Hickory Lane’s Kevin Greenfield bullish on Lexington consignment
by Matthew Lomon
If last year is any indication of what awaits Hickory Lane Horse Farm at the 2025 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, owner Kevin Greenfield – and his buyers – are likely to leave Kentucky in high spirits.
The Findlay, OH-based operation returns to the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion after making a strong impression with Ardonne and Victorianas Secret, a pair of talented trotters who sold for $37,000 and $32,000, respectively, in 2024.
The former competed in the $1 million Mohawk Million (finishing fifth) and has earned over $400,000 through an impressive maiden campaign (7 2-3-0), while the latter has emerged as a steady force in the Kentucky Sire Stakes, earning north of $110,000 as a rookie.
As Greenfield put it, “at Hickory Lane, you get value for your money.”
And there will be plenty more opportunities to cash in again this year.
“I’ve got a couple similar ones this year that I think are very, very nice trotters,” Greenfield said. “One is on the second day [Sept. 30], Hip #177 Victory Landing. He’s a full brother to Victorianas Secret who has a [1]:56 mark. He’s a very nice colt.
“I also have a really nice Muscle Hill colt on the third day [Oct. 1], Showenyourmuscles [Hip #475]. He’s a big, strapping, beautiful colt out of Creamy Mimi’s family. He’s out of a Cantab Hall mare [Dazzling Diva] and he’s all man.”
Hickory Lane’s 11-horse consignment also includes two Bulldog Hanover colts – Hip #411 Im In Command and Hip #777 Just Keep Flying – as well as a Bettor’s Wish colt, Hip #622 You Bettor Believe.
“Those three are all worth a long look, too,” he said.
While smaller than last year’s roster of 15, Greenfield said he is confident that buyers will find the same quality and reliability in this year’s group.
“We don’t have a big consignment, but we’ve always sold horses that, more often than not, make it to the races – and two of them rank among the better ones in the country,” he said.
Greenfield, an award-winning lawyer, also expressed his excitement over Hip #201 Shes Academic, a promising baby with a distinguished pedigree.
The brown filly is premier European trotter Ecurie D DK’s first yearling out of Annapolis, the mother of 2023 Older Trotting Horse of the Year, It’s Academic.
In other words, Hickory Lane’s catalog features, “a half-sister to a Dan Patch Award winner.”
Greenfield, as syndicate manager for the Danish-born Ecurie D, understands better than anyone the two-time world champion trotter’s ability to leave his mark on his young.
“He’s a good, strong, beautiful horse – long body,” he said of Ecurie D DK. “This filly trots just like him. She kind of extends herself out. If you look at her video, you’ll see what I mean.”
Greenfield said he wonders, however, if being by a foreign sire might cause She’s Academic to be undervalued.
“Foreign blood is sometimes underestimated by buyers, but I don’t know if she will be because her pedigree is really good,” he said. “She’s got a world champion in both her first and second dam [It’s Academic and Stormy Kromer] and Ecurie D DK is a really nice horse and double world champion.
“I think he’s got a lot to offer as a sire, and we’ve got a really nice filly to sell,” he said.
Heading into the 2025 Lexington sale with his usual grounded optimism, Greenfield isn’t one to overcomplicate things.
“I think it’ll be a very strong sale overall,” Greenfield said. “I think yearling sales go in direct proportion to the stock market – I’ve always said that – and it’s still strong.
“The [2025] Ohio Sale, which I’m very familiar with, was up significantly. I see no reason why the big, sought after horses won’t bring big money. I don’t see any major shift, but I do think because the stock market’s been strong and the Ohio market’s been so good, at least in the thoroughbred market which just set records, we can expect another strong sale in Lexington.”
