Average dips slightly for Ohio Selected Jug Sale
by Dave Briggs
Saturday’s second day of the Ohio Selected Jug Sale at the Eden Park Equestrian Complex in Sunbury, OH wasn’t as strong as the Friday session, but general manager Randy Manges said the sale held up well despite the better horses being sold on day one.
“We seed it a little bit. We like to get a good start on the first day. It’s set up that way,” Manges said. “But we had a lot of nice horses sell (Saturday and they sold pretty well. The bottom and the middle was a little bit off, but, overall, I was pleased with the sale.
“We sold 50 or 60 more horses than we did last year and we just averaged a little bit less than we did last year.”
Over both days, Ohio-sired 312 yearlings grossed $5,195,000 for an average of $16,651 that was down 3.7 per cent from the 2015 sale.
Friday’s opening session saw 159 yearlings gross $3,653,500 for an average of $22,987. The second session grossed $1,541,500 with 153 yearlings selling. The average was $10,075
“The crowd was a little off today. It wasn’t nearly as big as yesterday, but we had a lot of rain here today and the weather wasn’t nearly as good. That, I’m sure, had some affect on it, but the crowd was still good. There’s always a good crowd for a sale in Ohio,” Manges said.
None of the horses sold on day two surpassed the day one sale toppers.
Acting as an agent, James Dailey of Mechanicsburg, OH topped the sale with a Dragon Again colt out of Spring Delight named Allgonowhoa. The colt was consigned by Spring Haven Farm as an agent for Sugar Valley Farm. Allgonowhoa is a half-brother to Santanna Blue Chip filly Zoe Ellasen who has earned $102,7000. Allgonowhoa is out of a mare that is a half-sister to $1.8 million winning gelding Bettor’s Edge.
Spring Haven consigned the second-highest yearling sold when Gerald Denny of Gallipolis, OH purchased the Pet Rock filly out of Spark Lightning named Rockin Shark for $77,000.
Two $75,000 yearlings were next on the list — a McCardle filly out of You Thrill Me named Thrill Seeker sold to W.K. Donovan of Pompano Beach, FL by Hickory Lane Horse Farm and a Pet Rock colt out of Higher Standards named Rockin Away that trainer Brian Brown of Ostrander, OH bought from Spring Run Farm.
Trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. of Grove City, OH, acting as an agent, led all buyers with six yearlings purchased for a total of $250,000, followed by Donovan (three for $171,000) and the Burke Racing Stable of Pennsylvania that purchased five yearlings for a total of $149,000.
