The American bred and Swedish-trained champion trotter Volstead Tr 1:51.6 ($716,094), who is standing his first season at Dublin Valley Farm in Ohio, served 74 mares at Haras Des Trotteurs’ Ballarat property last year.
Among the consorts to the son of Cantab Hall were 20 matrons owned by Haras Des Trotteurs principal Pat Driscoll including mares bred in North America, France, New Zealand and Australia.
The two American-bred mares were the Credit Winner mare Pizza Queen Tr 1:58.2 ($128,715), a winner of 10 races including the NSW Trotters Oaks and Freestone Cup, and Continentallady (Tr 1:58.7), a Melton winning daughter of Hambletonian winner Continentalvictory Tr 1:52.2 ($1.6m).
Three French-bred mares were also joined with Volstead in 2019. They were Dream Island, a half-sister to multiple European Group winner Infinitif; Falaise Madrik, a half to dual French Group 1 winner and successful sire The Best Madrik; and the young Texas Charm mare Fille D’un Soir.
Courcheval Tr 1:56.5 ($105,878) and Parisian Amore Tr 1:59.7 ($55,670), a pair of well performed daughters of the great Love You, the Group 3 winner Ima Bourbon Girl Tr 1:57.8 ($66,160) and the SA Trotters Derby winner Amarula were among seven NZ mares owned by Driscoll with positive tests to Volstead.
The others were Aspiring Love, a half-sister to NZ 2YO and 3YO Trotter of the Year Royal Aspirations ($313,775) and Breeders Crown 3YO champion Triumphant Monarch; Another Play, dam of the Breeders Crown 4YO Final winner Majestic Player Tr 1:53.4 ($126,035) now in the USA with a record of 1:52.3 (6 wins from 7 starts); and the Lightfoot Laurels and Howe Cup victor Cyclone Jeter Tr 1:58.4 ($74,874), a half to Group winners Glenferrie Typhoon ($548,709), Cyclone Jake and Cyclone U Bolt.
The contingent of locally bred mares are headlined by La Biscuit, a nine-win daughter of Australian and NZ Trotting Mare of the Year La Coocaracha and dam of Royal Treat (Vicbred Platinum Homegrown 2YO Classic) and Nieta (Vicbred and Breeders Crown 3YO Silver); and Ready To Shine, a Ready Cash daughter of the Victoria Oaks and Cochran Cup winner Adella’s Dash, dam of SA Derby winner Glenferrie Dream Tr 1:52.8 ($321,768) and multiple Group winner Glenferrie Burn Tr 1:55.5 ($234,430).
Other Australian bred mares include Duchess Ella Tr 1:57.2 (14 wins and $126,934), the Shepparton Cup winner Purplepeopleeater ($92,063), Bouttemont, a Ready Cash half to Vicbred 4YO champion Vincennes Tr 1:56.3 ($266,811), and Orne, a daughter of multiple Group winner Sassy Pinevale.
Val Gardena (by Kadabra) and Heavenly Sister (by Majestic Son), a pair of all-American bred, Victorian trained mare, complete the lineup. Val Gardena won 12 races including the Breeders Crown 4YO series, took a record of 1:59.9 and earned $122,280 in stakes, while Heavenly Sister Tr 1:56.5 ($129,745) numbered the Freestone Cup among her 11 successes.
In North America Volstead has bred some outstanding mares to date this year including the Dream Vacation mare Turquoise Sweetie the dam of Barn Girl (66 wins, 1:52.3h, $862,202), the Dream Vacation mare Soho DK 1:52, the fastest mare ever in Denmark, with earnings of $1.7m Euros, the Credit Winner mare Nutmegs Winner, dam of Rising MVP ($259,497), the Donato Hanover mare Jezzys Legacy (1:54.1, $164,000) who sold for US$150,000 at the Meadowlands Mixed Sale this year. The dam of Jezzys Legacy is the Gredit Winner mare Jezzy ($834,491). These are just a handful of the known super bred mares that have been served by Volstead this current breeding season in North America.
Peter Wharton