by Murray Brown

In my HRU column diaryzing (my made up word) each day of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale three weeks ago, I made it a special point to mention that one of the areas of the greatest value in evidence at the sale was with very few exceptions, the very reasonable prices that the yearlings by Cantab Hall brought.

I mentioned that despite the significantly increased competition, Cantab Hall was still a great sire who’s offspring are still able to comport themselves extremely well and compete on the world’s stage.

He will go down in history as one of the greatest trotting sires ever.

On Friday night at Hoosier Park, the old boy proved me prescient, with first, his filly Lady Chaos and then his colt On A Streak sweeping the 2-year-old Breeders Crown trotting events.

I’m guessing that their tremendous success might motivate buyers at Timonium, MD this week to look at his yearlings with more confidence than they did in Lexington.

Just for the heck of it, I decided to put together my Dream Stable of 2-year-olds of 2021.

I am limiting myself to 30 yearlings all taken from Day One at Timonium.

The rules, which are all mine, are thusly arranged.

1. Equal representation of trotters and pacers.

2. No more than three yearlings by any one sire.

3. An attempt to get most of the major sires stakes regions represented.

4. I have not seen any of the yearlings in person, but I have watched the videos on all of them.

5. My intent is to follow all of them throughout the forthcoming 2-year-old season and then to tally up how I have done at the end of next season.

PACERS

#5 Pompeo Hanover – c(Betting Line—Panera Hanover). Half-brother to the incredibly fast world champion Papi Rob Hanover p.2,1.50f, 3,1.57.1f-20($927,979)

#25 Think Ahead – c(Always B Miki—Soft Idea). First foal from the multiple stakes winning American Ideal mare Soft Idea p,2,1.53.3f($383,713)

#33 Hunters Moon – c(Huntsville—Sweet Paprika). Half-brother to three stakes winners including Captain Crunch p.2,1.49.1, 3,1.47.2($1,561,940) and from the immediate maternal family of world champion Sweet Lou p.2,1.49, 3,1.47.4, 1.57f($3,478,894).

#44 Twin B Slayer – c(Fear The Dragon—Twin B Epic). First foal from a half-sister to six stakes winners and six $200,000 plus winners including Twin B Warriorp.2,1.53.3f, 3,1.50.3f (4699,199).

#47 Tallntan Blue Chip – c(Bettors Delight—Warrawee Sunshine). First foal from a half-sister to the pair of world champions Warrawee Ubeaut p.2,1.48.3($1,761,033) and Warrawee Needy p.2,1.49.4, 3,1.48.4, 1.46.4($1,258,027).

#48 William Hanover -c(Somebeachsomewhere—Well What’s New). First foal from a stakes winning half-sister to the multiple stakes winner JK Will Power p.2,1.53.1f, 3,1.51.1f, 1.49 ($807,162).

#64 Showmeursweetside -f(Sweet Lou—Beach Showoff). Second foal from a stakes producing daughter of the world champion Put On A Show p.2,1.51.4, 3,1.49.4, 1.47.3 ($2,406,628).

#65 Boudoir Hanover -f(Captaintreacherous—Bedroom Confessions) First foal from the multiple stakes and fast class winner Bedroom Confessions p,2,1.52, 3,1.502, 1.48.4 ($1,001,441).

#85 Duxbury Hanover -c(Somebeachsomewhere—Dagnabit Hanover). Half-brother to four stakes winners including Done Well p.2,1.51.2f, 3,1.51f, 1.50.2h ($549,183).

#101 Frozen Hanover -c(Somebeachsomewhere—Fashion Ecstasy). Brother to the multiple stakes and fast class winner Filibuster Hanover p.2,1.52f, 3,1.48.4, 1.48.1f ($1,833,445).

#103 Forkner Hanover -c(Always B Miki—Fit To Frame). Half-brother to the stakes winning filly Fire Start Hanover p.2,1.50.3-’20 ($217,586)

#107 Gallie Hanover -f(Always B Miki—Gallie Bythe Beach). Second foal from the world champion and multiple stakes winning filly Gallie Bythe Beach p.2,1.50.3f, 3,1.49 ($749,898).

#126 Contact Zone -c(Bettors Delight—Impact Zone). First foal from a half-sister to the world champion and multiple stakes and fast class winner Southwind Tempo p.2,1.55.1f, 3,1.49.3f, 1.482 ($2,396,362).

#130 Just A Captain -c(Captaintreacherous—Just Like Kate). First foal from an untrained half-sister to three $200,000 winners including Just A Jolt p.3,1.3.2f, 1.49.2f ($521,285).

#139 Layton Hanover -c(Captaintreacherous—Livin Life). First colt and second living foal from a half-sister to the world champion and multiple stakes winner I Luv The Nitelife p.2,1.50.1, 3,1.48.4f ($1,944,667).

TROTTERS

#14 Trade Secret -f(Kadabra—Pure Ivory). Full-sister to the Hambletonian winner Forbidden Trade 2,1.56.2, 3,1.51 ($1,314,247) and out of the O’Brien winner Pure Ivory 2,1.57, 3,1.53.1($1,323,647).

#20 Stilton Hanover – c(Muscle Hill—Secret Magic). Full-brother to the world champion Manchego 2,1.52.4, 3,1.50, 1.49($2,413,181). Half-brother to the multiple stakes winner In Secret 2,2.00.ef, 3,1.54.2, 1.52,3f ($835,231).

#23 Stowe Hanover -f (Bar Hopping—Snow Angel Hanover). Half-sister to the Kentucky Futurity winner Snowstorm Hanover 2,1.55.1f, 3,1.53.2($658,761). Only the second foal from a mare who apparently has been difficult to get in foal.

#44 Watts Hanover -f(Walner—Winbak Blondie). Half-sister to the multiple stakes winner Hey Blondie 2,1.53.1 ($468,080). From a full-sister to the incredible Muscle Hill.

#52 Willtown Hanover -f(Cantab Hall—Window Willow). Full sister to the world champion and multiple stakes winner Crystal Fashion 2,1.53.2, 3,1.50.1, 1.50 ($1,880,656).

#54 No More Trix -c (Trixton—Windsong Soprano). Half-brother to the multiple stakes winners Donna Soprano 2,1.55.1-’20 ($433,570) and Tony Soprano 2,1.55.1, 3,q1.54.3, 1.52.1( $444,902). From the O’Brien winner Winding Soprano.

#67 Birgitta Hanover -f(Kadabra—Bernis Hanover). First foal from a half-sister to the multiple O’Brien winning filly Caprice Hill 2,1.55, 3,1.52.3f ($1,329,072).

#75 Coach K Hanover -c(Walner—Chezatter). First foal from the multiple stakes winner Chezatter 2,1.53.4 ($218,2622). Besides which, I love the name.

#76 Sevencarrotgold -c(Chapter Seven—Choice Hall). First foal from a half-sister to seven stakes winners including Trotter of the Year Cantab Hall 2,1.56.1, 3,1.54 ($1,442,303).

#82 Czarette Hanover -f(Father Patrick—Cressida Hanover). Half-sister to three $300,000 winners including the Triple Crown winner and world champion Glidemaster 2,1.55.3, 3,1.51.1 ($1,968,023).

#86 Delilah Hanover -f(Muscle Hill—Danielle Hanover). Half-sister to this year’s Doherty Memorial winner Darlene Hanover 2,1.53.4’20($239,942). Second foal from a half-sister to the world champion Donato Hanover.

#91 Threepointbluechip -c(Chapter Seven—Dunk The Donato). Half-brother to the world champion and multiple stakes winner Plunge Blue Chip 2,1.53.1, 3,1.49.4 ($1,436,451)

#95 Emmylou Me Hanover -f(Muscle Hill—Emmylou Who). Half-sister to the world champion, O’Brien winner and multiple stakes winner Emoticon Hanover 2,1.56.2, 3,1.53.1, 1.50.2f ($1,778,033).

#112 Gracefully Hanover -f(Chapter Seven—Good Common Cents). Half-sister to two stakes winners including the Hambletonian winner Perfect Spirit 2,1.56f, 3,1.51.2 ($1,021,100).

#114 Laws of Motion -c(Walner—Gravitator). First foal from the stakes winner Gravitator 2,1.57.2, 3,1.57.1, 1.55f ($206,815), a sister to the multiple stakes winner Prestidigitator 2,1.56.3, 3,1.52.2 ($869,608).

SUMMARY

There are six stallions, Always B Miki, Captaintreacherous, Chapter Seven, Muscle Hill, Somebeachsomewhere and Walner who have the maximum of three yearlings.

Bettors Delight and Kadabra have two each, while Bar Hopping, Betting Line, Cantab Hall, Father Patrick, Fear The Dragon, Huntsville, Kadabra, Sweet Lou and Trixton have one each.

With pacers there were far more colts (12) that caught my fancy than there were fillies (3). The opposite was the case with trotters as there are far more fillies (9) on my list than there are colts (6).

If I were young and independently wealthy, I would buy all the trotting fillies. Regardless of how well they did on the racetrack, I feel I would have the makings of a superlative broodmare band. I believe that a wealthy, reasonably young person would make money over the long haul if he or she bought all these fillies. I am neither, so that lets me out.

I hope to keep track of all these yearlings and report periodically on their progress or lack of same.

Have a question or comment for The Curmudgeon?
Reach him by email at: hofmurray@aol.com.