by Dave Briggs

Fresh off the news that he will inducted into the Harness Racing Living Hall of Fame in 2025, Northwood Bloodstock’s Bob Boni will be in Lexington to sell 20 yearlings.

Boni said he’s humbled by the honor and jokes that he has one request for those that stop by his shedrow at Fasig-Tipton to say hello and check out his yearlings.

“I’m going to tell people they have to salute me now,” Boni said, laughing. “Either salute or bow, one of the two.

“When I started doing this 1,000 years ago, I didn’t go home at night and say, ‘I can’t wait to get into the Hall of Fame.’”

But, now that he’s part of the class of 2025, Boni has the unique honor of having his Hall of Fame figure made by an old friend, Kristin Roberts.

“I went to work at Pine Hollow in 1969,” Boni said of the former stud farm. “[Roberts’] mother came on, I think, the next year. She became the executive secretary and was there until the day I left in 1980. We became very close friends and Kristin, at that point, she was maybe 8 or 10 years old… She ended up working for me at Pine Hollow and took care of yearlings and did other things. We’ve been extremely close ever since. So, it’s kind of interesting. She once said something to me about doing [my Hall of Fame figurine] and I said, ‘I don’t care what it looks like, it doesn’t make a difference to me.’ The fact is, that if I was ever in a position to have one, you could put my head on backwards if you wanted to.”

As for his 20 Lexington yearlings, Boni highlighted Hip #70 Bay On The Beach.

“It’s a ‘Miki’ colt [out of Beach Gal] and the mare’s been a terrific producer,” Boni said. “I think he’s got an opportunity to be a pretty good horse.

“Another one that I have for Sergent Stable is McHungry [Hip #134]. He’s a brother to a Breeders Crown winner, and he’s a Stay Hungry. That’s something that would draw some interest and they raise a good horse. Their horses perform well.

Boni said he’s “anxious to see the reception that Captain Corey gets.” Northwood is selling Captain Corey colt Captain Dolittle, Hip #307.

“His brother [Father TJ is] a pretty good horse,” Boni said. “He’s made $160,000 this year and he was a very sharp colt also last year. He’ll be an interesting colt for somebody. I’d have to think anybody looking for one of them will give him some interest. He should be all right.”

Finally, Boni said he’s got strong hopes for Intisaar Mil, Hip #329. It is a Bar Hopping filly out of Frisky Magic.

“She’s a sister to a number of pretty good horses, but the 2-year-old filly this year was a very good horse, Princess Jackie – a Greenshoe filly.”