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Pelican State Returns to OBS With Strong Contingent

Consignment will offer nine short yearlings to two-day sale

Terry Gabriel of Pelican State Thoroughbreds

Terry Gabriel of Pelican State Thoroughbreds

Anne M. Eberhardt

Terry Gabriel's Pelican State Thoroughbreds has returned to the two-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Winter Mixed Sale with a strong group of short yearlings and the hope that the consignment will be able to generate the same kind of success they enjoyed in 2020.

Gabriel, who sold last year's $165,000 sale topper, a son of Union Rags —La Milanesa, by Mr. Greeley, has barely had time to think ahead of the Jan. 26 start and hopes that foot traffic will be congruent to bidding action come Tuesday morning. 

"I make a point of bringing nice horses here and I think we're going to sell really well across the board," said Gabriel. "We had 100 cards yesterday and had to pick up another 100 cards today because we've just had that much activity at the barn. I think people are really looking for nice horses and they're going to try to buy them and make it work. They have to look at them before they buy them but we never stopped for a minute today. That's a good sign. I'm excited." 

Topping Gabriel's list of nine short yearlings is Hip 119, a colt by Ashford Stud's Practical Joke  out of Gaylo (by Gayego). Bred in Louisiana by Georgia Farms, the colt—named Scott and Jack—is from the family of grade 2 winner Alberts Hope and of graded stakes winner and sire Valid Expectations

"The Practical Joke is by far the most popular colt that I have," said Gabriel. "I think in the last two days we've showed him well over 100 times—just him. We've had many, many re-looks and he's just big and strong like Practical Joke. People tell me that they think he's going to do really well. For me, he's the highlight with all the activity that he's had." 

Another standout in the crowd is Hip 149, a colt by Spendthrift Farm's Mor Spirit  who is a half brother to last year's sale topper. Bred in Kentucky by Mountmellick Farm—for which Gabriel acts as bloodstock director—the chestnut is a half brother to stakes winner Ginger N Rye and from the family of Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up Hometown Queen

"He's gotten a ton of attention," said Gabriel. "He's a really pretty horse and he has a big walk. He's really correct and probably going to tick all the boxes. He will do very well."