Hold Tight! Steve Johnson’s draft is special

Renowned Serpentine breeder Steve Johnson showed astute judgement when he bought the broodmare Hold Tight at an Alabar Bloodstock mixed sale about 30 years ago to be his foundation mare. 

“She was passed in the sale. I bought her after the sale and she’s turned out to be a great investment,” Johnson said. 

Hold Tight, who was unraced, became the dam of five winners including the WA 2YO Sales Classic winner Fake Embrace ($240,249) and the Vicbred heat winner Go By Jet and the second dam of the millionaire pacer David Hercules, Kerrin Joseph, Hugh Victor and others. 

The Embrace Me mare also figures as the grand-dam of two of the big guns of Johnson’s eight-strong draft for the Australian Pacing Gold sale at Magic Millions, Perth on Sunday, March 3. 

They are Lot 439, a half-brother by the young Captaintreacherous import Capt Midnight to the sensational 2020 Australian 2YO Colt of the Year Never Ending ($441,440) and the Pearl winner and WA 2YO Colt of the Year Isaiah Artois, and Lot 446, an Art Major sister to the Western Gateway Pace and dual WA Sales Classic winner the talented Major Martini ($322,483). 

Both are certain to be on the radar of more than a few buyers. 

Johnson said the half to Never Ending is “a nice colt, quite athletic, well grown and very correct”, while the Art Major sister to Major Martini is a “very correct and a lovely proportioned filly.” 

Lot 463, a colt by the world’s richest pacing stallion McWicked ($5million), is the second foal of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Invidia, the dam of the dual WA Sales Classic winner Red Hot Roxy, the APG Gold Bullion victor Rocket City and the Sales Classic placegetters Rock On The Beach and Princess Major. 

“He’s a really strong, powerful colt.  He’s the best doer of my draft,” Johnson said. 

Invidia’s first foal, Hold The Ammo (by Sweet Lou), who realised the equal top price of $140,000 at last year’s APG sale, won brilliantly on debut in a heat of the APG Sales Classic at Gloucester Park on Tuesday night. 

The Four Starzzz Shark mare Gabriella Rocks, the dam of Invidia, is represented at the sale by a bay filly by the 2018 USA 2YO Colt of the Year Captain Crunch as Lot 444. 

“She’s a lovely filly with a beautiful temperament. She’s easy to work with,” Steve stated. 

Lot 451, the Always B Miki colt from the Listed winner Harriet Elisabeth, is another certain to attract more than passing interest. He’s a brother to the outstanding WA pacer Tricky Miki, a winner of 12 races to date and $511,431 including the WA Derby, Golden Nugget and Golden Slipper. 

Lot 465, a colt from the first crop of the highly touted Captaintreacherous import Capt Midnight, is the third foal of the dual Group 1 placegetter Jasmin Amal and a member of the same family as the top juveniles Rocknrolla, Nightn Georgia and Kasey John. 

Jasmin Amal’s first foal is the Group 3 winner Aussie Scooter ($164,812) and her second is the promising two-year-old Gelsomino Amal.  

A half-sister by the 3YO Colt of the Year and Derby and Chariots of Fire winner Poster Boy to last year’s WA 2YO Sales Classic runner-up Blaze Away will be offered as Lot 485. 

Described as a ‘’really pretty filly who is nice and correct,” she belongs to the same maternal family as the APG Final winner and 2YO Colt of the Year Black Line. 

Johnson acknowledged his daughter Charlotte for her work in preparing the yearlings.  

“She does all the work. All the credit goes to her,” he said. “She’s passionate about it. She’s the driving force behind keeping it all going.” 

Steve summed up: “It’s a nice draft we’re presenting this year. 

“Our aim is to be a little bit better every year; otherwise you get left behind!” 

For full details of all catalogued yearlings in the 2024 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sales please visit our Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer now. 

From APG Ltd