by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Harrisburg, PA — 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.

Paul F. “Pete” Spears, CEO of the Sales company, has no clear indication of the soft spots in the market.

“We picked up a little bit of ground today, not enough to make up for the first two days, but it was stronger today. We do have certain consigners that like to backload their consignments and obviously it’s not a usual thing to have a $200,000 filly sell on Wednesday (hip No. 751, High Fashion Model, Western Terror–Makes You Wonder, bought by John Como Jr. from the All American Harnessbred consignment) so it’s an example of that.

“I’ve been walking around and asking people what they think of the sale and many people have said to me that they’re scratching their heads, too. Certain horses that were going to bring too much money for them — so they didn’t bother to look at — suddenly they’re bargains, but because they didn’t look at them, they didn’t bid. Other horses that they wanted to go after they suddenly found they couldn’t touch, so it’s been a very schizophrenic sale.

“I think we kind of obsess a little too much about average some times and I think that’s part of the reason we are so focused on the average of each and every single day. When I talk to people, they’re still looking for horses and as I say some are still puzzled. Some of them have told me they’re going to intensely re-review tomorrow in more detail because of what has happened to them, so they don’t overlook a good horse tomorrow.”

Wednesday’s yearlings averaged $20,156 overall against $19,170 last year. Trotting fillies dropped a bit from last year, averaging $17,220 against $19,663 in 2013, while the trotting colts moved a bit ahead with an average of $22,946 against $21,527 in ’13.

On the pacing side, colts this year averaged $20,584 but last year were $21,336. Buoyed by the $200,000 High Fashion Model sale, the average for pacing fillies was $17,320 this year and $15,250 last year.

Comparative Sales Stats–Day Three
Year-Gait/Sex-No. Sold-Gross-Average
2014-Pacing Colts-59-$1,214,500-$20,584
2013-Pacing Colts-70-$1,493,500-$21,336
2014-Pacing Fillies-81-$1,403,000-$17,320
2013-Pacing Fillies-80-$1,220,000-$15,250
2014-Trotting Colts-75-$1,721,000-$22,946
2013-Trotting Colts-56-$1,205,500-$21,527
2014-Trotting Fillies-59-$1,1016,00-$17,220
2013-Trotting Fillies-62-$1,218,500-$19,663

2014 Totals-275-$5,541,500-$20,150
2013 Totals-268-$5,137,500-$19,170

Cumulative Totals
Year-Gait/Sex-No. Sold-Gross-Average
2014-Pacing Colts-210-$9,045,000-$43,071
2013-Pacing Colts-222-$10,273,500-$46,277
2014-Pacing Fillies-217-$6,460,000-$29,770
2013-Pacing Fillies-215-$6,307,000-$29,335
2014-Trotting Colts-205-$8,933,000-$43,576
2013-Trotting Colts-187-$8,335,500-$44,575
2014-Trotting Fillies-177-$6,089,500-$34,404
2013-Trotting Fillies-161-$6,292,000-$39,081

2014 Totals-810-$30,551,500-$37,718
2013 Totals-785-$31,208,000-$39,753

DAY 3 – TOP 20
Hip-Sex-Gait-Name-Sire-Dam-Buyer-Price
751-F-P-High Fashion Model-Western Terror-Makes You Wonder-John Como Jr.-$200,000
739-C-T-All Time Lindy-Cantab Hall-Love To Lindy-Brixton Medical-$130,000
568-F-T-Pizza Queen-Credit Winner-Armbro Domino-Noel Daley-$100,000
832-C-P-McPhil-McArdle-Philadelphia-Ed James-$90,000
775-F-T-Alamos-Conway Hall-Misty Ridge-Steven Pratt-$75,000
622-F-T-Kindly Reminder-Kadabra-Friendly Persuader-Yves Filion-$67,000
724-C-T-Don Lindy-Crazed-Lindy’s Madonna-Marco Folli-$65,000
736-C-P-Love Tap Hanover-Big Bad John-Love Lace Mindale-Mark Harder-$60,000
651-C-T-Conway Cloud-Conway Hall-Headintheclouds-Chris Oakes-$57,000
657-F-T-Sylvia Express-Conway Hall-Hernameissylvia-David Spagnola, agent-$55,000
759-F-P-Megaball Hanover-Western Terror-Mary Mattgalane-Jerry Silva-$55,000
687-C-T-I Mean Business-Swan For All-Kalibrated-Denise Dennis-$50,000
731-C-T-Lean Hanover-Donato Hanover-Lives Like A Queen-PC Wellwood Ent.-$50,000
839-C-T-Password Hanover-Cantab Hall-Playwood-William Zendt-$50,000
794-C-P-Costume Cruiser-Yankee Cruiser-Native Costume-Ron Desyllas-$46,000
822-C-P-Orly Hanover-Somebeachsomewhere-Ozmopolitan-Geoff Lyons-$45,000
660-C-P-Numerouno Bluechip-Art Major-Ichiban Blue Chip-Linda Toscano, agent-$42,000
758-C-T-Millbrook Hanover-Muscle Massive-Mary Ana Hanover-Ake Svanstedt-$42,000
786-F-T-Nookie Blue Chip-Explosive Matter-Up Front Hotsey-Reijo Liljendahl-$42,000
629-F-T-Night Watch-Credit Winner-Giulie Bi-Andy Miller, agent-$40,000
649-C-P-Nvestment Bluechip-Shadow Play-Haze’s Zure Bet-Dave Menary-$40,000
680-F-T-Jinx-Muscles Yankee-Jodi’s Jayme-Doug Hurhins-$40,000
761-C-T-Nahuel Blue Chip-Credit Winner-Mathers Ginger-Linda Schaefer-$40,000
783-C-T-Craziville-Crazed-Musclelini-Ted Gewertz-$40,000
811-C-T-Marty De Vie-Explosive Matter-On Broadway De Vie-Todd Buter-$40,000

Pizza Queen sells for $100,000

The pizza was timed just right, according to Carter Duer, proprietor of Peninsula Farm, whose consignment includes the $100,000 Credit Winner–Armbro Domino filly, Pizza Queen, hip No. 568.

The six figure sales price is an outlier for Wednesday, when yearlings are generally more modestly priced than Monday and Tuesday. Noel Daley signed the sales slip on the February 22 foal.

Cira Giunti photo

Pizza Queen sold for $100,000 on Wednesday at the Standardbred Horse Sale.

“Her mother hadn’t really done anything and she had one go to Russia (multiple European stakes winner Betterthancheckers). I guess that’s the reason she was there (Wednesday),” said Duer. “I’d just as soon have her there than somewhere else. She was better (priced) today than she would have been Monday. She had a great video and she’s very correct — and just a great video — that was it.”

For Duer, age 75, the return to routine farm tasks like videotaping yearlings was not a foregone conclusion after a car accident in June.

“We didn’t video until the Lexington sale and I was there then, but I was in the hospital for seven weeks in Virginia. I had surgery in Norfolk, Va., and I was there about 10 or 12 days then to rehab. I’m still doing rehab, but I got a week off this week.

“I broke this (his right, still splinted) arm, I’ve got a plate from my elbow to my wrist. I broke this (right) hip and this (right) femur and I’ve got a rod going down my leg and I broke some ribs on this (left) side, but I’m doing OK. The ribs were OK after about two and a half weeks.”

Shopping with Dave Menary — what he doesn’t want watching him

Two years ago, Dave Menary got the bargain of a lifetime at Harrisburg when he bought the eventual $1.1 million winner He’s Watching for a mere $3,000. He’s shopping again this year, but without the illusion that there’s another $3,000 millionaire to be found.

“I just take it by the right situation,” he said. “I wouldn’t try to make a living buying $3,000 horses. You’re going to go broke pretty quick, but that one (He’s Watching) worked out.”

Compromises have to be made when shopping in that price range and Menary said he made concessions for He’s Watching.

“Size. He had a great foot and back end on him. He had a great pedigree. I didn’t think he was a $3,000 colt, he wasn’t on my short list, I pegged him at $25,000-$30,000. I wasn’t looking for a June (birthday), New York sired colt, but when I saw him in the ring, I thought they’d brought out the wrong horse. I actually had to make two bids, but I owned him at $3,000.

“The only two things I won’t take are a horse that’s back at the knees and I don’t want to train any walleyed horses,” he added, referring to horses with white around their eye. “It doesn’t affect them, but it gives me a bad feeling every day. They don’t get a fair start from the beginning, so I try to just stay away. I think they’re always looking at me the wrong way.”