The temperatures were sub-freezing, the wind was blowing and the grounds were covered in snow.

“It was so cold…”

“How cold was it?”

“It was so cold in our Florida clothes we could only look at two or three horses before we were forced in hasty desperation to seek the warmth of the sales company’s cafeteria and a cup of hot coffee.”

At one point, the younger Florida man, warming his hands in front of an electric heater, melted two fingers on his synthetic glove.

It won’t be that way Tuesday when the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s Winter Mixed Sale begins at 10:30 a.m. The consignors brought in their sales horses over the weekend to bed them down in the sales barns.

In the afternoons, the temps were in the 80s. Nothing at all like that sale in Lexington or yesterday’s playoff football game in Denver.

Some might think the weather is hot, but some might be from up north. The two-day sale opens with 691 horses cataloged. That includes 258 yearlings and 180 horses of racing age. Tuesday’s first session includes the consignor-preferred section followed by the horses of racing age section. Following Tuesday’s session, Florida Thoroughbred Charities, Inc., will hold its live charity auction of stallion seasons.

With most Florida stallion stations supporting the effort, seasons to the majority of leading Florida stallions will be auctioned, including Awesome of Course, sire of champion two-year-old filly Awesome Feather; Circular Quay, leading Florida first-crop sire; Cowtown Cat, second-leading, Florida first-crop sire; Double Honor, one-time leading Florida sire; Exclusive Quality, second-leading, Florida second-crop sire; Gottcha Gold, third-leading, Florida, first-crop sire.

Additional stallions represented include Graeme Hall, perennial leading Florida sire; Hear No Evil, sire of Jackson Bend; High Cotton, leading Florida second-crop sire; Montbrook, former leading Florida sire; Put It Back, 2012 leading Florida sire; Repent, fourth leading Florida sire; Saint Anddan, third-leading, Florida second-crop sire; Wildcat Heir, Florida’s leading sire three years running; and With Distinction, third-leading, Florida sire.

Also offered are seasons to stallions yet to have runners including grade-two winner Adios Charlie; champion sprinter Benny the Bull; grade-two winner Cool Coal Man; grade-one winner of $1.4 million First Dude; grade-one millionaire In Summation; grade-one winner J P’s Gusto; $1.6 million winner Jackson Bend; undefeated, grade-two winner Kantaros; grade-two winner Keyed Entry; and grade-two winner Overdriven.

Wednesday’s concluding open session begins at 10:30 a.m. Yearlings will attract much attention in both sessions.

In addition to yearlings by many of the stallions listed above, the sale offers yearlings by other notable stallions such as Afleet Alex, Bellamy Road, Birdstone, Congrats, Flatter, Hard Spun, Harlan’s Holiday, Kitten’s Joy, Majestic Warrior, Mineshaft, Spring At Last and Super Saver.

In addition to the yearlings, the sale will also feature mares in foal to a number of top sires, including sprint champion Big Drama, Leroidesanimaux, the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom; Scat Daddy, second-leading, second-crop sire; Spring At Last, second-leading, first-crop sire; Teuflesberg, sire of Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Trinniberg.

In conjunction with the horses of racing age section, OBS will hold an optional undertack show Today at 10 a.m.