Ocala Breeders' Sales Company was founded in 1974, and held its first auction in January of 1975, a 2-year-old in training sale. OBS celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025. It has seen immense changes over the years, including a new synthetic surface in SafeTrack, an expansion of the sales pavilion, and the addition of digital sales through its online platform OBSOnline.
OBS has served Central Florida horsemen and beyond since the mid-1970s. Prior to OBS, the Florida Breeders' Sales Company, founded in 1958, represented the horsemen of Florida. There was not enough room to keep up with the number of horses being offered by Florida farm owners, and the conditions in which horses were kept were less than ideal, leading to the demise of that company.
Although OBS got off to a slow start in the 1970s, the company now leads the juvenile market, selling more 2-year-olds than any other sales company in the world. In addition to its three 2-year-old sales each year, they also hold a yearling sale in October, and a mixed sale in January.
According to the auction company's statistics, OBS graduates have had great success on the track, producing 33 Eclipse Award winners, including Silver Charm, winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) in 1997, and 27 Breeders' Cup winners. Including Silver Charm, three Kentucky Derby winners, three Preakness Stakes winners, and two Kentucky Oaks (G1) victors have also passed through the OBS sales ring.
Early Days
Joseph O'Farrell, George Onett, Roy Kennedy, and Norman Casse were elected as the new company's first officers in June 1974. Construction began in August 1974 for the $1.7 million OBS sales pavilion, and a five-eighth-mile training track was installed, later to be replaced with a one-mile oval in 1987.
OBS held its first auction, a 2-year-olds in training sale, Jan. 20-21, 1975. The sale saw 187 horses change hands for a gross of $2,497,600, with an average of $13,356. The sale topper was $150,000.
Co-founder Onett was the first chairman of OBS in 1975, succeeded by Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Co-founder Norman Casse then began his 28-year tenure as the chairman of the OBS board, stepping down in 2006. His son, dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark, now sits on the board.
Under the elder Casse's leadership, Ocala Breeders' Feed & Supply and an intertrack wagering facility were added to the sale company's operations, expanding OBS from a regional to international player in the industry.
Casse supported the company with his own stock and consignments, selling many horses at OBS including 1992 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner and Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old male Gilded Time. Bred by former Mangurian, the colt sold for $80,000 through Casse's Cardinal Hill Farm consignment at that year's OBS Select Florida-Bred 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He also sold grade 1 winner Lost Code, who earned more than $2 million on the track.
HIgh-Water Marks
K D Princess became the first million-dollar horse sold through OBS when purchased for $1,725,000 by B.B.A. (England) from the George Hollingsworth consignment at the OBS Fall Mixed Sale in 1982. The Bold Commander mare's first foal was Florida-bred Conquistador Cielo, who had won the 1982 Belmont Stakes (G1) and Metropolitan Handicap (G1) ahead of his dam's sale, and would be crowned Horse of the Year for his achievements.
Just a few months later in January 1983, A Wind Is Rising was sold for $1.2 million at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale. She was purchased by North Ridge Farm, and consigned by Thoroughstock. A Wind Is Rising had already produced grade 1 winner and 1978 Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly It's in the Air.
Conquistador, consigned as Hip 793 at the 2017 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, sold for $2.45 million in 2017 to set the record for the most expensive horse sold at OBS. The son of Tiznow was purchased by M.V. Magnier from the consignment of Bobby Dodd.
Renovations and Modernizations
In 2003, the walking ring was covered, allowing horses to go from the outer walking ring, to the new covered ring, and then to the chute into the sale's ring. The ring was built to hold six horses at a time with plenty of seating and standing area for buyers to look at horses and be shielded from the summer heat and rain.
In 2007, OBS completed the conversion of its one-mile dirt racetrack to an all-weather SafeTrack surface. The multimillion-dollar surface, manufactured by British company Andrews Bowen, began in the summer of 2006 and was completed in the fall of 2007 in advance of the 2-year-old sales season. According to the Andrews Bowen website, SafeTrack is made by blending multi-washed fine silica sand with synthetic fibers, rubber chips, and a coating of wax to give a cushioned, stable surface.
In 2016, the facility underwent a significant renovation that included expansion of the sales pavilion as well as remodeling of the horsemen's lounge, which featured a bar and seating area that overlooks the covered walking ring and chute. OBS is now home to 29 barns and two racetracks including the one-mile training track.
OBS launched a digital platform in October 2024. OBSOnline debuted with a sale that featured horses who had to withdraw or failed to meet their reserve at the 2024 OBS October Yearling Sale because of the effects of Hurricane Milton.
Notable Graduates
Sold for $24,000 to Ben Perkins at the 1986 OBS Florida-bred 2-year-old sale, Brave Raj became the first graduate of OBS to earn an Eclipse Award. Consigned by breeder Dr. W. S. Karutz's Bourbon Hills Farm, the Rajab filly won six of nine starts during her 2-year-old season, capped by a victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), to earn champion 2-year-old filly honors.
In 1991, a Pennsylvania-bred At the Threshold colt sold to Al Jevremovic for $25,000 from the Sylvan Crest Stud consignment to the OBS Spring Sale. The following year, the colt, named Lil E. Tee, would become the auction house's first Kentucky Derby-winning graduate.
Two more OBS graduates would follow in his footsteps, both becoming dual classic winners. Silver Charm, twice a graduate of OBS, became the sixth Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby, doing so in 1997. He would follow that with a triumph in the Preakness Stakes and a third in the Belmont Stakes (G1). Originally sold at the 1995 OBS August Yearling Sale for $16,500, he was pinhooked by Hartley/De Renzo and offered again at the OBS Spring Sale, where he sold to C.J. Gray for $100,000. Voted champion 3-year-old male in 1997, Silver Charm was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. He earned $6,944,369 for owners Bob and Beverly Lewis, and was trained by Bob Baffert.
In 2012, yet another Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner emerged from the OBS sales ring when I'll Have Another sold to Dennis O'Neill for $35,000 at the 2011 OBS Spring Sale from the Eisaman Equine consignment. Trained by O'Neill's brother Doug for owner Paul Reddam, I'll Have Another was graded-placed at 2 before a 4-for-4 season as a 3-year-old. The Flower Alley colt notched wins in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2), Santa Anita Derby (G1), Kentucky Derby, and Preakness. Injury forced his retirement before he could contest the Belmont, but his achievements were enough to secure the Eclipse for champion 3-year-old male.
Two Horses of the Year have also been sold through the OBS ring in Favorite Trick and Skip Away. Favorite Trick was purchased as a 2-year-old at the 1997 OBS Florida-Bred Select Sale for $100,000 from the Ricky Leppala consignment. He then rattled off a perfect eight-race juvenile campaign with a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile to seal Horse of the Year honors, the first 2-year-old to earn the title since Secretariat.
Sold one year before Favorite Trick but earning his Horse of the Year title one year after that colt, Skip Away was a steal at $30,000 at the OBS Florida-Bred Select Sale in 1995. Consigned by Indian Hill Farm, Skip Away was champion 3-year-old male in 1996, champion older male 1997-98, and landed Horse of the Year in 1998. He earned $9.6 million in a four-year career that saw him win 10 grade 1 races for owner Carolyn Hine.
Most Recent NOTABLE GRADUATES
- Breeders' Cup Winner: White Abarrio, 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)
- Breeders' Cup and Eclipse Award Winner: Corniche , 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile; champion 2-year-old male
