by James Platz

Enos Weaver spent a decade and a half working for Spring Haven Farm, and during that time he learned the ins and outs of selling at Lexington. This week, he and his wife, Lexi, will offer their first consignment under the banner of Weaver Standardbred Farm. The Utica, OH operation features 10 babies sired by Huntsville, Gimpanzee, Chapter Seven and Cattlewash, a formidable roster to debut in the Bluegrass State.

“I’ve been to Lexington quite a few years with Spring Haven,” Enos said. “This year, we are lucky enough to have some nice Huntsvilles and a Chapter Seven. We’ve got two Gimpanzees. It’s just a nice group to go. We’re excited to see what we can do.”

The Weavers purchased Spring Haven’s home farm in 2019. The 37-acre property, along with 80 acres of leased land, serves as the home for 63 mares. This spring, 47 babies were foaled on the property to go along with the 28 yearlings selling this fall in Ohio and Kentucky.

“By 2020, we had just gotten so many that it made sense to go on our own and do our own sales,” he said.

Previously selling through Spring Haven, Weaver Standardbred Farm offered their first consignment at last year’s Ohio Selected Jug Sale. This year they returned to the Circleville, OH sale with a 14-horse consignment that grossed $592,000. Their $42,286 average trailed only Rose Run Farm (17 sold for a $47,412 average) and Double Spring Farm (five sold for a $42,800 average). 

“For our second year, we were really happy to be second in consignor average for five or more sold,” Lexi said. “We look forward to growing.”

Enos and Lexi considered bringing a consignment to Lexington last fall but ultimately decided to wait a year.

“Last year we were thinking about going, but we didn’t quite have what we needed for the first year to go down there,” Enos said. “So this year was a little bit easier. We have a really nice group. We picked out what we think will fit Lexington.”

Weaver Standardbred Farm’s initial offering is small, and they intend to keep it that way by design.

“I’ve worked for Spring Haven for several years and they’ve always had big consignments, a lot of horses and a lot of client horses as well,” Enos said. “My vision was always to have 10 or 15 head that I have and I know are born and raised at my place. We lucked out this year, we have 10 head and we know every one of them. To me that’s important going into a sale like that, to know the horses.”

Of the 10 cataloged, nine are agent horses for Jim Crawford’s KAD Farms, all born and raised at the Ohio farm. The group features six sired by Huntsville; five from KAD Farms and one owned by the Weavers. Four are colts, all first foals, and two are fillies, with one a first foal. Four are eligible to the Empire and Bluegrass States.

“We have the first foals and they are very correct and they are nice sized,” Enos said. “I’ve had several trainers in here looking at yearlings. Ron Burke was here a few times and he told me that we have some of the nicer sized ones for New York. They don’t want great big horses because of the smaller tracks, so I think we’re going to fit in well with that.”

Enos and Lexi both chose Hunt Off The Press, Hip #154, as their top selection for the consignment. The colt is out of Sportswriter mare Off The Press, a winner of over $180,000 in her career.

“He is a very nice colt,” Enos said. “We videoed him and he was outstanding in the video paddock. He would be my best pick for the pacing end. The Chapter Seven and Gimpanzee colts, those are two really nice colts.”

Dazzling Prince, Hip #298, is a Chapter Seven first foal from Father Patrick mare Dazzling Reign. The colt is eligible to the New York and Kentucky programs and sells Tuesday. Gorilla Sighting is a Gimpanzee colt out of the Cantab Hall mare Stylemaker. Her three previous foals were fillies, with two already banking six figures. The dam is a sister to Paulina Hanover and Patriarch Hanover. Cataloged as Hip #646, he sells Thursday (Oct. 3).

Another highlight on the pacing side is Huntsville colt Shakeitonthebeach. Selling on Thursday as Hip #662, the brown colt is the first foal from Wannashakeyourtree, whose dam, Bridesmaid Hanover, is a sister to 2022 Horse of the Year Bulldog Hanover. 

“He’s a very nice colt,” Enos said. “He’s in the fourth night. We’re pretty excited about him.”

What Weaver Standardbred Farm lacks in quantity, they believe they make up for in quality.

“We have a really nice group for our first year,” said Lexi. “We’re excited to branch off out of Ohio.”