Filly’s two ‘moms’ produce winners
November 6, 2014,by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Ken Weingartner
Freehold, NJ — When it comes to her family, yearling filly pacer A List Hanover is related to some of harness racing’s top talent.
Her dam, Allamerican Nadia, was a Breeders Crown champion and A List Hanover’s relatives include full brother Apprentice Hanover, a multiple stakes winner, as well as Allamerican Native, who received the 2002 Dan Patch Award for best 2-year-old male pacer. Her sire, Somebeachsomewhere, was 2008 Horse of the Year.
But A List Hanover’s a-list connections go beyond the pedigree page. A List Hanover was raised at Hanover Shoe Farms by “nanny mare” Lilting Laughter following the death of Allamerican Nadia in April 2013. The 24-year-old Lilting Laughter has nurtured two other “adopted children,” the first of which was Uffizi Hanover.
Uffizi Hanover, a daughter of Well Said-Up Front Dragonfly and $100,000 yearling purchase in 2012, won the 2013 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old female pacers and has earned $699,752 for trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband.
A List Hanover sold for $145,000 during the first session of this week’s Standardbred Horse Sale. She was purchased by the Andy Miller Stable as agent for owner Mario Mazza.
“I liked her conformation a lot,” Miller said. “She had a lot of leg under her; I was really happy with her. Obviously, there’s a great pedigree there. It’s a lot (of money) to give for one, but I think she could be one of the top ones next year.
“Hopefully we’ll have a little luck.”
If so, Lilting Laughter will have played a vital role. A daughter of Nihilator, Lilting Laughter was the biological mother of standout McArdle, who earned $2.45 million during his racing career. McArdle has gone on to sire four millionaires so far, including One More Laugh and McWicked.
Lilting Laughter produced her final foal in 2007.
“When we bring her into the stall where the orphan is, we let them get acquainted a little bit,” Hanover Shoe Farms veterinarian Dr. Courtney Pink said in the book Standardbred Old Friends, which features a story about Lilting Laughter and is available at the Harness Racing Museum gift shop at the Harrisburg sale. “Her ears are always up; she’s nickering toward the foal. She wants to get next to the foal. She just loves them.
“She’s such a good mother and takes care of these foals so well, it’s like they’re her own. She’s doing a wonderful thing and it’s something for which we can never thank her enough.”
- Brooklyn Hill at $390,000 tops opening session in Harrisburg (Monday, November 03, 2014)
Buying a yearling is just one step in the process of getting a racehorse, or perhaps more accurately getting a horse to the races, as trainer Jonas Czernyson is well aware. Czernyson, acting on behalf of Swedish interests, bought colt trotter Brooklyn Hill for a sales-topping $390,000 at the opening day of the Standardbred Horse Sale on Monday.
- Tailgunner Hanover is a ‘miracle baby’ (Tuesday, November 04, 2014)
When trainer Ray Schnittker looked at yearling pacer Tailgunner Hanover, he saw a resemblance to half-brother Riggins. Schnittker trained Riggins, who earned $924,758 during a stakes-winning career. But the fact he saw anything at all was something of a miracle.
- Smedshammer, Svanstedt are busy during second session at Harrisburg (Tuesday, November 04, 2014)
Trond Smedshammer bought only two horses during Monday’s opening round of the Standardbred Horse Sale, but came away with eight in the second session. Smedshammer was not alone in increasing his productivity Tuesday. Trainer Ake Svanstedt signed for seven horses in the second session, including the day’s sales topper, colt trotter Gotalottacredit, who sold for $225,000.
- Numbers improve on Wednesday at Harrisburg (Wednesday, November 05, 2014)
Through the close of sales on Wednesday, the cumulative yearling average at the Standardbred Horse Sale made up some ground from losses against 2013 as the average of all horses sold is down about 5.1 percent. However, comparing Wednesday against Wednesday from last year to this, the day was up about 5.1 percent, which helped make up ground from the previous two days.
- Fair Winds Farm keeps it in the family (Thursday, November 06, 2014)
The Conway Hall–Talktalktalk filly named Time To Talk sold from the Fair Winds Farm consignment for $75,000 on Thursday at the Standardbred Horse Sale.
- Keeping it in the family for Thursday sales toppers (Friday, November 07, 2014)
The two highest priced fillies in Thursday’s (Nov. 6) Standardbred Horse Sale, one trotter and one pacer, grew up about a mile from each other in western Monmouth County, New Jersey. They were together again atop the leaderboard.