by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Harrisburg, PA — Chris Oakes and his owners got the job done Monday at the Standardbred Horse Sale.

Now the work begins.

Oakes purchased filly pacer Bodacious for owners Conrad and Linda Zurich for $355,000, the top figure during the opening day of the sale at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex. Bodacious was among three yearlings to hit at least $300,000, along with colt trotter Canepa Hanover and colt pacer Honey I’m Home.

Chris Oakes and Bodacious, who sold for $355,000 and was the sales topper during Monday’s opening session of the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg.

A total of 218 horses were sold Monday, with 39 — nearly 18 percent — selling for at least $100,000.

Oakes trains Bodacious’ full sister, Beach Body, for Conrad Zurich and Purple Haze Stables, so he was familiar with the family. Last month, Beach Body finished second in the Breeders Crown for 2-year-old filly pacers.

Bodacious is by the stallion Somebeachsomewhere out of the mare Silky. Her other siblings include stakes-winner Malicious and 2010 Sweetheart Pace runner-up Ms Malicious.

“I went to the farm and looked at her before she even came here to Harrisburg and we loved what we saw,” Oakes said. “She’s a great big, good-looking, very correct filly. I think this one here is an even better individual than Beach Body, so we sat down and decided we were going to go after her. Lucky for me, we got the job done.

“Thanks to the owners I’ve got, Conrad and Linda Zurich, they weren’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer. They got what they wanted and hopefully I can deliver the goods to them.

“If she’s anything like her sister, we’ll be OK.”

Jimmy Takter purchased Canepa Hanover for a price of $300,000.

Canepa Hanover, a son of stallion Muscle Hill out of the mare Cressida Hanover, is a half-brother to 2006 Horse of the Year Glidemaster and sold for $300,000 to Jimmy Takter.

“He’s a really nice colt,” Takter said. “According to a lot of people, he was a top-level colt in this sale. I’m happy to get him; he seems like a very pleasant horse to work with. He has a nice attitude and good gait and is really a top candidate. He’s really good moving; a nice, strong built colt.”

Honey I’m Home is a son of stallion Well Said out of the mare Sweet Future. He sold for $300,000 to John Cancelliere, who also owns siblings Bettor Sweet, Sweet Vengeance and Sweet Talkin Clyde. Bettor Sweet is a two-time Breeders Crown champion who earned $2.78 million lifetime.

The colt also is a half-brother to $2-million-earner Sweet Lou.

“He’s like family,” said Cancelliere, who will turn over the colt to his brother, trainer Tom Cancelliere. “There was no doubt he was coming home with us.”

Colt pacer Way Bay Hanover, a son of Somebeachsomewhere out of Western Duel, sold for $270,000 to Four Friends Racing. He is a half-brother to stakes-winner Westwardho Hanover and 2008 New York Sire Stakes final runner-up Woodstock Hanover. His dam is a half-sister to stakes-winner Popcorn Penny.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photos

Katniss was the highest-selling filly trotter, going for $260,000 to Mario Mazza.

Katniss was the highest-selling filly trotter, going for $260,000 to Mario Mazza. A daughter of stallion Credit Winner out of the mare Armbro Déjà Vu, she is a full sister to stakes-winner Dejarmbro. Her dam is a half-sister to stakes-winner Manofmanymissions.

“I like her family,” said trainer Francisco Del Cid, who teamed with Mazza to select the filly. “She’s out of a mare that year after year is producing good offspring. We went to look at her at the farm and we liked her. I pointed her out to Mario and he was determined to get her.

“She’s got good spirit, and that’s something I was looking at. I like her temperament and her size. She’s a medium size, perfect; not too big, not too small. We’re pretty happy about it. I’m happy that he has confidence in me.”

This year’s opening day saw 218 horses sell for an average of $65,124, an increase of 21.3 percent over last year when 239 horses sold for an average of $53,684.

“The sale is strong; it’s not cheap,” Takter said. “If you like your horse, you’re going to end up paying a lot of money. It seems like everybody liked the same horses, basically.”

Trotting fillies topped the average sale prices, with 31 going for an average of $74,129, and trotters overall sold for an average of $67,286 — an increase of 48.3 percent over last year’s average of $45,358. Colt trotters sold for an average of $64,119, a hike of 57.6 percent from $40,683 in 2012.

Sixty-eight pacing colts sold for an average of $73,375, a dip of 4.9 percent from last year’s average of $76,994, but still well above the 2011 average of $59,526.

Filly pacers, though, saw a 42 percent jump in average sale price, from $35,373 last year to 50,260 this year.

The sale resumes at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Below is a list of the $100,000-plus yearlings sold during Monday’s session.

Hip-Name-Sex-Sire-Dam-Price
194–Bodacious–Filly–Somebeachsomewhere-Silky–$355,000
Half-sister to Malicious (1:50.1f; $780,859) and Ms Malicious (1:51.4f; $351,963); full sister to Beach Body (1:53.1f; $280,609)

89–Canepa Hanover–Colt–Muscle Hill-Cressida Hanover–$300,000
Half-brother to 2006 Horse of the Year Glidemaster (1:51.1; $1.96 million)

202–Honey I’m Home–Colt–Well Said-Sweet Future–$300,000
Half-brother to Bettor Sweet (1:47.2; $2.78 million) and Sweet Lou (1:47.4s; $2.04 million)

155–Way Bay Hanover–Colt–Somebeachsomewhere-Western Duel–$270,000
Half-brother to Westwardho Hanover (1:49.1f; $689,408), Woodstock Hanover (1:50.1f; $456,007) and Whackamole Hanover (1:49f; $439,896)

108–Katniss–Filly–Credit Winner–Armbro Deja Vu–$260,000
Full sister to Dejarmbro (1:52.2f; $1.13 million)

189–Fire Permit–Colt–Credit Winner-Amber Fire Hanover–$230,000
Dam is a half-sister to Spicy Wings (1:54.3f; $570,720)

164–Paparazzi Hanover–Colt–Well Said-Paula’s Best–$190,000
Half-brother to Pirouette Hanover (1:50.3; $608,759)

172–Lookslikeachpndale–Colt–Muscle Hill-Poster Pin Up–$185,000
Stakes-winning dam had a mark of 1:55.4f and earned $439,454

187–Off To Bed–Colt–Credit Winner-Satin Pillows–$185,000
Full brother to To Dream On (1:52.1; $975,395)

162–Peruski Hanover–Colt–Somebeachsomewhere-Paris Hanover–$180,000
Dam is a half-sister to Philos Hanover (1:49.3f; $523,246) and Panther Hanover (1:47.2; $367,877)

144–Hit The Hay–Filly–Kadabra-Bedtime Song–$160,000
Dam is a half-sister to Pampered Princess (1:53; $1.64 million)

186–Workout Warrior–Colt–Muscle Hill-Sabrina Hall–$160,000
Half-brother to He’s A Demon (1:53.1; $305,370)

82–Its Okay To Stare–Filly–Deweycheatumnhowe-Glide By–$155,000
Dam is a three-quarter sister to Maven (1:51.4h; $1.37 million) and half-sister to Lanson (1:51.3; $791,586)

106–Lady Winona–Filly–Credit Winner-Ladylind–$155,000
Full sister to Jezzy (1:55s; $834,240)

176–Wheels Ah Smokin–Colt–Muscles Yankee-Quick Credit–$155,000
Half-brother to Wheeling N Dealin (1:55s; $811,226)

222–Bring On The Beach–Colt–Mach Three-Wheres The Beach–$155,000
Full brother to 2008 Horse of the Year Somebeachsomewhere (1:46.4; $3.22 million)

61–Dreams Beachboy–Colt–Somebeachsomewhere-Dream-A-While–$150,000

70–Morning Blue Chip–Colt–Bettor’s Delight-BJ’s Sunshine–$150,000
Full brother to Fashion Delight (1:50.1s; $803,897)

116–Lovely Jan–Filly–Muscle Massive-Lotsa Love–$145,000
Dam is a half-sister to Malabar Man (1:53.1; $2.14 million)

175–Motleyjue Bluechip–Colt–Art Major-Fool That I Am–$145,000
Full brother to Feel Like A Fool (1:49.4; $933,986) and Fool Me Once (1:48.1s; $635,057)

149–Anwar Hanover–Colt–Well Said-Allamerican Nadia–$140,000
Half-brother to Rusty’s All In (1:50f; $481,589) and Apprentice Hanover (1:49.4f; $383,405)

158–Strong Sorceress–Filly–Kadabra-One Tough Lass–$140,000
Dam won 2008 Kentucky Filly Futurity

133–Class Included–Colt–Muscles Yankee-Yankee Blondie–$137,000
Full brother to 2009 Horse of the Year Muscle Hill (1:50.1; $3.27 million)

114–Raylan Givens–Colt–Rock N Roll Heaven-Lisheen–$135,000
Half-brother to Lis Mara (1:47.3; $2.14 million)

216–Azorean Art–Colt–Art Major-Dancin Barefoot–$135,000
Stakes-winning dam had mark of 1:51.4f and earned $219,147

107–Lilu Hanover–Filly–Andover Hall-Lady Luck Hanover–$130,000
Full sister to Luckycharm Hanover (1:52.2; $430,056)

151–Ideal Donato–Colt–Donato Hanover-New Ideal–$130,000
Half-brother to Kadealia (1:55.1s; $570,375)

183–Arque Hanover–Colt–Rock N Roll Heaven-A Pippin Hanover–$130,000
Dam is a half-sister to Appleoosa Hanover (1:52.1s; $468,725)

200–Gold Beach–Filly–Somebeachsomewhere-Sunone–$130,000
Three-quarter brother to Smashbox (1:51.4s; $426,282)

62–Late Night–Colt–Art Major-Dreamland’s Jo Jo–$125,000
Half-brother to Real Nice (1:51.1h; $1.24 million)

227–Hard Rock Deo–Colt–Rocknroll Hanover-Worldly Beauty–$125,000
Full brother to World Of Rocknroll (1:50.3s; $338,561)

14–Raptureblisterburn–Filly–Conway Hall-Lady Marian–$120,000
Half-brother to Possessed Fashion (1:53.4; $314,272)

59–Day Man Hanover–Colt–Credit Winner-Dornello–$120,000
Half-brother to Lauderdale (1:54.1s; $217,535)

79–Sacreligulous–Colt–Credit Winner-Religulous–$120,000

168–Taiya Hanover–Filly–Rock N Roll Heaven–Trim Hanover–$120,000
Half-sister to American Jewel (1:48.2s; $1.84 million)

213–Penji Hanover–Colt–Art Major-Platinum Hanover–$120,000
Dam is a half-sister to Philos Hanover (1:49.3f; $523,246) and Panther Hanover (1:47.2; $367,877)

177–Can’t Wait Hanover–Colt–Somebeachsomewhere-Carolina Angel–$110,000
Dam is a full sister to Knock Three Times (1:51; $645,922)

204–Tady’s Legacy–Colt–Muscle Hill-Tady’s Comer–$110,000
Half-brother to Hez Striking (1:52.3s; $1 million) and Tady Strikes Again (1:54f; $585,681)

104–Rocknroll Katie–Filly–Rocknroll Hanover-Kutekatie–$100,000
Dam is a full sister to Kikikatie (1:50.3; $1.26 million) and Just Wait Kate (1:50.4; $387,931)