Unicorn Blue Chip sales topper Day 2

Harrisburg, PA — Unicorn Blue Chip, a half-sister to world-record-setting female trotter Plunge Blue Chip, brought the top price at Tuesday’s (Nov. 9) second session of the Standardbred Horse Sale, going for $475,000 to Lucas Wallin as the 83rd annual auction continued its record pace for average and gross.

Unicorn Blue Chip was among an unprecedented three yearlings to sell during a second session for at least $300,000. Over the past five years, no horse sold for more than $280,000 during the second session.

Through this year’s two sessions, the sale at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex averaged $79,399 for 421 horses. The previous high average for the first two days was $69,769 for 468 horses in 2019. This year’s average represented a 13.8-percent increase over the previous record.

Last year’s sale, which was held at the Maryland State Fairgrounds because of the COVID-19 pandemic, averaged $52,133 for 445 horses through two days. This year’s average was a 52.3-percent increase over 2020.

The two-session gross this year, $33.4 million, has already topped the total gross for last year’s sale, which was $29.5 million for 773 horses. The record for overall gross was also set in 2019, at $40.7 million for 833 horses. After two sessions that year, the gross was $32.6 million for 468 yearlings.

“It’s just incredible how the sale continued,” said Dale Welk, the Standardbred Horse Sale’s president and director of operations. “I had a lot of the buyers today say there is still plenty of money here, and there was. It proved it, right up until the end. We’re still going to have those standouts tomorrow. I think it will correct just a little, but I think we’re still going to have a great day tomorrow. It seems like all the consignors are happy. Buyers are happy, even though they’re spending more money, they’re getting what they want, some incredible individuals. I hope it carries on.

“It’s very satisfying for the work we put into it all year. The office staff, everyone, is working hard to put the right kind of sale together. It’s extremely gratifying. I can’t thank our consignors, the owners that sell with us, and the bidders and buyers enough. That makes the whole thing. We do the background work but we need them in the front.”

Unicorn Blue Chip, a New York eligible filly by Chapter Seven out of Dunk The Donato, was bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock and consigned by Blue Chip Farms. In addition to Plunge Blue Chip, she is a half-sister to Splash Blue Chip, who finished third in the Breeders Crown at ages 2 and 3, and recent Matron Stakes champ Threepointbluechip. The family also includes multiple Dan Patch Award winner Mr Muscleman.

“Of course, we liked the page, and the video,” said Wallin, who purchased the filly for a yet-to-be-finalized group. “And the way she looked. She looked really, really good. She is a little on the smaller size, but she is a beautiful, correct filly.

“Plunge Blue Chip was a lot bigger. But most of the Chapter Sevens, the good ones, I think are not too big. They are a little on the smaller side, so I wasn’t worried about the size. I’m very happy we got her. I figured she would go very high, the trotting fillies especially. We were prepared to go high. But that was a lot of money.”

Tuesday’s second-highest seller was Won Liner, a New Jersey and Maryland eligible trotting filly by Walner out of Won Ton Hanover, purchased for $310,000 by Ake Svanstedt. She was bred by Frederick Hertrich III and consigned by All American Harnessbreds. Her family includes Wicker Hanover, a winner on the Grand Circuit, and Dan Patch Award winner SJ’s Caviar.

“I liked the conformation and the horse, and she was a Walner,” Svanstedt said. “Everything was good.”

Rounding out the top three was pacer Twin B Nation, a New York eligible colt by American Ideal out of Lovely Erin purchased for $300,000 by Determination stable. He was bred by Twinbrook Limited and consigned by Twinbrook Farms. His family includes multiple Dan Patch Award-winner Worldly Beauty and Wake Up Peter, a winner on the Grand Circuit.

“We don’t buy a lot, but we buy a pacer every year,” said Luc Blais, who trains for Determination, which is known for its success with trotters and later purchased trotting filly Silly Me Hanover (Walner-Shared Past) from the family of millionaire Dejarmbro for $250,000. “The money is good too with the pacers, but you need the right one.

“The first thing (about Twin B Nation) was the individual. He is a super nice horse, looks like a million bucks. Twinbrook does a very good job. When I saw him at the farm and when I saw him here again, we liked him a lot. I like his temper. He’s a very laidback horse. I like that. I think that is very important. It is a lot of stress when you race at that level and go to every kind of track. You need a good horse to deal with that.”

The yearling portion of the Standardbred Horse Sale concludes Wednesday. The sale begins at 10 a.m. (EST).

For complete results, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA