A first-crop colt by Scat Daddy brought top price of $400,000 during Day 1 of the Ocala 2YO March Sale in Florida on Tuesday.  He was purchased by a Japanese buyer who declined to comment in light of the situation back home.  Coolmore agent Demi O’Byrne was the under-bidder.

The Scat Daddy colt breezed 9.80s for 200 metres which was the equal fastest time for the auction prelims.  He is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Madagascat who is a half sister to G3 winner Lindsay Jean (Saint Ballado).

“It’s a blessing he brought that much,” Kentucky based vendor Carrie Brogden said.  “The fact that the Japanese bought him, after everything that has happened in that country, is unbelievable.  If I was in Japan at a horse sale and my countrymen were dealing with a huge earthquake in California, it would weigh so heavy on my heart.

“I love Scat Daddys and hope he becomes a special sire,” Brogden continued.  “He throws a bigger type than his sire Johannesburg.  Every one that we’ve dealt with has had very good vetting in general and a great brain.”

The opening session of the Ocala 2YO Sale struggled with the $88,222 average down 8.8% while the $57,000 median dropped 18.6%.

But not all the trends involving the key business figures were negative.  “I thought it was a decent market; it was good in spots even though some of the numbers were down,” Ocala general manager Tom Ventura said.  “Looking ahead, Day 2 is a little stronger overall in terms of quality horses, so I don’t really want to make a judgment about the sale based one session.”

A Street Sense colt out of G2 winner Regally Appealing was the second-highest-priced lot at $380,000.  He was purchased by Mike Repole who owns leading Kentucky Derby candidates Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty.

The auctioneers announced he had a bone chip in his right front fetlock before budding began.  “Todd Pletcher told me to buy him,” Repole said.  “If he didn’t have a chip, he probably would have gone for $500,000 or $600,000.  Todd thought he was the best in the sale.”