by James Platz

Anvil And Lace Farm’s 2024 Lexington Selected consignment is down in size when compared to last fall, but it is not suffering in quality or selection. The Paris, KY farm has cataloged 50 babies, trimmed from the 66 offered one year ago. According to Beth Yontz, who owns and operates Anvil And Lace with her husband, Doug, the farm has more horses overall selling at auction, and the adjustments made are to help spread the wealth.

“We’re down a few, [but] we still have 50,” she said. “I do have more in Harrisburg. I went up over 30 in Harrisburg. The numbers are more overall, just less in Lexington. I had some owners that wanted to split them up. Farms are getting bigger, therefore, they are just splitting them up and hitting both sales.”

A consignment this size offers variety, and Anvil And Lace will send yearlings to the sale ring in each of the five Lexington sessions. The group is divided between 13 trotters and 37 pacers. Beth has one yearling selling on opening night. Kountry Splash, Hip #35, is a Chapter Seven first foal from Splash Blue Chip, a winner of over $470,000 and sister to world champion and millionaire Plunge Blue Chip. She is one of 10 yearlings in the sale from Kountry Lane Standardbreds.

“Obviously, the Splash Blue Chip, number 35, the pedigree says it all,” Beth said on the New York- and Kentucky-eligible filly. “She’s a first-day horse and she’s phenomenal.”

That’s high praise from Beth, who is careful when placing horses in the first session after previous lessons learned.

“You have to have the perfect horse for first night because they’re so picky,” Beth said. “I’m okay with not having a bunch. If it was my personal horse, I don’t know that I would ever go first night because they are judged so strictly, because it is the top of the top. You have to have the pedigree match the individual that matches the updates on the page. I’m okay with it if they belong there. I had some there last year and they did well. Early on we’ve made the mistake of putting a horse that, ‘Oh, he’s a great individual. Stunning.’ Didn’t have the best updated pedigree. Had a great pedigree, but it was old. They get lost in the shuffle on the first day.”

Last fall Anvil And Lace sent four yearlings through the ring on the first night, with one bringing $200,000, another fetching $170,000, and a third hammered down for $140,000. It was a strong start to a sale that saw the farm gross just shy of $3.1 million and average $46,892.

Going beyond the first session, the Anvil And Lace consignment covers a lot of bases with much to offer buyers.

“As always, we have a little bit of everything; trotters, pacers, regional horses,” Beth said. “We have Perfect Sting’s first crop and we have some European. We have a Calgary Games and Ready For Cash; some European blood, something different in there. We also have some regional horses that sell on the last day simply because they are regional horses.”

One of the highlights is Caviart Anders, a dual eligible colt by Sweet Lou. Cataloged as Hip #263, he is the first foal from Somebeachsomewhere mare Caviart Audrey, a near-$300,000 winner out of Dan Patch and O’Brien Award winner Darlin’s Delight, and sister to millionaire Darlinonthebeach. The colt is eligible to Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Virginia.

“The pedigree page speaks for itself,” Beth said. “You look at that pedigree page, hopes and dreams, he should be a stallion.”

Beth said that because of the nature of the sale and the strength of the catalog, top individuals from the consignment sell later in the week. Selling later isn’t an indication of their quality.

“I have some Captains and a Papi Rob that sell later in the sale. Why? It’s just because the sale is so loaded. Is there anything wrong with them? No. They are phenomenal individuals,” she said.

Anvil And Lace offers five by Captaintreacherous, one by Papi Rob Hanover and five from the first crop of Perfect Sting. Filly Kountry Joy, Hip #189, is a dual-eligible Captaintreacherous first foal out of a $500,000-winning Bettor’s Delight mare. Colt Kountry Peaky, Hip #205, is a dual eligible Captaintreacherous first foal from Breeders Crown champion Peaky Sneaky. Papi Rob Hanover filly Mami’s Charm, Hip #504, is a first foal whose family includes the half-sister to O’Brien Award winner Caviart Ally.

Of the five Perfect Stings in the consignment, all are colts, and all are dual eligible. Imapricelessprince, Hip #406, is the first foal from Indiana champion and Breeders Crown elimination winner Priceless, who earned over $600,000 on the racetrack.

“For the most part, I like them. Some of them are a bit big,” Beth said about the Perfect Stings. “Being New Jersey eligible, you have the Meadowlands, so you have a big track to race on.”

Asked for a sleeper pick in her consignment, Beth pointed to Dancin Lou colt Mega Moves, Hip #806 in the catalog. Ontario and Kentucky eligible, he will be the second horse through the ring in the week’s final session.

“The mare hasn’t produced much, but I don’t know that you’ll find a much better looking individual,” she said. “But, it’s a Dancin Lou, it’s Canadian, who knows.”