High-Stakes Bidding

Jose D’Angelo, left, and his father, Francisco D’Angelo, center, both of Miami, look on as Gil Martinez of S B M Training and Sales, leads a filly by Street Sense, around the outside walking ring at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company on April 20. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Hip 163, a bay filly by Noble Mission, is sold for $285,000 on the first day of the April Two Year Olds in Training sale. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Two horses sold for seven-figures during the opening sessions of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales spring auction of 2-year-old thoroughbreds this week.

A colt by stallion Quality Road, consigned by Ocala’s de Meric Sales, sold for $1.5 million on Wednesday to Speedway Stables to lead the first two days of the four-day sale.

The auction’s second-highest selling horse also sold on Wednesday. A filly by the stallion Arrogate sold for $1 million to Katsumi Yoshida, who bought the horse through an online bid. Marion County-based Mayberry Farm consigned the filly.

The Ocala sales company introduced online bidding last year in the face of the COVD-19 pandemic. The option allowed buyer to purchase horses without having to travel to the sales pavilion. Yoshida’s purchases was the most expensive horse to sell via the internet.

On Tuesday, during the first day of spring sale, a son of Gun Runner, consigned by Eisaman Equine, sold for $850,000.

The sale continues through Friday. Check ocalagazette.com for the latest update on the auction.

Jose D’Angelo, left, and his father, Francisco D’Angelo, center, both of Miami, look on as Gil Martinez of S B M Training and Sales, leads a filly by Street Sense, around the outside walking ring at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company on April 20. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Guillermo Ordonez leads a gray or roan colt by Gun Runner, through the Eisaman Equine barn area on April 20. The colt sold for $850,000. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]