heightened level of sentiment where the results of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale were concerned.

“Growing up in this industry, there have been times where this sale is what turned our family from red to black for the year,” Hoppel said in the midst of trying to absorb his latest milestone. “This sale is really important for all the 2-year-old consignors.”

With one day remaining in the final major juvenile auction of the year, the 2026 edition of the OBS June Sale has already cemented itself among the most significant moments of Hoppel’s personal and professional life.

The record-setting mantle that started with the OBS March and April auctions this season was picked up with aplomb by the three-day June sale, thanks to the appeal of a striking gray filly bred in the purple. After selling his first seven-figure juvenile during the OBS March Sale, Hoppel wrote his name into the history books of the sales grounds he grew up on when he sold Hip 428, a gray or roan filly by Triple Crown winner Justify, for $1.4 million to Speedway Stables, becoming the highest priced horse ever sold at an OBS June sale.

The price for the Justify filly surpasses the previous OBS June record of $975,000 set just last year when Feminism, a chestnut filly by Curlin consigned by Caliente Thoroughbreds, sold to Gus King. For Hoppel, it was the latest achievement in a year that has seen his and his family’s horsemanship rewarded in the arena that has been paramount to his success.

“We got really fortunate. I’m just grateful everyone believed in us enough to bid on our horses like that,” Hoppel said. “She exceeded our expectations by far. She’s a really nice filly, she’s got a really nice family. Hopefully she’s really successful on the racetrack and goes on to become a really nice broodmare. All those things are a possibility with that filly.”

Out of the stakes-winning Rockport Harbor mare Harbingerofthings, the Justify filly is a half sister to graded stakes-winners Tell Your Daddy and Dynadrive, the former of whom is Gr. 1 placed. She would have likely commanded her share of attention had she been offered in either March or April but an injury sustained in a paddock accident led to her being pointed to the sale where she now stands alone in its annals.

“She was turned out with a bunch of fillies in a big field just being a horse. We raise our horses natural… just let them be themselves. And she got a big old lump on her shin,” Hoppel recalled. “What happened, I don’t know. But she got kicked or hit it on something…and it set me back. She would have been here in April or March but that set us back a little ways.

“Like so many things, it was definitely a blessing in disguise. Sometimes you feel like you’re being dealt a blow but you’re just setting up for a better outcome. It was good for me and the team and the investors, we had a great day.”

When the filly breezed in :20 4/5 to tie for the fastest quarter during the third day of under-tack shows, Marette Farrell, advisor to K. C. Weiner and Peter Fluor’s Speedway Stables, went back to the barns and immediately pegged the daughter of Justify as one her team needed to pursue. Bidding via phone during a protracted battle that started with an opening bid of $20,000, Farrell ultimately stretched to the limits to secure what she hopes will be a future standout for Speedway’s broodmare band.

“As soon as I saw the breeze, all I wanted to do was go to the barn to see her,” said Farrell, who also credited her team of Tescha Von Bluecher, Zoe Cadman, and Ashley Castrenze. “When I went to the barn, she was everything I could have hoped for. She had size, muscle, presence, a great sense of mind. She’s by a phenomenal stallion Justify who we’re real believers in. Then of course she’s a half to a Gr.-1 placed filly and it’s (Gr. 1 winner) Mindframe’s extended family. Speedway Stables has a broodmare band now and these are the fillies we want to add to the band, the ones who have brilliance.

“You can’t walk away from a filly as phenomenal as her.”

The juvenile market has been astounding in its own right with this year’s OBS March auction producing a record sale gross and the April sale establishing a record gross, average, and median, highlighted by the sale of Zedan, a son of Flightline who sold for an all-time OBS mark of $10.5 million. The sale of its first seven-figure horse signified a continuation of such strength during the June exercise.

While session to session comparisons are not applicable due to the 2025 OBS June Sale being held over two days as opposed to this year’s three-day auction, overall figures through the first two sessions reflect a hotly competitive buying base. A total of 353 horses have been sold for gross receipts of $18,898,000 through the close of business Wednesday with the average coming in at $53,535 and the median $27,000. The cumulative rate of horses not sold is 26.7 percent.

Wednesday’s session saw 173 head sold for gross receipts of $9,285,000 with an average of $53,671 and a median of $27,000. The session RNA rate was 28.8 percent.

“Before the sale started, they asked me what I thought about June and I said we’ve had a great March and April and I don’t see that changing. Obviously, it didn’t change,” said Tod Wojciechowski, Director of Sales for OBS. “I said it last year, this isn’t your father’s June sale. It has become a sale in its own right and a number of consignors have said that they point horses to this sale.

“Would I have predicted (the seven-figure horse)? I don’t know that I’d have predicted it, but I’m not surprised by it. The quality of horses these guys are bringing to the market…it keeps stepping up, so it’s not surprising to me.”

A total of seven horses have brought $300,000 or more with one day left in the sale compared to eight horses who hit that threshold during the entirety of the 2025 OBS June auction. Contributing to that total Wednesday was Hip 433, a bay colt by Jackie’s Warrior who elicited the session’s second highest price when he sold to Greg Compton, agent for MAG Racing Stables for $300,000.

Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, the colt is out of the winning, multiple graded stakes-placed mare Heavenly Hill, who is by OBS graduate City Zip and out of graded stakes-winner Pleasant Hill. He breezed in :20 4/5 during the under-tack show.

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Early Voting Colt Tops OBS June Opener

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Sells for $410,000.. .

Over the last handful of weeks, offspring by Early Voting who first made their mark in the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. pavilion have repeatedly signaled that the classic-winning Taylor Made Farms stallion is a veritable source of precocity and raw ability.

During the opening session of the 2026 OBS June Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale, another representative of the first-crop sire turned heads on the strength of his obvious early talent.

The positive talk that has been attached to the early results of Early Voting’s stud career spilled over into the OBS sales ring June 16 as Hip 168, a dark bay or brown colt by the son of Gun Runner, sold to trainer Greg Compton, agent, on behalf of MAG Racing Stables for $410,000, topping the first day of selling at the final major juvenile auction of the year.

Currently third on the first-crop sire list, Early Voting has become the buzz horse over the last month with the likes of OBS graduates He Is No Lie and Balloteer, both of whom were purchased at the OBS March Sale, winning first time out. Consigned by Julie Davies, Hip 168 breezed in :10 flat during the under-tack show, further validating the high opinion Davies has held for his sire.

“I have been a fan of Early Voting since the yearling sales. You can ask anyone who knows me, I’ve been harping on about Early Voting,” said Davies, whose past graduates out of the OBS June Sale include multiple Gr. 1 winner Adare Manor and stakes-winner Solitude Dude. “This is a nice horse. Obviously, he’s fast, he’s pretty. I think this sale if you bring the right horse here, if you bring a good horse here, then there are plenty of buyers.”

The Early Voting colt is out of the winning War Front mare Cara Dura and is from the female family of graded stakes-winner and sire Exchange Rate. The next chapter in his story will include heading to Compton’s Delaware Park base where he will get a freshening before trying to add to his sire’s growing resume.

“He’s a good looking individual, he had a great breeze, and the stud is off to a great start,” Compton said. “It’s pretty simple. He looks like he has a bright future. He might get a little break for 30 days and then get him back going again. (The price) was a little more than we thought, but he’s a really nice individual.

“If you want a nice horse, you’re going to have to pay for it.”

Healthy competition for standout individuals backstopped the OBS March and April sales to record results, and the initial returns for the June sale did nothing to dispel that market strength. The first day saw a total of five horses sell for $300,000 or more – compared to eight horses who hit that threshold during the entirety of the 2025 OBS June Sale - including Hip 93, a bay filly by Mo Donegal that elicited a final bid of $370,000 from agent Donato Lanni on behalf of Frank Fletcher.

Consigned by Envision Equine, the Mo Donegal filly is out of the multiple stakes-placed Valid Expectations mare Bakken Baby and is a half-sister to stakes-placed winner Expect the Boss. The filly breezed in :9 4/5 during the under-tack show, tying for the fastest time at the distance.

“She looks very fast,” said Lanni, who added the filly would head to the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. “Frank (Fletcher) is an Oaklawn guy and he likes Churchill so we’re going to look at running her there.

“We love the June sale. Every horse here has a story, that’s why they’re here.”

The MorPlay Racing team has crafted plenty of success stories with OBS sale graduates, most notably with champion female sprinter Shisospicy. The team landed what they hope is their next stable star when they went to $330,000 for Hip 239, a chestnut filly by Practical Joke consigned by Caliente Thoroughbreds. The filly, who breezed in :9 4/5, is out of the winning Munnings mare Danceformunny, a daughter of stakes-winner Royal Song Dancer.

“For us, this was the nicest filly on the grounds,” said Cam Dulgar of MorPlay Racing. “We didn’t really want to leave without her. She scoped clean, the physical was all there for us. Obviously, she laid down a pretty good breeze, but it was the way she did it, being the size she is. We think she could be a special horse. We knew she was going to be a standout here.”

Other top prices during the session were Hip 192, Jamoca Shake, a gray or roan filly by Uncle Mo, and Hip 220, Global Leader, a daughter of Uncle Mo, both of whom were consigned by Tom McCrocklin and sold for $300,000.

Jamoca Shake, who breezed in :21, is out of the multiple stakes-placed Cuvee mare Chocolate Pop and is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner and OBS graduate Airoforce. She was purchased by Greenwell Thoroughbreds.

Global Leader, who breezed in :20 2/5, is out of the winning, stakes-placed First Samurai mare Corey, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner and OBS graduate Happy Farm. She was purchased by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt.

With the 2025 OBS June Sale behind held over two days as opposed to this year’s three-day auction, session-to-session comparisons are not applicable. Tuesday’s figures told a robust story nonetheless at the close of business with 163 head sold for gross receipts of $9,066,000. The average came in at $55,620 with a median of $30,000. The RNA rate was 31.8 percent prior to post sales.

The opening session of the OBS June Sale will go down as one to remember for the father-son team of Fabian and Ruben Garcia of Fabian Sales. Hip 56, a dark bay colt by Charlatan from the female family of graded stakes-winner and sire Tale of the Cat, was hammered down to D.J. Stable for $195,000, making him the highest-priced horse ever sold by Fabian Sales and sparking an emotional outpouring from the younger Garcia.

“I can’t believe it,” Ruben Garcia said, wiping tears from his face. “We bought him for only $1,000. Me and my dad just thought we would take a chance with the horse and if he didn’t make it (to the sale) we would probably race him. He just turned out to be a great horse. We were comfortable with $75,000 and at the last minute my father said to put a $100,000 reserve on him and he passed that easily. This is the first high-priced horse we have sold.”

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OBS Juvenile Sales Season Concludes This Week

Monday, June 15, 2026

Three-day run begins tomorrow . . .

A juvenile sales season filled with milestone results reaches its conclusion this week as the 2026 OBS June Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale aims to put a stamp on a record-setting year when it begins its three-day run June 16. A total of 981 horses including supplemental entries are catalogued for the sale, which runs through June 18.

Sessions will begin each day at 10:30 a.m. with Hips 1 - 302 plus supplements 303 – 327 selling June 16 followed by Hips 351 - 652 plus supplements 653 – 671 June 17. The June 18 session will sell Hips 701 - 1002 and supplements 1003 - 1028 along with Horses of Racing Age Hips 1051 - 1053 plus supplements 1054 – 1056.

The sale looks to carry on the momentum generated by record results put forth at this year’s OBS March and April exercises. After the March sale produced a record sale gross and equaled the OBS March record with seven horses crossing the million-dollar threshold, the April sale established OBS benchmarks across the board as it finished with a record gross, average, and median, highlighted by the sale of Zedan, a son of Flightline who sold for an all-time OBS mark of $10.5 million.

Last year’s June auction was its own showcase of market strength, establishing new sale marks for overall average and median while Feminism, a chestnut filly by Curlin consigned by Caliente Thoroughbreds, established a record sale price when she sold for $975,000. Given the way market trends have gone, those on the ground expect more of the same to unfold over the next few days.

“It’s not hard to sell a good horse. So, I assume all our good horses will stand out and everyone else’s good horses will stand out and they’ll sell just fine,” said consignor Jesse Hoppel of Hoppel LLC. “We won’t have to worry about those. Everybody gravitates to the same ones, so it’s the horses in the middle (where it is tougher).

“They’re still useful horses. They maybe don’t have the most fashionable pedigree or conformation wise maybe they’re not perfect. People find an excuse and they pass on those horses but those horses, a lot of them go on to become really good racehorses.”

An example of such came out of last year’s June sale in the form of graded stakes-winner Crude Velocity. Sold by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock to Bill Childs for $250,000, the son of Beau Liam has gone on to capture the Gr. II Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs before finishing second in the Gr. I Woody Stephens Stakes at Saratoga. Crude Velocity equaled the OBS track record last year when he worked a quarter in :20 1/5.

“I think (the sale) is going to be strong,” said Ramirez, who is consigning Hip 925, a dark bay or brown filly by Highly Motivated that is a half-sister to Crude Velocity. “The good ones are going to sell no matter what. The middle market will be a little tough, but I think it’s going to be good. As long as they’re good and sound, there are going to be people here to buy them.”

Among the standouts during the five-day under tack show were Hip 876, a dark bay or brown filly by Vekoma consigned by Hoppel LLC, and Hip 220, Global Leader, a daughter of Uncle Mo consigned by Tom McCrocklin, both of whom breezed in :20 2/5 to tie for the fastest quarter mile works.

Six OBS June graduates have won graded stakes thus far through 2025-26 including Crude Velocity, El Potente, Elysian Field, Roll on Big Joe, Sultana, and Queen Maxima. Other OBS June graduates who have won stakes races this year are Doncho, winner of the Mighty Beau Stakes at Churchill Downs, and Bay Shore and Swale Stakes victor Solitude Dude.

Other notable OBS June graduates include multiple Gr. I winner and Eclipse Award finalist Adare Manor, Grade 1 winner and sire Yaupon, and Gr. I winners War Like Goddess, Zenden, and Bella Sofia.

Two OBS June graduates have the distinction of capturing consecutive Breeders’ Cup races: Goldencents (2012 OBS June) took the 2013-14 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Stormy Liberal (2014 OBS June) won the 2017-18 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Stormy Liberal also earned the Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Male in 2018.

The June sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as the DRF, TDN, BloodHorse, Pastthewire and Hipismo.net websites.

OBS will again offer online bidding during the sale. Buyers may go to the OBS website and register to gain bidding approval, then access the OBS Bidding Screen with their credentials. For complete information on registration and online bidding please go to the OBS website: obs-internet-bidding.

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Nysos Top OBS Grad Successes with Met Mile Triumph

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Boosts earnings to more than $5.2 million . . .

Nysos (Nyquist – Zetta Z, by Bernardini) added to his accomplished resume with an overpowering performance in the Gr. 1, $1 million Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga Race Course to lead the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.

With his victory in the Met Mile, the 5-year-old son of Nyquist earned a chance to defend his title in the Gr. 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland Race Course Oct. 31 through the "Win and You're In" Challenge Series.

Nysos, owned by Charles and Susan Chu's Baoma Corp and the Coolmore partners of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, has now won eight of his 10 races and has never been worse than second. He boosted his earnings to $5,288,500 with the $550,000 winner's share of the purse.

“He’s good; a great horse," Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. "That was a tough bunch. I’m just so happy for the owners. They let me take my time with this horse and get him ready. I’m just happy that he ran his race. He’s one of the smartest horses I’ve ever trained. He’s really smart, quiet and cool.”

Nysos was purchased for $550,000 out of the Best A Luck Farm consignment by Donato Lanni, Agent for Baoma Corp at the 2023 OBS April Sale after breezing in :9 4/5.

At Saratoga, West Point Thoroughbreds’ Counting Stars (Honor A.P.- Paynterbynumbers, by Paynter) turned the tables on Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner with a 3 3/4-length score in Friday’s Gr. 1, $500,000 Acorn Stakes.

Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Counting Stars previously captured the Gr. II Fantasy at Oaklawn Park in March. Casse said the filly will likely look to improve her credentials in the Gr. 1, $600,000 Alabama on Aug. 22 at Saratoga.

Counting Stars was purchased by her owners at the 2025 OBS April Sale for $150,000 from the Wildheart Thoroughbreds consignment after breezing in :10 flat.

At Churchill Downs, Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado (Gun Runner- Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa) returned to his winning ways with a two-length triumph in the $489,665, Gr.III Matt Winn Stakes.

Further Ado, trained by Brad Cox, clocked 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:41.26, which was the second-fastest Matt Winn, only behind his sire Gun Runner’s 1:41.12 in 2016. He previously captured the $1.25 million Blue Grass in April and bolstered his bankroll to $1,446,958.

Further Ado was purchased by Spendthrift at the 2025 OBS April Sale for $550,000 from the Six K’s Training & Sales consignment after breezing in :21 1/5.

At Saratoga, Mo Speed Racing’s West End Kid (Twirling Candy- To a Friend, by Scat Daddy) brought his win streak to three-in-a-row with a successful stakes debut in the Gr. III, $300,000 Pennine Ridge.

Trained by Will Walden, the son of Twirling Candy was a $350,000 purchase by his owners at the 2025 OBS April Sale from the Navas Equine consignment after breezing in :10 1/5.

The June 4 card at Saratoga also saw Spendthrift Farm’s Goodall (Yaupon-Moon Over Mag Bay, by Malibu Moon) earn a 2 3/4-length score in the $175,000 Jersey Girl on Day Two of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Goodall was purchased by Spendthrift for $525,000 at the 2025 OBS April Sale from the consignment of Tom McCrocklin after breezing in :20 2/5.

At Churchill Downs, Doncho (Mo Town – Sassy Redhead, by Henny Hughes) ran down defending race winner Joe Shiesty in deep stretch to win the $224,500 Mighty Beau Stakes (Listed) by three-quarters of a length in course-record time.

Doncho, trained by Michelle Lovell, ran five furlongs on firm turf in a course and stakes record :55.01 to collect his third career stakes win for owner Jose A. Lopez’s JAL Racing. Consigned by GOP Racing Stable Corp. to the 2023 OBS June Sale, Doncho was purchased by his owners for $72,000 after breezing in :9 4/5.

At Gulfstream Park, JSM Equine’s Haute Diva (Constitution – Diva Style, by Unbridled’s Song) ran up to her potential with a last-to-first rally in the $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes.

Returning from a two-month freshening, the Patrick Biancone-trained daughter of Constitution prevailed by a half-length. Haute Diva was offered by Wavertree Stables at the 2025 OBS April Sale where she failed to meet her reserve after breezing in :10 flat.

At Saratoga on, Michael Dubb’s Sculcos Folly (Redesdale- Cool Johanna, by Johannesburg) won his fourth straight race, and third in stakes company, with an authoritative 5 1/2-length romp in the $200,000 Mike Lee on New York Showcase Day.

Sculcos Folly has won his last four outings by a combined 29 1/2 lengths. Trained by Rick Dutrow Jr., the son of Redesdale was a $70,000 purchase by Chad Schumer at the 2025 OBS April Sale from the Omar Ramirez Bloodstock consignment after breezing in :10 flat.

At Century Mile, Avana (Vino Rosso- Revealing Moment, by After Market) earned her 10th career stakes victory in the $50,000 RedTail Landing for owners Bryan and Carol Anne Anderson, Rick Orman, William Decoursey, Greg Palmer, and Denise Praill.

Trained by Barbara Heads, the daughter of Vino Rosso was purchased by Mike Ryan, agent for $150,000 out of the consignment of Cary Frommer at the 2023 OBS March Sale after breezing in :1 2/5.

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It's Last to First for Haute Diva in Martha Washington Stakes

Monday, June 8, 2026

New sensation Diego Herrera wins 4 races . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - JSM Equine’s Haute Diva minded her manners Saturday at Gulfstream Park, the often high-strung filly running up to her potential with an eye-catching last-to-first rally in the $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes.

Returning from a two-month freshening since her pre-race behavior compromised her efforts in the Gr. II Gulfstream Park Oaks and Gr. II Davona Dale during the Championship Meet, the Patrick Biancone-trained daughter of Constitution saved her energy for the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Tapeta. Ridden for the first time by a visiting Keith Asmussen, Haute Diva ($7.80) made a sweeping move on the far turn, circled the field into the stretch and fought off a stretch challenge from Mia Familia to prevail by a half-length.

“She’s very talented,” Biancone said. “The owner was nice enough to get a nice long break with her and re-group everything. Keith came to work her in the morning, and she really liked him, so he came to ride her. She was perfect in the parade. She did everything right, so now we can start to look for something bigger for her on dirt.”

Haute Diva, who won the mile Cash Run on dirt at Gulfstream prior to her off-the-board finishes in the Gulfstream Park Oaks and Davona Dale, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.23. Mia Familia finished 2 ½ lengths ahead of Bayou Brigid. Haute Diva had been training sharply at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, where she produced a ‘bullet’ half-mile breeze in 47 2/5 seconds.

“I’ve been lucky enough that Patrick has allowed me to get on her multiple times in the morning. He’s obviously thought a lot about this filly. I think his optimism bleeds over to me,” said Asmussen, who is engaged to Biancone’s daughter, Andie. “I had the world of confidence in her going into this race. She cane be fairly sensitive. The Instructions going into the race were: ‘just don’t let run her race before we get to the gate. Just keep her quiet.”

The Churchill Downs-based Asmussen also rode Biancone-trained Elegante Miz ($12) to a debut victory in Race 2, a five-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-olds.

The Martha Washington was the first of three stakes on Saturday’s Gulfstream card

Saint George’s Rolando ($9.60) narrowly won the $100,000 Big Drama, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses carded as Race 10. The Fausto Gutierrez-trained 4-year-old son of Vekoma saved ground while following pacesetter Concrete Glory during fractions of 22.48 seconds for a quarter-mile and 45 seconds for a half-mile before being taken off the rail to go after and quickly pass the leader entering the stretch. Rolando fought off an inside challenge from Back Em Up nearing the finish to prevail by a nose.

Rolando ran seven furlongs in 1:22.85 under Diego Herrera, who rode four winners on the 11-race program. Back Em Up edged Pure Class by a neck for second.

Herrera came right back in Race 11 to guide Paterpop Racing’s Chicken Dance ($15.60) to victory in the $100,000 Not Surprising, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds on Tapeta.

Chicken Dance saved ground while rating off the pace set by Bolero Boy, the 6-5 favorite who set a comfortable pace under Miguel Vazquez with fractions of 24 seconds for a quarter-mile and 48.35 seconds for a half-mile. Herrera bided his time aboard Chicken Dance before finding a way off the rail leaving the turn into the stretch. The son of Neolithic kicked in powerfully through the stretch run to catch Bolero Boy in deep stretch to score by 1 ¼ lengths.

Chicken Dance ran 1 1/16-miles on the all-weather surface in 1:42.66 to follow up an optional claiming allowance victory under Herrera in his previous start. Bolero Boy finished two lengths clear of third-place finisher Khon Han.

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