Inaugural Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale grosses over $10 million
by James Platz
The Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale debuted Thursday (Oct. 16) at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The sale consisted of three days, with the first two sessions (Gold Select and Silver Select) focusing on yearlings. Day 3 included a smaller yearling offering as well as a mixed portion with stallion shares, broodmares, and racehorses. All told, the trio of sessions grossed just shy of $10.65 million from 732 total lots.
“I’m glad the first one is in the books, if you know what I mean,” said first-time sale manager Jamie Macomber. “It was a great three days, and we enjoyed hearing feedback from everybody. I don’t know what everybody’s expectations were, but it was nice hearing what everybody thought and what we could improve on. I think we can always improve, always do better.”
The Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale is the new name given to the former Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale, a longtime Indiana State Fairgrounds staple. The Hoosier Classic was started by Hall of Famer Carl Becker, and the first sale was conducted in August 1998 at the fairgrounds. A total of 175 yearlings were consigned to that inaugural event, with the sale topper bringing $30,000. Becker would operate the sale until February 2011, selling to Jeff Fought and his father, Dave. Steve Cross, who had served as sale manager, became a minority partner and continued to helm the sale until it was purchased by Dana Parham last year. He enlisted Macomber to manage the sale.
Under new ownership the sale has been reimagined, branded as Midwest Standardbred and expanded to three days from the previous two. As the Hoosier Classic, the sale was held under one roof, the West Pavilion at the fairgrounds. This week the event filled three buildings on the grounds, with the sale block occupying the Corteva Coliseum. The changes garnered favorable feedback from many that attended.
“Everybody liked the new setup with us selling in the Coliseum, as well as the new setup in West Pavilion with looking at horses,” Macomber said.
In the ring, the Thursday session started strong. A group of 197 yearlings were offered during the Gold Select session, with 193 passing through the ring for gross sales of $5.16 million and an average of $26,751. Hip #136 Ponda Light, a filly by JK Endofanera, topped the session and the sale, bringing $125,000. Consigned by Pond-A-Acres, Pat DeLong signed the slip for the yearling eligible to the Indiana and Kentucky programs.
The bay is the second foal from Somebeachsomewhere mare Sayulita. The filly is a sibling to sophomore Indiana Sire Stakes Super Final third-place finisher Avanti p, 2, 1:51.1s, 3, 1:50.1s -’25 ($252,412).
Ponda Light was one of six yearlings that brought six figures in the opening session. Next on the results was filly Rocking Rhonda, Hip #21, a Rockin Image filly hammered down for $120,000. Consigned by In-Law Stable, the yearling is the third foal out of Bettors Delight mare Rolling Delight and sister to eight-time winner Rolling Image p, 2, 1:52.1s, 3, 1:51.4s, 4, 1:49.3s-’25 ($151,775). She was purchased by Jeff Berger of Summit Bloodstock.
The top-priced trotter of the sale came out of Pond-A-Acres’ Day 1 roster. Hip #93 Ponda Concorde, brought $110,000, purchased by Tom Pollack. A colt from the first crop of Temporal Hanover, Ponda Concorde is out of Muscle Hill mare Batoutahill, who has already produced the graded stakes placed Bargain 2, 1:56.4, 3, 1:53.4f -’24, BT1:51.4-’25 ($418,356).
A trio of yearlings received $100,000 final bids, including a pair of Temporal Hanover fillies. Dual eligible Hip #147 Ponda Jiggy (Pond-A-Acres) was purchased by Wrenn Racing for David McDuffee and L&L DeVisser, while Hip #193 Unburdened (Black Creek Farm) was purchased by Erv Miller. Bulldog Hanover filly Hip #129 Therapist (Alliance Bloodstock) sold to Odds On Racing. The Ontario and Kentucky eligible yearling is the first foal from Captaintreacherous mare Find Happiness.
The most active buyer of the session was Miller. Besides signing for Unburdened, he also signed the slips on a dozen more for total purchases totaling $496,000.
Tuesday’s Silver Session featured 301 yearlings passing before the auction block and ringing up $3.7 million in sales. The average slipped considerably on Day 2 to $12,320. While well-pedigreed babies brought good money, there were many in the second and third session that sold reasonably, with several consignors conceding it was a buyer’s market.
JK Endofanera colt Hip #476 JN Lucky Monster led the session with a $67,000 final bid. From the Bluebird Meadows consignment, the colt is the second foal from Somebeachsomewhere mare Kissimmee Beach. Hip #416 Ponda Call, brought the most for any trotter in the session. Purchased by Henry Grabler, Jr. as agent, the colt is from the first crop of Kentucky Futurity champion Rebuff, and is the second foal from Credit Winner mare First Call.
The remainder of yearlings sold in Saturday’s Bronze Session. There, a group of 105 babies grossed sales of $660,000, producing an average of $6,285. When combining all yearlings sold over the three days, 599 horses sold for $9,531,500, good for a $15,912 average.
JK Endofanera led all Indiana pacing sires in average. A total of 43 yearlings by the sire grossed $1.14 million while averaging $26,558. A group of 57 by Rockin Image averaged $19,385 while 72 sired by Tellitlikeitis brought $18,666 on average. On the trotting side, the two new sires were well received. Temporal Hanover’s 75-yearling offering grossed over $1.53 million, good for a $20,440 average. A total of 55 by Rebuff sold, averaging $17,072. Indiana stalwart Swan For All averaged $15,202 over 74 sold.
Pond-A-Acres led all consignors in sale average. Their 23-yearling consignment brought $782,000 for an average of $34,000. Bluebird Meadows topped the list for gross sales with a roster of 45 yearlings that sold for $788,000.
Weaver Standardbred Farm topped the mixed session, consigning five of the top seven fillies and mares sold. Hip #713 True Blue Hanover topped the session, sold by Weaver as agent for $80,000. The American Ideal sister to millionaire Traceur Hanover sold open, purchased by Wittmer Standardbreds. Other Weaver offerings included Hip #771 Mocha Hill ($50,000), Hip #745 Rose Run Allison ($40,000), Hip #767 Kiki Lou Kiki ($33,000) and Hip #751 Super Girl ($26,000).
The other top seller of the mixed portion was Yagonnakissmeornot, sister to Horse of the Year Always B Miki. Part of the Sunset Stables dispersal, the mare was in foal to Tellitlikeitis. She brought $50,000, purchased by Yves Sarrazin, who signed as agent.
The mixed portion of the sale, which offered 133 lots, grossed over $1.1 million and averaged $8,406.
“We appreciate everybody that came, buyers and consigners,” Macomber said. “Especially the buyers that came from out of state to the inaugural sale and see what it was about.”
