by Murray Brown

On Nov. 7, 2021 my column dealt with the production of the family descended from the mare May Dodge, sometimes referred to as the family of Klata Thorne or sometimes that of Miss Duvall. The story can be found here. In this writer’s opinion, it is by far the greatest maternal family of pacers in the history of the sport.

In going through the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, which begins tomorrow (Sept. 30), the catalog offers a virtual plethora of riches from that great family. According to this guy’s reckoning there are 455 pacing bred yearlings on offer. No less than 67 of them trace to that great family. There are two main, modern—day branches from the family. One of them traces to the mare Nora Abbe and the other to the mare Romola. Of the 67, 28 are descendants of Nora Abbe and 38 go back to Romola. There is one — Hip #614, the Courtly Choice colt Colorful Choice — who although a direct descendent of Miss Duvall, goes back to neither Nora Abbe nor Romola.

The 67 yearlings are by 15 different sires. The freshman sire Perfect Sting leads the pack with 12 yearlings from the family. He is followed in numerical order by Tall Dark Stranger with nine, Captaintreacherous with six, and Always B Miki, Bettors Wish, Downbytheseaside and Papi Rob Hanover with five each. Then you have American Ideal, Huntsville, and Sweet Lou with four, Captain Crunch with three, Bettors Delight with two, and Dancin Lou, Lazarus, and Stay Hungry each with one.

Bettor’s Wish, Captaintreacherous, Downbytheseaside and Tall Dark Stranger descend from the family, so their yearlings will have the family on both the tail end of the sire and the dam of each.

If the dedicated yearling buyer were to concentrate on only one family, he could do a heck of a lot worse than looking at all the yearlings coming from this one.

For purpose of this article, I will go into slight detail on the ones selling on Opening Night, tomorrow, and then list those being sold in the following sessions. Those with a (N) descend from the Nora Abbe branch. Those with a (R) descend from Romola.

Hip #14 Treacherous (N) — Colt by Captaintreacherous—Rainbowinthedark—Bettors Delight. Half-brother to multiple stakes winner Seven Colors ($799,079).

Hip #34 Stingman (R) — Colt by Perfect Sting—Captiva—Captaintreacherous. First foal from a stakes-winning sister to millionaire Blue Diamond Eyes ($1,340,144) and the 2024 Metro winner Fallout ($436,600).

Hip #36 Baalbek (R) — Colt by Perfect Sting—Odds On St Lucie—Sweet Lou. Half-brother to stakes winner Odds On Steno ($294,450). First colt and second foal from a stakes winner who earned $241,067.

Hip #37 Thisbeestings Deo (N) — Colt by Perfect Sting—Stephanie Deo—American Ideal. First foal from a half-sister to stakes winners Encore Deo ($195,226) and Odds On Ashley ($107,465).

Hip #47 Always Has Been (N) — Colt by Tall Dark Stranger—Time On My Hands—American Ideal. Half-brother to multiple stakes winners Exploit ($575,827) and Tua Many Captains ($181,920).

Hip #74 The Unit (R) — Colt by Huntsville—Big McDeal—McArdle. Brother to stakes winner Max Contract ($656,305). Half-brother to stakes winners I’m A Big Deal ($418,910) and Hungry Man ($193,559).

Hip #78 Sweet Lake (R) — Colt by Sweet Lou—Bodacious Hanover—Dragon Again. Half-brother to stakes winners Captain Luke ($583,524), Round The Beach, Lake Dora and Key West.

Hip #90 Winnercircleseeker (N) — Colt by Sweet Lou—Don’t Forget—Well Said. Half-brother to stakes winner Hopeyaliketheshow. From a sister or half-sister to Reflect With Me ($782,268) and the remarkable Lucy’s Pearl ($341,213), the dam of Lou’s Pearlman ($1,242,987) and My Girl EJ ($882,733).

Hip #109 Obliterate (N) — Colt by Perfect Sting—Triple V Hanover—Somebeachsomewhere. Half-brother to multiple stakes winners Peace Talks ($415,414), Fulsome ($260,829), Vici ($233,251), Superbly and Accede.

Hip #116 Midwind Lover Boy (R) — Colt by Tall Dark Stranger—Love For Sail—Captaintreacherous. Half-brother to multiple stakes winning filly, Its A Love Thing ($923,101).

SELLING TUESDAY (OCT. 1)

Hip #138 Gentleman’s Club (R) — Colt by Downbytheseaside—See You At Peelers—Bettors Delight

Hip #140 Makemblush Hanover (N) — Colt by Captaintreacherous—Modesty—American Ideal

Hip #153 Stingray Deo (R) — Colt by Perfect Sting—Oceania—Rock N Roll Heaven

Hip #155 Apocalypsebluechip (R) — Colt by Papi Rob Hanover—Queen Of Darkness—Roll With Joe

Hip #165 Ocean B (R) — Colt by Always B Miki—Planet Ocean—Cams Card Shark

Hip #166 Fourbyfourbyyou (N) — Colt by Tall Dark Stranger—Poetry And Song—Artspeak

Hip #169 Southwind Pitsburg (R) — Colt by Huntsville—Southwind Prima—Sportswriter

Hip #178 Watchfire (N) — Colt by Bettor’s Wish—Shining Beauty—Captaintreacherous

Hip #183 Killer Bee Deo (R) — Colt by Perfect Sting—Run Deo Run—Somebeachsomewhere

Hip #192 Shaboozin On Top (R) — Filly by Huntsville—All On Top Hanover—Betterthancheddar

Hip #195 Beautiful Memory (N) — Filly by Perfect Sting—Reflect With Me—Captaintreacherous

Hip #205 Kountry Peaky (R) — Colt by Captaintreacherous—Peaky Sneaky—Bettors Delight

Hip #208 Crazy Train (R) — Colt by Sweet Lou—Stowaway Hanover—Western Ideal

Hip #233 World of Sneaky (R) — Filly by Bettors Delight—World Of Rock—Rocknroll Hanover

Hip #245 Lainey Blu (R) — Filly by Captaintreacherous—Pleasant Beauty—Art Major

Hip #248 Alll Yankee (R) — Colt by Always B Miki—Alll Cool Hanover—Betting Line

Hip #251 Amira Hanover (N) — Filly by Papi Rob Hanover—Ameraway—American Ideal

Hip #252 Ayden Hanover (R) — Colt by Huntsville—American Charm—American Ideal

Hip #257 Call Me Angelia (N) — Filly by Papi Rob Hanover—Angel’s Pride—Roll With Joe

Hip #267 Naughty Beauty (R) — Filly by Bettors Delight—Beautyonthebeach—Somebeachsomewhere

Hip #273 Cryptic (R) — Colt by Downbytheseaside—Western Drag—Dragon Again

Hip #275 Stormy (N) — Filly by Sweet Lou—Bolt Of Thunder—Rocknroll Hanover

Hip #289 Fletchers Field (N) — Colt by Tall Dark Stranger—Coronet—Captaintreacherous

Hip #294 The Blue Grass (N) — Colt by Tall Dark Stranger—Dance Blue—Rock N Roll Heaven

Hip #317 Final Fling (R) — Filly by Bettor’s Wish—Feeling You—Cambest

Hip #336 Butter Cut (N) — Filly by Papi Rob Hanover—Groovy Tuesday—American Ideal

Hip #347 Carie’s Epiphany (R) — Filly by Tall Dark Stranger—Imonabeach Hanover—Somebeachsomewhere

Hip #355 Key Largo Hanover (R) — Colt by Perfect Sting—Key West—Captaintreacherous

SELLING WEDNESDAY (OCT. 2)

Hip #389 Fearless American (R) — Colt by American Ideal— No Fear Dear—Captaintreacherous

Hip #446 Club Strange (N) — Colt by Tall Dark Stranger—The Joy Luck Club—Camluck

Hip #454 Show Me Your Ace (N) — Colt by American Ideal—Trip Aces Hanover—Bettors Delight

Hip #490 Dreamsnwishes (N) — Filly by Perfect Sting—Dream Chaser—Captaintreacherous

Hip #501 Spadina (R) — Colt by Captaintreacherous—Cashmere Stockings—Art Major

Hip #504 Mami’s Charm (R) — Filly by Papi Rob Hanover—Charm And Grace—American Ideal

Hip #526 Dream Big Dreams (N) — Filly by Captain Crunch—Extreme Dream—Jate Lobell

Hip #535 Ponda Thirty (R) — Colt by American Ideal—Fresh Model—Always B Miki

Hip #538 Southwind Galvestn (R) — Colt by Always B Miki—Gambler’s Passion—Cams Card Shark

Hip #581 White Room (N) — Colt by Always B Miki—Odds On Layla—Bettors Delight

SELLING THURSDAY (OCT. 3)

Hip #601 Elentra (R) — Filly by Tall Dark Stranger—My Monterey—Somebeachsomewhere

Hip #614 Colorful Choice — Colt by Courtly Choice—Pink Ideal—Western Ideal

Hip #624 Devotion (R) — Filly by Perfect Sting—Real Long Hanover—Captaintreacherous

Hip #628 Benedition (N) — Colt by Lazarus N—Remember When—Camluck

Hip #629 Ideal Rebel (R) — Colt by American Ideal—Restive Hanover—The Panderosa

Hip #643 Caviart Sheridan (R) — Colt by Tall Dark Stranger—Caviart Spring—Somebeachsomewhere

Hip #657 Velocity Trelmiks (N) — Colt by Always B Miki—Trelise Hanover—Cams Card Shark

Hip #672 Xerciseorxtrafries (N) — Colt by Stay Hungry—Wishesdocometrue—Art Major

Hip #686 Lady Diane L (R) — Filly by Perfect Sting—American Allure—American Ideal

Hip #694 Captain Apple (R) — Colt by Captaintreacherous—Apple Hanover—Well Said

Hip #700 Backseat Singer (R) — Colt by Bettor’s Wish—Backseat Rhythm—Badlands Hanover

Hip #713 Young At Heart (R) — Colt by Bettor’s Wish—Captainofmyheart—Captaintreacherous

Hip #740 Bettorwatchhiseyes (R) — Colt by Bettor’s Wish—Watchful Eye—He’s Watching

Hip #744 Bulldogs A Rockin (N) — Colt by Perfect Sting—Everyones Watching—Artiscape

Hip #779 Captain Ideal (R) — Colt by Captain Crunch—Ideal Appeal—McArdle

SELLING FRIDAY (OCT. 4)

Hip #806 Mega Moves (N) — Colt by Dancin Lou—Megaball Hanover—Western Terror

Hip #807 Midwind Sea Berry (N) — Filly by Downbytheseaside—Member Berry—Art Major

Hip #863 Caviart Valkyrie (R) — Filly by Downbytheseaside—Caviart Vesper—Betting Line

Hip #877 Grayland (R) — Colt by Downbytheseaside—Alice In Chainz—Well Said