Weekly spotlight on breeding

Breeding authority Peter Wharton presents harness racing news on breeding from Australia, New Zealand and North America brought to you by Yabby Dam Farms & Racing!

Yabby Dam Racing, principal Pat Driscoll’s dream to breed and race world class trotters was born after seeing a billboard on the Champs Elysees in Paris advertising the famous trotting race the Prix d’Amerique. Driscoll attended the Prix d’Amerique and immediately a love affair with the trotter was formed.

Driscoll spent the next five years visiting world class trotting establishments in Europe before embarking on his own venture here in Australia where he has lead the charge in the significant advancement of Southern Hemisphere trotting.

Along the way Driscoll formed friendships with many of Europe’s leading owners and breeder.

Italian Cup winner

Evergreen pacer Tango Tara (A Rocknroll Dance) equalled the race record when he won the Italian Cup at Melton when he paced 2240 metres in 2:39.3 (a 1:54.5 mile rate) in beating a class field.

Tango Tara, who was bred in NZ by Ray Anicich, has been a model of consistency throughout his career, winning in Group company in his homeland, South Australia and Victoria. From 97 lifetime starts he has won 16 with 37 minor placings for $353,411 in stakes.

Tango Tara is bold striding gelding by A Rocknroll Dance (a dual world champion and son of Rocknroll Hanover) from the Bettor’s Delight mare Tara Delight, a half-sister to the top ranking pacers Power Of Tara 1:50.6 ($846,608) and A G’s White Socks 1:51.7 ($680,604) and to Tara Gold, dam of the Inter Dominion champion and double millionaire Tiger Tara (1:49.8), now siring winners in NSW.

Tara Delight left others in the Gloucester Park winner Texas Tara (1:57.4) and Creed (1:56.6).

Ladies In Red on Queensland trail

Millionairess Ladies In Red (Mach Three), who effortlessly won the Cinderella Stakes at Melton, is likely to end her stellar career at the Queensland Constellations carnival at Albion Park in July.

Starting from the outside gate, the Mach Three mare worked to the front approaching the bell and was never in danger of defeat, leaving some of Victoria’s leading female pacers struggling in her wake.

It was her 27th success from 35 lifetime starts and boosted her stake tally to $1,081,300.

Ladies In Red’s dam, Kabbalah Karen B (1:52.8), was a good winner in America and Australia, being by Western Terror from Mib Hanover (1:55.6), also a handy racemare, and by a top colt pacer in Tyler B, a multiple Stakes winning son of Most Happy Fella.

Kabbalah Karen B, who was imported to Victoria by Bill and Anne Anderson’s Lauriston Bloodstock, has been a very successful broodmare. Besides Ladies In Red, she is the dam of the Victoria Derby and Breeders Crown winner Our Little General 1:49.8 ($765,566), the good Melton winners Kasbah Kid 1:53.1 ($185,520) and Perfect In Pink 1:53.3 ($125,890) and Our Little Jet 1:55.9 (APG Gold Sovereign).

Bluto is well bred

Bluto (Sweet Lou), who won the opening race at Menangle last Saturday, after spearing to the lead from an outside gate, has now won seven races and is rated one of the brightest prospects in his class. He ranks as a four-year-old half-brother by Sweet Lou to a brilliant racemare in Partyon 1:51.3 ($638,261), a Group 1 winner on both sides of the Tasman.

Partyon, a Bettor’s Delight mare, won 17 races including the NSW Oaks, NZ Great Northern Oaks, Harness Jewels, Breeders Crown and NZ Queen of Hearts.

Beach Parade, the dam of Bluto and Partyon, was a Beach Towel mare from Idle Franco, by Falcon Seelster from Imperial Franco, has proved a most successful broodmare. She is also the dam of the NSW and Victoria Derby winner Lineup 1:50.3 ($371,397), Life’s A Beach 1:54.5 ($212,961) and the exported Typhoon Stride 1:49.6 ($196,542).

Beach Parade was an unraced half-sister to the Addington winner Glenferrie Idol (1:59.3) and Idler (2:00.2).

This has been one of the most successful branches of the Whispering Grass family, Idle Franco being a half-sister to the Listed winner Innocent Franco (1:58.4), the exported Indigo Franco (1:54.2) and I Owna Franco (TT1:58.2).

Bluto was one of two winners on the night bred by Woodlands Stud, the other being Hector (by Bettor’s Delight).

Star four-year-old by Pet Rock

A bright future is being predicted for the Pet Rock four-year-old Exotic Bushranger, whose success at Melton last Saturday was his fourth winning run from seven starts.

He has a good deal in his favour on the score of blood. Apart from being by Pet Rock, and one of his last commercial crop, Exotic Bushranger is out of the Grinfromeartoear mare Smiley Ella, a half-sister to the Listed placegetter Striking Spirit (1:58.4), being out of the Australian Pacing Gold winner Exotic Strike 1:59.9 ($171,945), by Exotic Earl from the Muckalee Strike mare Arma Strike, a descendant of the noted matron Trixie Milne.

From the Arma Strike branch of it and to which Exotic Bushranger belongs, others in the top Tasmanian pacer The Shallows, Spiritwriter (Vic. 3YO Graduate), Goodtime Marjie (VHRC Metropolitan Cup), Goodtime Sammy (Vic. Youthful) and the SA Oaks winner Please Don’t Tease are also members.

Exotic Bushranger was bred and is raced by Victoria western district identity Ian Stanley.

Broodmare double

The D M Dilinger mare Aratusa Lass left winners in both hemispheres last weekend.

Eve Crocker, a Somebeachsomewhere mare, won at Gloucester Park on the Friday night, while Major Crocker (by Art Major) scored in 1:51 at Hoosier Park, Indiana the following night.

Aratusa Lass, who was bred from by Adelaide identity Gary Crocker, has left nine winners from 10 foals of racing age including two in 1:50, seven in 2:00 and four $100,000 earners.

Western Crown to Bettagetonpip

Bought for $39,000 at the Australian Pacing Gold sale at Perth in 2023 and now the winner of $56,107, Bettagetonpip (Betting Line) became the season’s latest two-year-old classic winner when she captured the $30,000 Western Crown at Gloucester Park.

By the Bettor’s Delight horse Betting Line, Bettagetonpip is out of the successful Sportswriter mare Pippa Royale (1:58.8), and is her first produce.

A Group 2 placegetter, Pippa Royale was out of the grand producer Royal Tour, by Safely Kept from Zenagain, a Soky’s Atom mare from the noted Bell Aurore family. 

Pippa Royale was half-sister to four Group 1 winners including Trucker’s Ruffnut 1:56 ($249,770), Tuxedo Tour 1:53.9 ($194,596) and Give Us A Wave 1:52.2 ($165,857).

Bettagetonpip was bred by prominent Boyanup breeder-owner Dennis Roche. 

Breeding of North America Cup winner

Nijinsky, who won the $1 million North America Cup in 1:48.2 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, is the third winner of Canada’s signature race for the three-year-olds sired by Bettor’s Delight. He joins Tall Dark Stranger (2020) and Betting Line (2016).

The colt is out of the Western Ideal mare Pirouette Hanover 1:50.6 ($608,759), dam of three sub 1:50 performers.

Bettor’s Delight also sired the record equalling winner of the $425,000 Fan Hanover for three-year-old fillies in It’s a Love Thing (1:48.4).

Twin B Joe Fresh (1:48), the winner of the $305,000 Roses Are Red for mares, is by Roll With Joe, Call Me Goo (1:51.4), who won the $233,000 Armbro Flight for trotting mares, was sired by Googoo Gaagaa, while Highland Kismet (by Father Patrick) took out the $225,000 Goodtimes for three-year-old trotting males in 1:51.6.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink