by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Harrisburg, PA — Ken Jacobs was a bit weary at the end of Tuesday’s (Nov. 8) nearly nine-hour session of the Standardbred Horse Sale, but he was satisfied with the outcome.

Casual Cool was the highest-priced yearling in the second session, selling for $165,000 to Ken Jacobs.

Jacobs purchased six horses during day two of the sale, including the session’s highest-priced yearling, American Ideal-sired pacing colt Casual Cool for $165,000. Jacobs also bought American Ideal-sired filly Prospect Blue Chip ($55,000) and Chapter Seven-sired trotters Purple Iron ($100,000), Petrovic Blue Chip ($95,000), Seven Karats ($75,000) and Comesevencomeleven ($50,000).

“They were all very expensive; I have good taste,” Jacobs joked after his $540,000 spending spree. “I’m tired, it was a long day, but I’m very happy with it. I planned my work and I worked my plan and my plan worked perfectly. I got all the horses I wanted to get.”

After a strong opening session, the Standardbred Horse Sale continued to show gains compared to last year. A total of 479 horses sold for an average of $53,322 through two days this year compared to 650 horses selling for an average of $39,396 in 2015. Monday’s opening session was 41 percent better than last year while the two-day average is 35 percent better.

The two-day average also is 14 percent better than 2014 ($46,748) and up nearly 6 percent from 2013 ($50,426).

“We’re very happy,” Standardbred Horse Sales Company President and CEO Pete Spears said. “We think the sale continued very strong after a fantastic sale yesterday. There was still a great deal of enthusiasm. We had a number of $100,000 horses. I still had many people coming up to me saying they hadn’t been able to buy yet, they’d been shut out. We’re very optimistic that tomorrow will be strong as well.”

Although the sale failed to see a horse sell in excess of $200,000 on the second day — a level that was topped on the second day in recent years — there were a total of 19 yearlings to sell for at least $100,000.

“To be honest, if we sold any for $200,000 today they were misplaced because we wanted those kinds of horses the first day,” Spears said. “The bottom line is right now we’re very, very happy. We have momentum going into tomorrow and a lot of people still need to buy.”

Casual Cool is a son of American Ideal out of the mare Sight To See. Second dam Grand Lady is the dam of O’Brien Award winner Glowing Report as well as stakes-winners Perfect Union and Must See.

“I liked everything about him,” Jacobs said. “His video was unbelievable, his conformation, his family. I knew he was going to be high priced because the video was fantastic, so everyone else liked him. I tried to destroy the video but I couldn’t. They wouldn’t let me.”

Jacobs, who has enjoyed success with pacers in the past and recently began purchasing trotters, returned to sire Chapter Seven when looking at trotters in Harrisburg. Last year, Jacobs bought Chapter Seven-sired Walner, who this season has won seven of eight races including the Breeders Crown and trotted a world-record 1:51.3.

“I don’t know if I can get another (Walner) but I’ll try,” Jacobs said. “It’s hard to duplicate that, but I’ll try to do whatever I can to try to find another one.”

USTA/Ken Weingartner photos

Uvie Hanover was the day’s top-selling trotter, going for $150,000.

Uvie Hanover, a trotting filly by Kadabra out of the mare Upfront OB’s Janet, was the day’s top-selling trotter, going for $150,000 to Serge Godin’s Determination stable. Uvie Hanover’s 2-year-old half-sister Onda Su won a Bluegrass Stakes division this season.

“She is a high caliber filly,” said Luc Blais, who will train the filly. “Her conformation was very good. I liked everything about her. She looks like a very strong filly. She is beautiful, beautiful. That’s why we like her.”

Pacing yearlings from the family of Dan Patch Award-winner Sweet Lou sold for $150,000 on back-to-back trips to the auction ring.

Nutcracker Sweet, a son of Bettor’s Delight out of the mare Sweet Future, was the first one through and was purchased by agent Bjorn “Bernie” Noren. Sweet Future is the dam of Sweet Lou as well as two-time Breeders Crown champion Bettor Sweet, who like Nutcracker Sweet was sired by Bettor’s Delight.

Next up was Youaremycandygirl, whose second dam is Sweet Future. Youaremycandygirl is a daughter of American Ideal out of the mare Sweet Lady Jane. She was purchased by Bill Donovan.

Muscle Hill-sired yearlings continue to top the trotting averages, with 20 horses selling for an average of $156,150. Chapter Seven is next with 14 horses averaging $70,000 followed by Cantab Hall with 33 horses averaging $69,697.

Somebeachsomewhere-sired yearlings lead the pacing averages, with 58 horses selling for an average of $76,241. American Ideal was second, with 26 horses going for an average of $59,615.

The Standardbred Horse Sale resumes at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex. It is the final session of yearling offerings, with the two-day mixed sale starting Thursday.

More information on the sale may be found at www.theblackbook.com.

Day Two Top 10
Hip–Sex–Gait–Name–Sire–Dam–Buyer–Consignor–Price
221-C-P-Casual Cool-American Ideal-Sight To See-Ken Jacobs-Fair Winds Farm-$165,000
252-C-P-Nutcracker Sweet–Bettor’s Delight-Sweet Future-Bjorn Noren, agent-Concord Stud Farm, agent-$150,000
253-F-P-Youaremycandygirl-American Ideal-Sweet Lady Jane-Bill Donovan-Concord Stud Farm, agent-$150,000
491-F-T-Uvie Hanover-Kadabra-Upfront Ob’s Janet-Determination-Hanover Shoe Farms-$150,000
412-C-P-P Livi Blue Chip-American Ideal-Fox Valley Shaker-Richard Hill-Blue Chip Farms, agent-$145,000
304-C-T-Spee Club-Cantab Hall-Almond Joy-Eugene Kurzrok-Concord Stud Farm, agent-$135,000
232-C-P-Somestory Hanover-Well Said-Someheartsomewhere-Jimmy Takter, agent-Hanover Shoe Farms-$120,000
383-F-T-Sweet On You-Kadabra-Dynamite Honey-Reijo Liljendahl-Peninsula Farm, agent-$120,000
310-C-P-Shadow Of Lindy-Shadow Play-Antoinette Hanover-Jack Darling-Preferred Equine Mkt., agent-$110,000
285-F-P-Rich Tradition-Somebeachsomewhere-Classical Yankee-Chris Oakes-All American Harnessbreds-$105,000
394-F-T-Eunice-Chapter Seven-Filly At Bigs-Chris Oakes-Preferred Equine Mkt., agent-$105,000