by James Platz

Last fall Anvil And Lace Farm sold for the first time in Harrisburg. The Paris, Kentucky farm brought a 17-horse consignment that averaged $31,529. Owner Beth Yontz is back at the Pennsylvania State Fair Show Complex, this time with a group that is nearly triple the size compared to 2023.

“I had 50 consigned and I have one out, so we’re bringing 49,” said Yontz, who operates Anvil And Lace with her husband, Doug. “I have six selling for Caviart Farms. They were not one of my clients last year. Ola Yoder (Kountry Lane Standardbred) split his up rather than selling everything at Lexington. We have horses in both places. I picked up consigning for Patty Key of Winning Key Inc. I have consigned a couple here or there for them, and I’ve done all their prepping in the past few years. This year I’m able to consign them all myself. They have nine, so it all just adds up.”

The Anvil And Lace roster consists of 27 trotters and 22 pacers, with five yearlings selling on Monday (Nov. 4).

“On the trotting end I’m probably a little bit better in Harrisburg than I was in Lexington,” Beth said. “On the flip side, I think on the pacing end probably some of the better ones were in Lexington compared to here.”

Hip #73 Book Advance is one of the day one offerings for Anvil And Lace. The colt is the first foal from Bar Hopping mare My Abigail.

“It’s a Chapter Seven out of My Abigail, which is a sister to Six Pack,” Beth said. “That’s exciting.”

Other first day selections include Magical Force, Hip #34, a first foal Muscle Hill filly whose second dam is Win Missy B, and filly Avenzee, Hip #83, a Gimpanzee first foal from a $100,000-winning Muscle Hill mare whose family includes millionaire Strong Yankee.

“On the filly end, we have Captain Coreys, some Gimpanzees, Bar Hopping, a little bit of everything,” Beth said. “A Green Manalishi filly. I think we have a little bit of what we need up there. I think the variety on the trotting side is much stronger. That has a lot to do with Winning Key because all nine of theirs are trotters.”

The consignment includes yearlings from 15 different sires, with five by Greenshoe, a trio by Muscle Hill and two by Chapter Seven.

One trotter Beth identified as unique is Golden Eagle, Hip #598. Also from Winning Key Farm, the Bold Eagle colt is out of Windsong’s Legacy mare Pleasure’s Song, who has produced five winners and two with six-digit earnings.

“He’s probably one of the few selling at public auction,” Beth said. “Although he’s not eligible to a state, he’s eligible to stakes, but not a state stakes program. He’s a very, very nice individual and I’m hoping the Europeans can really look at him. I’ve had a few look at him already. He’s actually bigger than what he looks on video. He’s eye-catching. He’s a nice colt.”

The six pacers selling for Caviart Farms are also unique based on their eligibility. Four are sired by Captain Crunch (Hip #s 568, 845, 864 and 908), one by Tall Dark Stranger (Hip #626) and one by Stay Hungry (Hip #882). All are eligible to three different state programs.

“They are Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia eligible,” Beth said. “The Virginia program, there aren’t a lot eligible to that. I’ve had people reach out asking, ‘What do you have?’ And I think because that sire stakes went just last week, it’s fresh in people’s minds. All of the Caviart horses would be eligible to that, so it’s something a little different that most consignments won’t have.”

Anvil And Lace is offering yearlings by 11 different pacing sires led by Captain Crunch (eight) and American Ideal (five). Only one Perfect Sting will be in the aisle, but Beth said he’s a quality individual. Cataloged as Hip #323, Kountry Sting is a New Jersey and Kentucky eligible colt out of the great Western Silk, making him a half-brother to Dan Patch Award winner Grace Hill.

“That colt is going to be desired just because of the mare, and just because he’s a first crop Perfect Sting,” Beth said. “That’s a very nice colt.”

Beth is also selling one of her own. Cataloged as Hip #826, Imdagirlofurdreams is a New York and Kentucky eligible filly by American Ideal. Dam Enchanted Eva has already produced freshman winner JMs Best Bet. The family also includes 29-time winner Mystery Chase, who has earned just shy of three quarters of a million dollars.

“I’m taking her up just because I want to test the waters,” Beth said.