by Charlene Polk, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Charlene Polk

Frankford, DE — Word of mouth can go a long way, especially when it involves a bargain.

Delaware breeders Andrew Markano and Laurie Stark have found out just how valuable it can be, as the success of two young trotters has put their stallion on the map. The trotting stallion Linbo (Lindy Lane-Jambo Nicolle), who stands at their farm in Frankford, Del., has already seen an increase in mares in his breeding shed in the weeks following the top finishes of progeny T P Lucy and Bakermill Blake in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund races.

“He’s getting popular now because he’s proven,” Stark said. “We’re not a Winbak, we don’t advertise. It’s just through word of mouth.”

Of course word travels fast when offspring such as the 3-year-old T P Lucy win $100,000 races, as the chestnut filly did at Dover Downs April 8, with her victory in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) final for 3-year-old filly trotters. The daughter of Linbo-Fastreena set her mark of 1:58.1f in that event. She now has earnings of $83,500 from just six lifetime starts, five of which have been victories. T P Lucy will be looking to add to those totals when she takes to the track on Sunday at Harrington Raceway in another $20,000 DSBF leg.

While T P Lucy may have stood out in the filly division, Bakermill Blake, who made more than $72,000 and set a track record for 2-year-old trotters at Harrington last year, was a strong contender among the trotting colts. He had a win and a second in the preliminary DSBF legs this spring with a second place finish in the April 8 final. He will also be racing this Sunday in DSBF action at Harrington.

Fotowon photo

T P Lucy was a 1:58.1 winner in the $100,000 DSBF Final on April 8 at Dover Downs.

Stark credits the success of both Bakermill Blake and T P Lucy for generating interest in Linbo, who at the moment has just 14 registered foals. This year alone, however, the Lindy Lane stallion has already bred 12 mares and has more on the way.

She says it’s too early to tell which mares cross best with the stallion, as his oldest foals are 3-year-olds, but that considering owners bred their lesser quality mares to him his first year at stud things could only get better.

“Just think if he gets some good mares!” Stark said.

She added that because CR Commando offspring had dominated the trotting ranks in Delaware in recent years, there were quite a few breeders who had CR Commando mares that they planned to breed to Linbo.

Another point in Linbo’s favor is his affordability — his stud fee is currently $750. The stallion is only bred live cover, however, as that keeps costs down for everyone involved.

“We said we’d keep it low for those who were good to us when we were nobody,” Stark said.

Stark added that Linbo, a bay, has had some beautiful, and colorful, foals.

“He throws a pretty baby,” Stark said. “A lot of white. When T P Lucy was born they thought she was a paint.”

Linbo was bred by Leroy Johnson and Donna Hardin in Maryland. Maryland trainer Jim Brittingham purchased him as a yearling for $8,500 in 2001.

After a few more changes in ownership Markano was given the horse on the condition that the previous owner could breed his two mares to him. Even after he began breeding mares in 2005 though, Linbo continued racing, making $18,624 in 2006 and $10,130 in 2007. Overall, Linbo made $118,590 on the track and took a mark of 1:56.4f as a 3-year-old.

Stark said that Linbo continued to show his class as a stallion.

“He’s such a nice horse,” she said. “You could breed a mare and then put him on the jogger next to another horse and he wouldn’t do anything. He’s wonderful.”