by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Harrisburg, PA — Trainer Greg Peck would like to see history repeat itself.

Three years ago, Peck and owner Tom Pontone found success with trotter Muscle Hill. The horse, purchased for $55,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale, went on to win 20 of 21 career races and earn $3.27 million. He was the 2009 Horse of the Year.

Yankee Bluegenes sold for $205,000 during the opening session of the Standardbred Horse Sale.

On Monday, Peck and Pontone teamed up again on a trotter. This time it was a colt named Yankee Bluegenes, a son of Muscles Yankee-Vernon Blue Chip. He is a full brother to stakes winners Blue Mac Lad, Blue York Yankee and Dodger Blues, in addition to being a half brother to stakes winner Self Obsessed.

The winning bid was $205,000, which was the second highest price of the day through the first half of Monday’s results at the Standardbred Horse Sale.

“Tommy Pontone liked him,” Peck said. “He had him marked in his book. We’ve had great luck when the two of us get together. With Muscle Hill, we met in the restaurant the night before and the next day we went in and bought him. We bumped into each other again today. I hadn’t seen him in a few days. I had him in my book and away we went and we bought him. So it was a good thing.

“He’s a very nice horse. I’m thrilled to have him, I really am.”

USTA/Ken Weingartner photos

Swan Hot Mama was hammered down for a bid of $255,000.

The sales topper through the first half of Monday’s sale was filly trotter Swan Hot Mama, who was purchased for $255,000 by Diamond Creek Farm. She is a daughter of Donato Hanover out of the mare Swan Lake. She is a three-quarter sister to stakes winners Swan For All and Swan In A Million and half sister to stakes winners Swan Image and Magic Swan.

“We own Swan In A Million and Swan For All and have had good luck with them,” Diamond Creek Farm’s Adam Bowden said. “This was the first filly out of the mare, so we thought we would take a chance. If she doesn’t make it as a racehorse, she’s worth that much as a broodmare.

“That’s the main goal. If racing works out, great. But if not, we have a decent broodmare. It’s hard to go wrong. The mare is 5-for-5.”

Through the first 130 hip numbers, 15 sold for more than $100,000.

Filly trotter Order By Dream (Credit Winner-Fabulous Kemp) sold for $175,000 to the Lindy Racing Stable. She is the first foal out of Fabulous Kemp, who is a daughter of Emilie Cas El.

Emilie Cas El was Canada’s 1994 Horse of the Year and is the mother of 2010 Breeders Crown winner Impressive Kemp and 2009 World Trotting Derby winner Highscore Kemp, in addition to being a full sister to standout trotters Conway Hall, Angus Hall and Andover Hall.

Colt pacer Big Easy sold for $165,000 to John Butenschoen. He is a son of Rocknroll Hanover-Mississippi River.