How Did the Trotting Sires Fare at the Lexington Selected Sale?

Muscle Hill sold 23 more yearlings at this year’s Lexington Selected Sale than he did last year—for a total of 49. As a result he grossed $2.4 million more, as he upped his average by an impressive $16,000 to $86,306. One third of his offering brought at least $100,000, with a half—brother to Father Patrick selling for $350,000 and three other colts and a filly topping $200,000. There were no two or three hundred thousand dollar sales for him in Lexington last year, but he did move three colts and four fillies for more than $100,000 each at that sale. 80% of this year’s group brought at least $50,000, up from 61% in 2014. And remember that this group is still saddled with a New Jersey sire stakes affiliation. Only 21 will be for sale in Harrisburg. World record holders Southwind Frank and Mission Brief are his 2015 headliners.

Cantab Hall sold 48 yearlings in Lexington, one less than rival Muscle Hill, but he grossed more than $1.4 million less and averaged $28,000 less for his large offering. Cantab also sold a colt for $350,000, a half-brother to Muscle Massive and Muscle Mass. He also got $310,000 for a half-sister to Muscle Hill. And another filly and a colt topped $200,000. To no avail, he was crushed by Muscle Hill. 34% of Cantab’s yearlings topped $50,000, while 80% of Muscle Hill’s did. It’s not that the 14-year-old son of Self Possessed had a bad sale, it’s just that the competition from above was so fierce. As is the case with Muscle Hill, this crop numbers more than a hundred. Seventeen colts and 21 fillies will sell in Harrisburg. He’ll get quite a boost there. Cantab ranks third on the all age list and fifth on both the two and three-year old lists. There is no Father Patrick out there this year. Wild Honey is his queen.

Credit Winner is next. Three of his sons have won the Yonkers Trot but none have taken the Hambletonian or Kentucky Futurity. Archangel is probably his most high profile son from the recent past; he went fast but didn’t win much in the open realm. The eighteen-year-old son of American Winner makes most of his money in the NYSS; he’s third behind Conway Hall and his son, RC Royalty, in the 2YO class and second to Conway in the three-year-old group. Last year a full brother to Archangel fetched $355,000 and a half-sister to Trixton sold for $320,000. This time four, a colt and three fillies, sold for more than $100,000. 42% brought $50,000 or more, just like last year. His average for 38 sold was more than $51,000, down almost $19,000 from 2014 when he sold 33. Twenty-two colts and 13 fillies will sell in Harrisburg.

The 2012 HOY, Chapter Seven, made quite a splash with his initial offering; 26 of them averaged $61,000. Five colts, or 18% of his group, topped the $100,000 mark, with a pair selling for more than $200,000.  The grandson of Conway Hall will sell 31 more in Harrisburg.

Donato Hanover didn’t set off any fireworks in Lexington. He sold 26 for a $39,769 average, down $11,000 from his average for 39 sold last year, when it was up by 15%. Only one topped $100,000 and a weak 35% brought $50,000 or more. Donato, known more for his fillies than his colts, has the top freshman trotting filly, Broadway Donna. And D’One, who just won the Allerage Mare, is battling BAM for the lead role in that group. Donato will sell 41 yearlings back home in Pennsylvania. The results will be much better.

Yankee Glide’s son Milligan’s School won splits of the Bluegrass and ISS at The Red Mile and daughter Ultimate Shopper won a division of the latter. The 21-year-old son of Valley Victory has seen his fee cut in half since 2011 but he sold 30 for an average of $30,500. That’s $12,000 less than he averaged for 30 sold last year. Are you picking up a pattern here? A full-brother to All Laid Out brought $150,000 and a full-sister to Peter Haughton winner, Aperfectyankee, sold for $130,000. Still, 67% brought $25,000 or less; that was 41% in 2014.

Explosive Matter averaged about the same for a small offering. Only two of the 15 sold, or 13%, topped $50,000, and 47% failed to top $25,000. Apparently Pinkman hasn’t impressed the buyers. The son of Cantab Hall will sell 19 colts and 21 fillies on his home turf during the first week of November. I’m sure the results will be much better.

Kadabra lost $18,000 on his average for 13 sold, in contrast to 19 in 2014. He’ll sell 20 in Harrisburg. 31% of the small offering brought more than $50,000. These yearlings are from a small crop. His daughter Caprice Hill and son Tony Soprano won the OSS Super Finals for 2YO trotters the other night.

Dewey sold 14, up from 10 a year ago. And his average rose $6,000 to $19,571. His daughter Second Sister won an OSS Super Final on Saturday. Last year 90% of the Deweys at this sale failed to top $25,000. This year that dropped to $71 %. Maybe New York will agree with him.

Last year Lucky Chucky saw his average plummet by 43%, thanks in no small part to the $450,000 the Cancellieres paid for a half to Muscle Mass and Muscle Massive the previous year. This time it was down even more than that as it dropped $16,000 to $13,857. None of them topped $50,000 and 86% failed to exceed $25,000.

Joe FitzGerald