by Matthew Lomon

For Bob Boni, owner and president of Secaucus, NJ-based Northwood Bloodstock, a successful yearling sale will always take care of itself.

The man with over 50 years of service time in the harness racing game expects no different at this year’s Standardbred Horse Sales Company auction in Harrisburg, PA.

“It will be a good sale; they always are,” Boni said. “The ones that people want to buy, they never have a problem spending enough on those. I think we should have a good day.”

While the formula seems simple, it has worked wonders for Boni, who will be inducted into the Harness Racing Living Hall of Fame in 2025.

As for what buyers can expect from the future hall of famer’s 46-horse Harrisburg consignment (all agent), Boni is quite bullish on the prospects of a burgeoning sire’s first crop.

“I’ve got five Perfect Stings — three fillies and two colts — and they look good,” Boni said. “From what I’ve seen, they move well. They’ve all got a little something to offer, and they were very well received in Kentucky.

“I would anticipate that to be the same here. First crop horse, he’ll be important in [New] Jersey next year, and I think that’s going to bode well for him.”

Boni’s arsenal of Perfect Sting fillies includes pacers Hip #14 Sting On The Beach, Hip #239 Butterfly Pv, and Hip #635 Perfect Bang.

Pacing colts Hip #149 Perfect Sky,andHip #452 Fine To Sting round out the expert agent’s cast of Perfect Sting youngsters.

“I guess you could say I’m particularly intrigued with the Perfect Stings because they were highly regarded in Lexington and they look to be nice-sized, nice made horses,” Boni said.

“And following through with my association with Always B Miki, it’s nice to see a little more go on.”

Boni also highlighted a trio of promising Pennsylvania eligibles, starting with a trotting filly out of 2021 Hambletonian champion Captain Corey, JL Serenity, Hip #97.

On Day 1 of the sale, Boni has high hopes for a pacing colt out of Papi Rob Hanover.

“I’ve got what looks like a very nice colt out of Papi Rob Hanover, Pepsi Pop, Hip #68,” he said. “Very good pedigree, first foal [Worlameri], I think we could be all right with him.”

The third member spotlighted in Boni’s PA trio is Winning Bar, Hip #166, a trotting filly out of prominent sire Bar Hopping.

“Overall, some good-looking horses,” Boni said. “They all move well.”

Before signing off, the man who holds strong ties to heralded performers Nihilator, Camtastic, and Always B Miki, made an astute observation about another renowned racehorse in Huntsville, of whom he represents two yearlings – Valentino De Vie, Hip #708 and Hunthehuntr De Vie, Hip #785.

“What’s key with a horse like him is he’s not only dominated New York, for the most part, but he’s also shown that he can leave the state and do well,” Boni said. “And that’s always to me, what separates horses in the regional programs is their ability to leave.

“Once they can go outside the geography of their state, be it horses that leave Pennsylvania, obviously, we know they do because of the stallions here, but New York, Ohio, Indiana, when those horses can go elsewhere — we saw it in the Breeders Crown when Tellitlikeitis won the older horse race and we’ve consistently seen that with some of the Indiana stallions — that gives a little different value to your horse.”