Walner, Chapter Seven dominate Black Book sale

Walner, last year’s leading North American trotting sire, and his father Chapter Seven, the premier USA sire in 2024, stole the show at the Black Book Sale at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania last week.

The Walner colt Cambridge Hanover fetched the highest price for a harness racing yearling sold at Harrisburg at $1 million and he became only the third yearling ever sold at auction to realise the seven-figure mark.

On the same day the Walner filly Swinging Royalty set a record for the highest filly ever sold at Harrisburg at $760,000.

Three other Walner progeny sold for more than $450,000 on the first day of the sale. They were the colts Apex ($525,000) and The Old Man ($450,000) and the filly Sorcery Hanover ($450,000).

Overall, Walner achieved a staggering average of $258,063 for 16 yearlings sold over the first three days.

While on the last day of the sale the Walner three-year-old colt Amazing Catch, the winner of this year’s Canadian Trotting Classic, sold for a world record $1.85 million.

Walner’s only son at stud in the southern hemisphere is the brilliant, young horse King Of The North 1:50.6 ($1.3 million), who served more than 150 mares in his first season ‘down under’ at Llowalong Farms, Kyabram (Vic.) of Dr Kath McIntosh.

Foals sired by King Of The North this year are eligible for the $100,000 Cash Bonuses. In Australia this goes to the owner of the King Of The North progeny that wins the colts or fillies’ Vicbred Super Series final. Similarly the $100,000 Cash Bonus in NZ goes to the colt or filly by King Of The North that wins the final of the NZ Sires’ Stakes.

Chapter Seven had the second highest average at the sale at $128,800 for 25 head sold.

Chapter Seven ranks as the sire of the multiple Stakes-winning horse Helpisontheway 1:51.8 ($610,446), whose frozen semen is available from Llowalong Farms.

Foals bred by King Of The North this year are eligible for the $100k Cash Bonus. In Australia this goes to the owner of the King Of The North progeny that wins the colts or fillies Vicbred final. Similarly the $100k cash Bonus in NZ goes to the colt or filly by King Of The North that wins the final of the Sires Stakes.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink