My list of the 13 best pacing colts selling in Harrisburg.

by Murray Brown

It has been a long yearling sales season. For purposes of my interest, it began with The Goshen Sale shortly after Labor Day at Mark Ford’s Training Center and will end two weeks hence at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Arena with what has commonly been called The Harrisburg Sale.

John Simpson, Sr. would refer to Harrisburg as being the “Last button on Gabe’s coat.” Who was Gabe? Only Simpson knew. I Googled the expression. I came up with a story on Winchester Tales about a Mr. Gabriel who enjoyed playing poker and would pay off his losses with the silver buttons on his overcoat. He hadn’t been doing well and had been reduced to one last silver button. I guess Simpson equated his situation to that of the consignors selling at Harrisburg. They are in a poker game hoping that last button will be a winner.

There were times where the biggest part of the money for the yearling pot had already been exhausted by the time Harrisburg came along. In times such as those, prices were difficult to attain. There were also times when numerous buyers had not spent what resources they had; when the money was burning holes in their pockets and where the competition for the best yearlings was strong and buyers were placed in the position of knowing that this was their last chance to get a horse to compete next year. At those times, the buyers’ pocketbooks were sometimes stretched.

It is my opinion that although those situations might be factors, the deciding determination in most situations will be what is printed in the catalog and presented on the floor.

The two major sales, the ones considered to be the best and most important on the sales calendar are the ones in Lexington and Harrisburg.

Until recent years, Lexington and Harrisburg might have run neck and neck with either sale attracting the better — at least on paper — group of yearlings. Recently Lexington has drawn well ahead of Harrisburg in numbers of blue-blooded individuals. But in my opinion it is not a clean sweep for the Kentucky sale. They definitely hold the sway for trotters and also with pacing fillies. But with pacing colts at the very top, I believe Harrisburg is offering the best group.

I intended to come up with a baker’s dozen of what I felt were the 13 best pacing colts in the Harrisburg catalog. With a great deal of difficulty, I achieved my goal. Nevertheless, I am equally certain that I have left several legitimate candidates off of my list.

Here they are in my order of preference with my guesstimate of what they might bring:

1. Hip #70 Steal Away Hanover

Bay colt, Always B Miki—Shyaway—Artiscape. Guesstimate: $300,000.

Brother to the brilliant Sylivia Hanover ($1,157,274). Half-brother to the near double millionaire Western Fame ($1,932,775).

2. Hip #5 Warrawee Memories

Bay colt, Tall Dark Stranger—Great Memories—Apaches Fame. Guesstimate: $200,000.

Half-brother to world champion Warrawee Ubeaut ($1,849,213) Warrawee Needy ($1,258,027), Warrawee Vital ($611,088) and Big Bay Point ($516,747).

3. Hip #67 Stinglikab Hanover

Bay colt, Always B Miki—Shebestingin—Bettor’s Delight. Guesstimate: $200,000.

Brother to the double Dan Patch winner Perfect Sting ($1,808,747).

4. Hip #155 Twin B Euchre

Bay colt, Bettor’s Delight—Fresh Breeze—Captaintreacherous. Guesstimate: $250,000.

Brother in blood to Twin B Joe Fresh ($1,281,678). First colt from Fresh Breeze, a daughter of a sister to American Ideal ($786,055).

5. Hip #73 Summit Seelster

Bay colt, Sweet Lou—Soiree Seelster—Big Jim. Guesstimate: $250,000.

Half-brother to the Dan Patch and O’Brien winner Stockade Seelster ($1,064,938).

6. Hip #89 Touchback

Brown colt, Bettor’s Delight—Tall Dark Beauty—American Ideal. Guesstimate: $150,000.

First foal from a half-sister to Tall Dark Stranger ($2,020,195) and Beautyonthebeach ($540,428).

7. Hip #117 Bell Hanover

Bay colt, Tall Dark Stranger—Bedroomconfessions—American Ideal. Guesstimate: $200,000.

Half-brother to the stakes winning fillies Boudoir Hanover ($1,084,915) and Bellisima Hanover ($256,905). First colt from a $1,001,441-stakes winning mare.

8. Hip #105 A-Rod Hanover

Bay colt, Tall Dark Stranger—All Tucked Up—Western Ideal. Guesstimate: $200,000.

Half-brother to Abuckabett Hanover ($1,124,979), All Hands On Deck ($225.082) and Attention Hanover ($206,617).

9. Hip #148 Enrique Hanover

Bay colt, Tall Dark Stranger—Eloquent Grace—Well Said. Guesstimate: $200,000.

From a stakes-winning mare whose previous three foals have all been stakes winners.

10. Hip #137 Dreamboat Hanover

Bay colt, Papi Rob Hanover—Dagnabit Hanover—Allamerican Native. Guesstimate: $125,000.

Half-brother to three stakes winners including Done Well ($627,738).

11. Hip #58 Rider Hanover

Bay colt, Captaintreacherous—Rockaroundthetrack—Rocknroll Hanover. Guesstimate: $125,000.

Half-brother to the multiple stakes and free for all winner Ruthless Hanover ($565,995).

12. Hip #91 Touchandgo Hanover

Bay colt, Captaintreacherous—Touchamatic—American Ideal. Guesstimate: $200,000.

First foal from Touchamatic ($489,907), a sister to American History ($1,534,333).

13. Hip #13 Twin B Courageous

Bay colt, Papi Rob Hanover—In The Pink—Dragon Again. Guesstimate: $125,000.

Half-brother to Twin B Tuffenuff ($619,839) and Twin B Fighter ($2550,539). From a half-sister to world champion, Dan Patch and O’Brien winner Big Jim ($1,541,924).

Others worthy of mention in my opinion in Hip # order: 8, 20, 53, 54, 57, 60, 69, 71, 74, 83, 100, 104, 107, 125 and 143.

Summary:

The 13 yearlings are by six different sires; Always B Miki (2), Bettor’s Delight (1), Captaintreacherous (2), Papi Rob Hanover (3), Sweet Lou (1) and Tall Dark Stranger (4).

They are out of mares by 11 different sires with only American Ideal having more than one; Allamerican Native (1), American Ideal (3), Apaches Fame (1), Artiscape (1), Bettor’s Delight (1), Big Jim (1), Captaintreacherous (1), Dragon Again (1), Rocknroll Hanover (1), Western Ideal (1).

The dams of the yearlings appear to have a definite affinity to Western Ideal with one being out of a mare by him and four others out of mares by his sons American Ideal and Rocknroll Hanover.

If one were to add up my guesstimate prices, the 13 would sell for $2,650,000, an average of $153,896. Are you over or under? As for me, I’m on the number.