by Joshua Potts, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Springfield, IL — It’s not easy being a small-crop sire. Breeding limited books of mares means a limited number of chances for their progeny to succeed on the racetrack. With small numbers of racing offspring, it can be hard for a small-crop sire to get the recognition they might otherwise deserve.

In Illinois, there are two sires that are doing a lot with very few opportunities: the pacing stallion Ideal Towne and the trotting stallion American Native. Both are having the type of success that is usually reserved for bigger name studs.

The oldest of Ideal Towne’s offspring are 2-year-olds, with 16 registered foals hitting the ground in 2005. Only 15 registered foals hit the ground in 2006.

Four Footed Fotos

Omaha Survivor was a 1:52.1 winner in the Fox Valley Dynamic Final at Hawthorne.

Omaha Survivor is currently the top Ideal Towne in training today. Bred by Dennis Pietranduono of Evergreen Park, Ill., this talented colt is out of the Real Artist mare R N Labelle. Omaha Survivor made a big splash on August 4 as part of Hawthorne Racecourse’s Night of Champions, winning the $71,500 Fox Valley Dynamic Final in a track record 1:52.1.

But that freshman wasn’t the only Ideal Towne to win on the August 4 card at Hawthorne. Also bred by Pietranduono (along with Dick Elmore), the filly Townes Party Girl won the Broadway Tax Consolation in a nifty 1:55.3. She is out of the Sportsmaster mare Third Party.

Pietranduono and Elmore, of Orland Park, Ill., own Ideal Towne and currently stand him at Cottonwood Farm in Big Rock, Ill. They raced him during the final two seasons of his very successful racing career, and thought he would make a good sire. And so far, they’re enjoying every minute of it.

“I enjoy the breeding part much more (than racing),” said Pietranduono. “I love the farm, being around the mares and the babies. It’s priceless. Out of the few babies we’ve had, they got put into good hands. We’ve been lucky. And Cottonwood does a great job.”

USTA/Ed Keys photo

Ideal Towne banked $753,937 in his racing career.

Elmore is not only co-owner of Ideal Towne, but he is a part-owner of Townes Party Girl as well. He sees some of her sire in the filly.

“(Townes Party Girl) shows his 2-year-old speed,” said Elmore. “She wasn’t staked to much, so we shut her down for now. We’re going to let her fill out. She carries her speed well, but we can’t supplement. So she’s done for the season.”

Rita Williams, who along with her husband Rod make up Double RW Farm, remembers Omaha Survivor and Townes Party Girl when they were babies boarding at her farm.

“As babies, we were pleased with their disposition and nature,” recalled Williams. “Townes Party Girl had a mind of her own, but they both had good manners. We felt both were really good-gaited. They were two really nice yearlings. They both showed determination and attitude and were very willing to do whatever we asked. They caught on quickly. We ask a lot of the babies, and we were pleased with how they both handled it. They had the kind of attitude that Ideal Towne had. Both had size to them and both had nice confirmation.”

The offspring of trotter American Native are also enjoying a good bit of success. The oldest of the stallion’s progeny are 3-year-olds, with seven registered foals hitting the ground in 2004. Only four foals were registered in 2005, while six did the same in 2006.

American Native’s top offspring is the talented 3-year-old filly J C Josie. She won the Fox Valley Diva Stakes, was second in this year’s State Fair Colt Stakes Final, and was seventh, but only beaten 3-3/4 lengths by this year’s Hambletonian Oaks winner, Danae, in the $150,000 American-National at Balmoral Park last Saturday, August 25. Her career earnings currently stand at $64,757, but they could’ve been more.

Balmoral Park photo

J C Josie was a 1:58.2 winner in the Fox Valley Diva.

J C Josie is trained and driven by Homer Hochstetler. His wife, Connie Hochstetler, is the owner of American Native. She, of course, was eagerly watching the American-National, and was all-too-aware of the misfortune that occurred.

“Her tire was flattened at the three-quarter pole,” said Connie Hochstetler. “She raced on the rim the final quarter.”

As a result, J C Josie kicked the final quarter in :28.4 chasing the likes of Danae, Possess The Magic, and Falls For You. Very impressive, considering the circumstances.

When asked if the speedy sophomore reminds Connie of her sire, the proud owner of American Native did not hesitate.

“She looks exactly like her dad. A spitting image.”

American Native has other talented progeny as well. As a 2-year-old, Maple Grove Native won the 2006 State Fair Colt Stakes Final for filly trotters. Unfortunately, she was injured earlier this spring, and has not been heard from much in 2007.

USTA/Ed Keys photo

American Native banked $204,773 in his career and had a mark of 1:54.2.

Also, Maplegrove Natalie, out of the Yankee Glide mare Maple Grove Glide, thus making her a full sister to Maple Grove Native, won this year’s State Fair Colt Stakes Consolation for freshman filly trotters.

As if this were not enough, there are two other foals of 2005 that Connie Hochstetler thinks could make some noise down the road.

“Rain Dance and Campaign Wife both trained in (2):05,” she said. “Rain Dance was just immature, but he is back in training now. Campaign Wife we are very high on. She injured herself and has been turned out in Kentucky. We didn’t want to take a chance and rush her. She’s staked to the Kentucky Filly Futurity and to a big race in Canada.”

It is plain to see that these two small-crop sires are creating big excitement not only in Illinois, but on the national scene as well. When you see an Ideal Towne or American Native at a track near you, be prepared to be impressed.