Random Question for the crowd this morning.
Does OBS Sales or any Under Tack showing check for soundness on a horse prior to allowing them to breeze like they do for these sales? The reason I am asking is there is a lot consigned that breezed for the under tack showing but is obviously lame in his walk video.
Walk videos are much too brief for anyone to make an accurate lameness evaluation.
Buyers and/or their agents aren’t looking at the horse’s video, they’re looking at the horse, so I doubt that it was lame at the walk before the work.
Yeah, I wouldn’t get too worked up over a walk video.
If the horse is lame a consignor will pull it from the sale, especially if it’s a blue ribbon sale like this one is.
Showcasing a lame horse is not going to put you(g) and your brand in a favorable light, plus the horse is not going to bring what it would sound.
Rules-wise, I don’t know. I would think the sales company reserves the right to declare a horse “out” if they think circumstances make such necessary. They don’t want breakdowns either.
Agreed. 
Most auction houses, buyers, and consignors aren’t idiots. Trying to sell a 2yr old race horse in training that is lame at the walk would be the height of stupidity, as would be buying one.
A sales “walking video” isn’t meant to be a tool to judge the soundness of the horse. Horses in a short video can be lame and look sound, or be sound and look lame.
That’s why people interested in buying and/ or their agent, attend the sale and don’t buy a 2yr old race horse without actually seeing it. Then, after the breeze or work they can see if there is anything available in the repository to view, and proceed from there.
You can actually see a rear leg issue on the horse when walking from the rear. And a horse walking in a straight line that is obviously lame is enough to judge if its that obvious.
Granted I’ve not watched all of them, but I’ve watched a few dozen so far & hadn’t seen a lame one.
Many of those buyers and their agents bring their vet with them to these things plus if something was lame in that group of potential buyers it would be hot gossip in a heartbeat.
Seem to recall something about until they are officially timed they do not fall under the regulatory umbrella but a sore one would be no secret,
Again, you are looking at a short video, online. The consignor and the buyers/agents are looking at the horse in front of them now, not what it looked like when the video was taken.
I don’t want to publicly pinpoint it due to the nature of it
That’s a wise decision.
“A total of eight juveniles are entered as gallop only horses in the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training April 15-18. Seven individual consignors represent these 2-year-olds…”
needs to become the norm.
I like to look at data. I think it’s interesting to go back and do a comparative analysis if possible from previous years looking at the two years olds breezing the fastest- how many starts they went on to make, an big gaps in their career, etc.
Looking at fast works at two year old sales here’s some info
March 2024 Two Year Olds:
Viggiedal - Worked 9.3- Made 4 starts as a 2 year old, all back to back 4 weeks apart. disappeared for 6 months after the fourth start and reappeared in March 2025. $350k purchase. $99k in earnings so far
Poseiden’s Law. - Worked 9.3. He was a $750,000 RNA as a two year old. Hasnt’ raced. Had a timed work at a training center in Feb 2025.
Dragoneer- Worked 9.4. Sold for $450,000 as a two year old. He made two starts as a two year old. Hasn’t been seen since October 2024 and has no works.
Breath - Worked in 9.4 - Sold for 700,000 as a two year old. Never raced and has no works
Pecos River - Worked in 9.4. Sold for $750,000. Hasn’t raced. Has two works under his belt at Los Al since March 1st.
Perfect Figure - Worked in 9.4. 125,000 purchase. 3 starts as a 2 year old. has not raced since November 2024. has current works at Turfway. $43k in earnings
Chantico - Worked in 9.4. 220,000 RNA. Had four starts as a two year old, two in the month of August and one in mid September. She then disappeared until March 2025 where she placed 8th in her return. Currently working at Delaware park and entered in Laurel on the 18th. $32k in eaqrnings
Forever to Go - Worked in 9.4. Sold for 310,000. four starts as a two year old, back to back since September. Had January off. 3 Starts since February 2025. 87k in earnings.
Rich City Girl - Worked in 9.4. Sold for 435,000. Made four starts as a two year old. July, 2 starts in August and one in October. 234k in earnings. Hasn’t started since october but currently working at Hawthorne.
March 2023 Two Year Olds
MUTH- Worked in 9.3. Sold for 2,000,000. 1.5 mil in earnings. 9 starts, 4 of them being as a two year old. Raced consistently until the Arkansas Derby in March 2024, and then was out of the picture until September 2024. Retired and at Gainseway
SIR FLASH- worked in 9.3. Sold for 250,000. Raced 3 times as a 2 year old and 3 times at four. $67k in earnings. Has not been seen since May 2024.
THE RABBI- Worked in 9.4 Sold for 325,000. Never raced at 2. 3 starts at 4, DNF in one. Has not been seen since July 2024. 33k in earnings.
TOUCHDOWN ROCKET - Worked in 9.4. $525,000 purchase. Made no starts as a two year old. Only made 2 starts at four. Has not been seen since passing through the 2024 HOA sale at Keeneland where he sold for 70k to EBS Sales.
ISCREAMUSCREAM - Worked in 9.4 and sold for 145k then went through a mixed sale midsummer where she sold for 330k. made 1 start at 2 and 4 starts at 3. She had a 8 month gap between 2 yr old and 3 yr old seasons. Last start she placed 4th in the Rodeo Drive in October 2024. Has not been seen since that start.
BENEDETTA - Worked in 9.4 and sold for 750k. 11 starts, 3 as a two year old. Had a 9 month gap between the two year old and three year old season. Still racing, currently has 493k in earnings.
TALL PAUL- Worked in 9.4 and sold for 475k.7 starts and 137k in earnings. Made 4 starts as a two year old, back to back. Had just about a year gap before started in October as a 3 year old where he raced 3 times and hasnt been seen since.
2022 March Two Year Olds
SPEED BOAT BEACH - Worked the fastest in 9.3. Sold for 200k. Raced 4 times as a two year old, winning a G3 to end the year. He then disappeared for 9 months and reappeared in September racing 3 times as a three year old, finishing out with a G1 win in the Malibu. He has not been seen since December 2023 but he has current workouts at Santa Anita for Baffert
FAITHFUL AND TRUE- Worked in 9.4 and sold for 450,000. Only made 1 start at Saratoga and 6300 in earnings. Never seen again
STORMING MACHINE- Worked in 9.4 and sold for 560,000. Made 3 starts as a two year old and then had a 10 month break until he made only two starts at three. He was a gelding. 42k in earnings.
HOME COOKING- Worked in 9.4 and sold for 260k. She also went to the Baffert barn. She made 8 starts in her career, racing back to back as a two year old from July through October before going off the record until July of her 3 year old season. She raced 4 times at three, last appearing in September 2023. She went through the Keeneland Mixed Sale in Feb 2024 going to HillnDale as a broodmare.
DON CORLEON - Worked in 9.4 and sold for 1,200,000. He was gelded. Made one star at two, finishing 10th. made three starts at three , 3 starts at 4 and has 3 starts this year at 5. He has never won a race, still running as a Maiden for Steve Asmussen. $38k in earnings.
ARMAN - Worked in 9.4. Sold for 600,000. He made 9 starts and made 135k in his career. He has not been seen since August 2023 at DelMar. He ran three times at 2, then had 4 month break before running 6 times at three.
THE GREAT MAYBE- Worked in 10. Sold for 425k. Raced 3 times at two and then had 10 months off before racing at 3. Only raced once at 4 before having a year off and returning in 2025. 129k in earnings so far.
2021 March Two Year Olds
PLAUSIBLE DENIAL - Worked in 9.4 and sold for 375k. Never raced at 2. Had 8 starts at three, never breaking his maiden. Raced 8 times at 4. Raced 6 times at 5. Currently racing as a six year old at Oaklawn as a claimer. Has 25 starts and 287k career earnings
RAISE CAIN- Worked in 9.4 and sold for 550k. He never raced at 2 and didnt appear as a 3 year old until September of that year. He has raced almost every month aside from a four month downtime between December 2023 and April 2024. He has 23 starts and 715k in earnings, his most recent start being 5th in a Listed Stakes in January 2025 at Oaklawn.
UNDERHILLS TAB- Worked in 9.4 and sold for 400k. He didnt race until November of his two year old year and then had two starts in early 2022. He then had an 8th month layoff until December 2022. He has been racing almost every month since then, still running in the Opt Claiming ranks at Oaklawn as recently as 2 days ago. 22 starts and 282k in earnings. He was also sent through the Fasig Tipton 2023 Oct Digital sale in 2023 where he only sold for 90k to KBS.
CAIRAMA- Worked in 9.4 and sold for 525,000. Made 3 starts at 2. 5 starts at 3. 6 starts at 4. And is still racing today at 6. He was sent to King Abdulaziz Racecourse in 2023 after racing for Asmussen and Narvick Intl.
BELLE CHERIE- worked in 9.4 and sold for 350k.Only raced once as a two year old and then took a 9 month layoff before returning for three year old. Raced 7 times at 3 before a 10th month layoff. Returned for one race and then had another 8 month layoff. Around this time was moved from the west coast to Steve Asmussens barn and owner Shah. Asmussen became her owner for the last start where she was claimed by Mike Maker in March 2025.
HEADLINE REPORT - Worked in 9.4 and sold for 550,000. Only made 7 starts and 71k in earnings. Raced three times at 2 then took a 5 month break before racing only once at 3. then took almost a 12 month break before racing twice at 4. He took an 18th month layoff before returning for once race at Keeneland in 2024 in a claimer, placing 11th, dead last. He is currently working at Turfway in 2025.
And how do these compare to similar 2 yos that did not go through 2 yo in training sales?
It’s common for expensive, promising horses to do zippo when they actually get to the track, or need long lay off, or whatever. You can’t say it’s because of 2 yo in training sales unless you can show a comparative group of horses that consistently performed better.
And I’m not saying these 2 yo in training sales are harmless, but it’s awfully tough to draw conclusions with the incredible number of variables. You could probably get a very similar range of terrible to great looking at the sales toppers from any auction, regardless of if that horse went to a 2 yo in training sale.
I think if you took any 30 random 2YOs you would find similar records. Do you believe the race records and lay offs of the horses you chose are related to their timed breezes at the sale? If so, why?
I think it’s great to give the gallop only option to consignors. Some buyers may like that and some won’t, for the reasons given in the article.
The thing that’s interesting to me about Snaffle’s post is that the results appear to have been cherry-picked to prove a point. For example, in the March 2024 Two Year Old Sale, 50 horses worked either 9.3 or 9.4. The sample size here is 9 horses. That leaves 41 other horses unaccounted for. Perhaps they’ve been more successful?
Seems like it is a logical option if it suited that particular colt, buyer and seller. Agree with some breeders who have supported the idea.
But the above list does not include any information on why there are gaps in training records or any horses who clicked 9s at 2 and had uninterrupted careers retiring sound for financial or reasons unrelated to soundness.
I agree. The “data” in Snaffle’s post is not in any way, shape or form “a comparative analysis”, notably in that no horses are being “compared”.
A comparative analysis of 2YO performance records over years would be a monumental task that would necessarily include breeding, nutrition, exercise, training, track surfaces, and numerous other factors.
Need to define “2yo” as well. Specifically actual age.
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