Viable Stallion options in the Hoosier State

Indiana, which boasts a healthy harness racing program, also sports a population of 6.7 million, and is slightly more than 80 percent agricultural, with the majority being dedicated to farmland, forests, and woodlands. The Hoosier State is the eighth largest farming state in America, and the eighth largest agricultural exporter in the nation. It is also home to one of the largest contingents of Standardbred stallions standing stud, with 101 registered for the 2023 breeding season.

Like its neighbor Ohio, Indiana has some older horses which still provide value to the conscientious breeder.  Here are a few who have been around the breeding shed for some time, yet still continue to produce solid raceway horses and the occasional sires stakes champion.

ABC Garland, 4, 1:56.4 ($109,988) a son of Garland Lobell who stands at Don Swartzentruber Stables in Loogootee, IN, has produced 206 total starters, 87 in 2:00, and 15 in in 1:55, with total foal earnings of $10,953,399.  This brown stallion, who was foaled April 1, 1997, at Gardiner, NY, has produced such winners as ABC Mercedes 3, 1:53.1 ($1,093,624); My Uncle Cuz 6, 1:52s ($394,669) and Fluff Me Up 4, 1:54.2h ($307,410), to name just a few. Though the number of mares he breeds annually is now just a handful, he did breed a high of 134 mares in 2011. ABC Garland’s dam, Cindy’s Action 5, 1:57.3f ($223,406), boasts a strong pedigree through her sire line (Speed In Action/Speedy Scot/Speedster/Rodney), while her dam’s side features the BF Coaltown/Galophone genes.

Always A Virgin, now 19, this $1,135,559-earning son of Wester Ideal has been one of Indiana’s most prolific sires, producing the winners of $63.7 million from 2009 through 2019. Last year he bred 26 mares, but prior to that season had bred no less than 61 annually, with a high numbers of 140 for eight years. To date he’s sired 754 starters, 555 in 2:00 or better, and 373 who have paced in 1:55 or faster. Foaled March 6, 2004, at Gettysburg, PA, Always A Virgin is best known as the sire of World Champion Always B Miki p,5,1:56 ($2,715,368); Always At My Place p,4,1:47.2f ($1,218,450); and Colors A Virgin p,4, 1:49.2s ($1,070,533). The brown stallion also did double duty by traveling to Australia for several years. Already in 2023, his progeny have earned $901,310, while in 2022 that figure stood at $7,870,123. He stands at Victory Hill Farm, Inc., in LaGrange, IN.

Lucky Chucky, the Windsong’s Legacy stallion who narrowly missed winning the 2010 Hambletonian, falling half a length short to Muscle Massive (also standing in Indiana), is only in his third year of standing in Indiana, but after being in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, has produced the winners of $11,965,935 in 11 years. Standing at Agrestore Farms in New Haven, IN, this rangy bay horse was sired by a Hambletonian winner, while his dam Aerobics, 2, 1:59.3 ($21,995) hails from the Muscles Yankee/Valley Victory/Baltic Speed lines on her sire side, and her dam’s pedigree includes Nevele Pride, Speedy Rodney, Florican, and Hickory Star. Lucky Chucky, a winner of $2,099,963 with a mark of 3, 1:50.4, has sired 247 starters, with 105 in 2:00, and 18 in 1:55 to date. He was foaled March 27, 2007, at Cream Ridge, NJ, and his best performers include Dog Gone Lucky 6, 1:54f ($672,572); Perlucky 7, 1:52.3s ($631,588); Lucky Weekend 3, 1:53.3s ($325,130; and Tour De Lindy 7, 1:53.3f ($263,666), etc.

Palone Ranger, 20 this season, has stood in Indiana since 2010, with a couple jaunts to Ohio (205 & 2018), but has found better success in the Hoosier State. A son of Western Ideal, this bay horse, who was foaled on March 20, 2003, at Cream Ridge, NJ, has progeny who have earned $5,438,971 to date from limited books of mares. A winner of $1,265,631 with a record of p, 4, 1:49.4f, Palone Ranger produces solid raceway stock for the more modest breeder, with many appearing to get better with age, including Rangers Sureshot, p,6, 1:50.4f ($582,321); Wild Wanda p,6,1:50.2s ($633,585); Secret Threat p, 9, 1:58.4s ($517,744); Diamondtequilashot p, 8, 1:50.2h ($5078,850); Dojea Solo p, 5, 1:50.3f ($505,322); and Cross Country p, 4, 1:50.3h ($285,890), among others. Palone Ranger’s dam, Mercy Mercy Mercy, p, 4, 1:51.1s ($565,148) has both Jate Lobell/No Nukes/Oil Burner and Tyler B/Most Happy Fella/Meadow Skipper blood running through her veins. He calls Clearview Equine Vet Services, Markleville, IN, his home.

Ponder, a son of The Panderosa p, 5, 1:48.1 ($1,452,418), finally landed in Indiana in 2018, after skipping around from Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ontario, and Pennsylvania once again. Foaled on May 1, 2001, at Cream Ridge, NJ, Ponder has sired the winners of $22,814,881, from a relatively small group of total starters (314), with 216 pacing in 2:00 or better and 115 clocked in 1:55 or faster. Ponder earned $1,522,936 himself, taking a 5-year-old record of 1:48.1, before retiring to the breeding shed in 2007. Some of his top performers include Thinking Out Loud p, 4, 1:47.2 ($1,932,805); Bolt The Duer p, 3, 1:47.4f ($1,828,995); Go Daddy Go p, 4, 1:50.1h ($574,893); Bandolito p, 4, 1:48f ($466,095); and Ponder The Odds p, 5, 1:49.2 ($210,543), etc. Ponder’s dam, Empty Feeling p, 5, 1:53.1 ($354,657) hails from both the Abercrombie/Silent Majority/Henry T. Adios and Most Happy Fella/Meadow Skipper bloodlines. Ponder stands at Schwartz Boarding Farm in Berne, IN.

by Kim Rinker, for Harnesslink