Harrisburg starts with eye-opening record session

Harrisburg, PA — Full sisters to award-winning female trotters Atlanta and Manchego were the top sellers Monday (Nov. 8) at the Standardbred Horse Sale, helping lead to a record-setting opening session for the 83rd annual auction, which returned to the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex after a one-year absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Atlanta’s sister In Italian, a filly by Chapter Seven out of Hemi Blue Chip, brought the day’s biggest price, selling for $750,000 to Brad Grant. The New York and New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund eligible trotter was consigned by Concord Stud Farm for breeder Order By Stable.

In addition to two-time Dan Patch Award-winner Atlanta, who has earned $3 million in her career, the filly’s family includes millionaire Hot Shot Blue Chip and New York Sire Stakes champion Munis Blue Chip.

Grant is among the owners of Atlanta, along with Howard Taylor and Crawford Farms Racing. Grant said Taylor, and possibly Michelle and Al Crawford, would share in ownership of In Italian. Ron Burke will train the filly.

“Everything said she was the best in the sale, as far as we were concerned,” Grant said about In Italian. “I thought we might have to pay a little bit more, so I’m really pleased at the price. We’ll hope for the best. If she’s half as good (as Atlanta), I’ll take that.

“Ronnie checked her over, I don’t know how many times, and other people checked her over for me, and everybody came back saying she was a little bit bigger than Atlanta but has all the tools. They’re the experts, I’m just along for the ride.”

Manchego’s sister Swanky Hanover, by Muscle Hill out of Secret Magic, sold for $700,000 to Jeff Snyder. The New Jersey and Kentucky eligible filly was bred and consigned by Hanover Shoe Farms.

In addition to the recently retired two-time Dan Patch Award-winner Manchego, who banked $3.14 million lifetime to rank fourth among all female trotters in history, Swanky Hanover’s family includes near-millionaire In Secret and millionaire Possess The Magic. Snyder said Marcus Melander will train Swanky Hanover.

“The other one went for $750,000, so I got a steal,” Snyder joked.

“We hope to get lucky. We’re concentrating on trotters this year. We sold a few pacers, so we can fund it a little bit. We have some real good residual value there (as a future broodmare). That’s one reason we went that high. The only thing I was a little concerned about is she’s a June 11 foal. So, we’re going to have to take our time and wait on her.”

A total of 136 yearlings sold Monday for a record average of $130,368. The previous high was $113,976 for 169 horses in 2019. This year’s average was a 14.3 percent increase over the previous record and a 56.6 percent hike over last year’s $83,201 for 154 yearlings sold at the Maryland State Fairgrounds.

Monday’s gross was $17.7 million. It was the second-best opening day gross for the sale, trailing only the $19.2 million in 2019 when 33 more horses were sold. Last year’s gross was $12.8 million.

There were 11 horses to sell for at least $300,000 on Monday, including the session’s top pacer, Admiral Hanover, for $350,000 to Myron Bell. The Pennsylvania and Kentucky eligible colt is a son of Captaintreacherous out of Dan Patch Award-winner American Jewel. He was bred and consigned by Hanover Shoe Farms.

“He is a nice-looking horse,” said Luc Blais, who trains for Determination. “I saw him at the farm first. I saw him a few times, and every time I saw him, I liked him. I have a good feeling about him. I think he has a good pedigree and he’s a Walner, and Walner did very good this year.

“I’ve seen a lot of Walners, and for me, that’s one I wanted,” Blais continued, adding with a laugh, “Not at that price, but if I had a choice, I choose him. If you see the horse, he is amazing. He has a nice head and everything in the right place. He’s very balanced. He’s a young one, but he looks very athletic. I’m very pleased about him.”

Rounding out the group of horses to sell for at least $500,000 were trotters Lord Bridgerton and Defacement.

Lord Bridgerton was purchased for $530,000 by Robert Lindstrom for a yet-to-be-finalized Swedish ownership group. Melander will train the New Jersey eligible colt, who is a son of Muscle Hill out of Grand Circuit winner Fine Tuned Lady. He was bred and consigned by Concord Stud.

“He was a big horse, but he was born early (Jan. 23, 2020),” Lindstrom said. “He has nice conformation, moves so easily. I was looking at him at the farm before and he was super. He’s a super nice horse. Of the colts, he was one of the best available.

“It’s a little bit more than we expected (to pay), but not much. We were talking about $400,000, $450,000 maybe. We had to stretch a little bit.”

Defacement, a New Jersey eligible daughter of Muscle Hill out of Thatsnotmyname, was purchased for $500,000 by the Andy Miller Stable for owners Marvin Katz, Brixton Medical, and Bud Hatfield. Her full sister, Fifty Cent Piece, sold for $500,000 at the 2018 Standardbred Horse Sale and recently won a Swedish Breeders Crown. The family also includes half-sister Basquiat, a Grand Circuit winner, and Hambletonian champion Muscle Massive. Defacement was bred by Order By Stable and consigned by Concord Stud.

“She has a great gait, and we loved the family,” Andy Miller said. “We’re really excited about her.”

Dale Welk, the Standardbred Horse Sale’s president and director of operations, called the opening session “fabulous.”

“We knew it would be a good sale, but it exceeded my expectations, and, I think, a lot of people’s expectations,” Welk said. “We knew there were a lot of great individuals, but it was just unbelievable.

“Selling hip No. 2 (Defacement) for $500,000 was definitely a great way to start. I think it sets the momentum, and you can keep those kinds of horses going — $80,000, $90,000, $100,000, $150,000 — it just gets that roll going and seems to carry right over.”

The second session of the Standardbred Horse Sale begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday and features nearly 300 yearlings. The final day of the yearling portion of the auction is Wednesday. For complete results of the sale, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA