Cool Winds bullish on its three day one yearlings and the racing industry in Ohio

by Dave Briggs

Randy Haines, owner of Cool Winds Farm in Lima, OH, said he is excited about the three yearlings he is selling on Monday (Nov. 3) at the Standardbred Horse Sales Company yearling sale in Harrisburg, PA.

“My Huntsville colt [Hip #159 Guitarsntikibars], he’s my personal yearling,” Haines said of the colt out of Sulky Queen. “He’s a first foal out of Rock N Roll Heaven mare and by the right sire, so I’m really excited about him.”

Haines said he also loves Hip #26 Odds On Winner, a Captaintreacherous filly out of Odds On Lassomyhrt.

“That’s a nice filly,” Haines said. “Steve McCoy, one of our past presidents of the OHHA [Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association], he raised her. Spurwood Farms is finishing the filly out.”

Haines also highlighted Hip #35 Salazar Returns, a Papi Rob dual-eligible to Kentucky and Pennsylvania colt out of The Show Returns, whose second dam is the great Stienam’s Place.

Haines said he’s bullish on the industry given the growth of the Ohio program and the fact the Breeders Crown will be at Scioto Downs in Columbus, OH in 2026.

“Our Ohio sale was outstanding,” Haines said. “If you had the right sire and a good-looking yearling, you could really ring a bell.”

In Range and Downbytheseaside yearlings were in particular demand at the sale, which Haines said bodes well for Harrisburg.

“I’ve got two In Range yearlings, both selling Wednesday [Hip #680 Bigdreamsinrange and Hip #689 Walks The Fire],” Haines said. “My goodness, those things in Ohio, you just walk them in the ring and there they go. They sold extremely well. Of course, the horse had a really good first crop, but I think I’m going to get a lot of play on those two In Ranges.”

Both the In Range yearlings and a What The Hill filly Cool Winds is selling — Hip #877 A Pink Swan — are eligible to the new Buckeye Owners Bonus.

“If you’re eligible for the Ohio Breeders Awards, which means you left the mare in utero [in Ohio] for 187 days, on Nov. 1 of the 2-year-old year, the registered owner will get a Buckeye Owners Bonus,” Haines said. “So, essentially, what we’ve done is taken about half or three quarters of a pot and that will go to the registered owner at the end of their 2-year-old year as well as the end of their 3-year-old year.

“We started this fall with all of our Ohio-breds. So, the first checks… the eligibility would be the 2-year-olds of ’26, the checks will go out in the late winter or early spring of 2027 for that 2-year-old crop. Then, the following year in ’28, we’ll be handing out for the 2- and the 3-year-olds, because the 2-year-olds from next year will be 3-year-olds. All of our stakes — the county fairs, the Ohio Sires Stakes, the Buckeye Stallion Series – are all eligible for the Buckeye Owners Bonus. We started to call it ‘BOB’ and I wasn’t too sure about that. I guess it’s kind of catchy, but that’s what ‘BOB’ is.”

Haines said he’s also selling some nice yearlings in Harrisburg eligible to other jurisdictions.

“I’ve got a really, really nice King Of The North [Hip #755 The Big Pink],” he said. “That’s a Spurwood Farm yearling and she does a great job raising these things… That is a superb-looking individual. I’ve seen the video. Oh my God.

“Then, the other one I’m going to mention, and don’t tell me I’m completely crazy, it’s Hip #695 [Oops All Berries]. That filly is Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Virginia-eligible. It’s the second foal out of the mare. The other one, a full brother, just swept the Virginia Breeders Fund and won the final just on Saturday (Oct. 25), so there is a massive, massive update. Now, the colt’s only got a record of [1]:54, but in nine starts he’s had seven wins and two seconds and over $160,000 on his card now. I mean, other than the ones from the Breeders Crown, that might be as big of an update that you’re going to find in this catalog.”

Haines said it’s the third year Cool Winds is selling in Harrisburg and the number of horses he is selling has grown every year.

“Last year, I think we had 23 or 24 and now this year we have well over 30,” Haines said. “I told my wife when we started this, 30 is the number. We’re not taking more than 30 out there. Well, here I am.

“The good thing is that I know most of [the breeders] and they are friends of mine. I’ve turned into the Preferred of Ohio.”