The Ocala Breeders August yearling sale begins with a 172 lot select session in Florida on Tuesday.  A 600 lot open session follows on Wednesday and Thursday.

The scheduled opening of a casino at New York’s Aqueduct provided a boost to business at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga select sale and New York-bred preferred sale earlier this month.

Higher racing purses because of revenue from the casino will trickle down to Central Florida.  “I think the overall impact will be good for all yearling markets,” Ocala director of sales Tom Ventura said.  “Locally-bred horses aren’t the only ones racing in New York and the purses are going to go up significantly.”

The catalogue boasts as strong a stallion roster as any in the sale’s long history headed by Pulpit, More Than Ready, Tale of the Cat, Harlan’s Holiday, Congrats, Exchange Rate, Bluegrass Cat, Rockport Harbor, Afleet Alex and Johannesburg.

The Ocala August Sale has produced 20 millionaires headed by Groovy, Not Surprising, Xtra Heat, Kodiak Kowboy and Noble’s Promise who passed that milestone with a victory in the recent G3 Aristides Stakes at Churchill Downs.

First crop sires represented include War Pass, Street Boss, Tiz Wonderful, Majestic Warrior and champion Ocala graduate Midnight Lute.

Darley sires Hard Spun and Any Given Saturday headline the roster of second crop sires along with Invasor, Discreet Cat, and Lawyer Ron.

The 2011 August Sale also offers to half brothers and sisters to G1 winners Comma to the Top, Hooh Why and Trust N Luck.