At Harrisburg, Peninsula Farm offers outstanding individuals on all three days
by Debbie Little
Although Carter Duer’s Peninsula Farm has a small 16-yearling consignment at this year’s Standardbred Horse Sales Company (SHSC) auction in Harrisburg, PA, it’s still packed with quality.
The veteran breeder from the rolling hills of Georgetown, KY, never fails to bring variety to the sales offering offspring of 13 different sires: Although the majority, 14 of 16, are trotters evenly split between fillies and colts, they do offer two pacing fillies.
The majority of Peninsula’s consignment sells on Days 2 and 3, but they do have three that sell on Day 1.
“I’ve got a very nice Papi Rob Hanover filly [Hip #13 Shocking Shadow] that sells opening day,” Duer said. “She’s very nice. And I’ve got a King Of The North filly [Hip #8 Two To The North]. Both of those sell early, within the top 15, which is a little early, but, you know, that’s the way it is.”
Shocking Shadow is out of the Shadow Play mare Shockvalue from the family of Swinging Beauty, Whichwaytothebeach, and Swingtown. Two To The North is out of the Trixton mare Fellowship Of Two. Her second dam is Solveig, the dam of Shake It Cerry and Uncle Lasse.
Selling on Day 1 is considered to be a positive, but Duer is not the biggest fan of going in the ring early.
“Especially not that early,” he said. “But, they’re very nice, and they’ll do what they’re supposed to do, I guess.”
Duer also mentioned three pretty nice colts.
“I have a Father Patrick brother to Once In A lifetime [Hip #117 The Reason],” Duer said. “He’s very good. I’ve got an International Moni colt [Hip #201 Cottey] out of a mare called Behold The Dream, and she’s produced three in [1]:53 this year.
“And then the best one I’ve got is a Captain Corey out of an older mare called Sleep Tight My Luv [Hip #317 Capt Osborne]. He’s probably the best colt I’ve had this year.
“He looks like a lot of [the Captain Coreys] look. He’s dark, but he looks like the female side too. She keeps getting them out there as racehorses and can do a little something. Her 2-year-old is by Six Pack, and she’s won $131,000. Nowadays, it’s not a whole lot, but she’s raced tough all year, and she’s been timed in [1]:52 and change or [1]:53 on about four occasions, and she’s won her last two starts at Cumberland Run. Her name is Naked And Famous.
“Noel Daley has got her, and she’s a very nice filly. She can compete with the big girls and be very competitive with them. She sold really well last year, being a Six Pack, she brought around $70,000 which was very good for a Six Pack last year, but she was a very good individual.”
Duer has an additional Captain Corey selling on Day 2.
“I’ve got a very good Captain Corey filly [Hip #193 Two Day Hangover], that’s a sister to one that won [last week at Cumberland Run, Out The Window]. Carter Pinske has her. She’s a Googoo Gaagaa filly, same dam [Sherry Lyns Lady].”
As to whether Harrisburg will be similar to Lexington, Duer said, “It’ll probably be about the same. Our buyers haven’t changed between here and Harrisburg. We have a lack of buyers. We took a few up to the sale in Indiana and it was kind of the same way. Just kind of a few buyers.”
Duer talked about how good it is that someone like Bill Pollock came into the business a few years ago.
Pollock, Bruce Areman and Andrew Harris bought one of Duer’s favorite fillies, Hip #164 MY Wish, at this year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $135,000.
“He’s not used to buying one that cheap,” Duer said with a laugh. “She was very nice I thought.
“We need new buyers — new and more of them.”
