by Dean A. Hoffman

Ten yearlings brought final bids of $200,000 or more at the recently concluded yearling portion of the Standardbred Horse Sale Co. auction in Harrisburg. Indicative of the strength of the trotting market is that nine of the 10 were trotting-bred youngsters.

European buyers were out in force in Harrisburg, as they had been in Lexington last month, and they played a major role in boosting the sales averages for trotters.

Once again the offspring of Andover Hall were in extraordinary demand by buyers from Europe and North America. Of the 10 $200,000 yearlings, four were by Andover and one each was sired by his brothers, Angus Hall and Conway Hall.

Mary Ana Hanover

The most expensive yearling offering was the Andover Hall filly Mary Ana Hanover, the second foal from the Valley Victory mare Milestone Hanover. Her first foal is the good freshman colt Monkey Bones 2, 1:57.3f ($86,015). Milestone Hanover herself had a 1:57.2 mark taken as a 3-year-old, and she’s out of the noted producer Monet Blue Chip.

Satin Pillows

The second most expensive yearling sold was Satin Pillows, a Conway Hall daughter of Bold Dreamer, by Donerail. The first two foals of Bold Dreamer are Was It A Dream 2, 1:57s ($713,441) and Pampered Princess 2, 1:54.4 ($616,244). Bill Weaver’s Valley High Stable bred the young filly.

Both of the top-two sellers were purchased by Jeffrey Snyder of New York.

Chalons Hanover

The top pacer in the yearling section at Harrisburg was also a filly; her name was Chalons Hanover and she’s by Artsplace out of Cathedra, the dam of a pair of millionaires in Cathedra Dot Com and Cabrini Hanover. This is the first Artsplace from the top broodmare and Anderson Farms of Ontario signed the ticket on her at $325,000.

Guida Muscle

Hall of Famer Bob McIntosh paid $280,000 for Guida Muscle, a Muscles Yankee colt who is the second foal, and first colt, from the top stakes mare My Starchip 3, 1:54.2 ($383,356). The brown colt came from the Perretti Farm consignment.

Decimal Hanover

Anderson Farms bought a trotting filly with a sterling pedigree in Decimal Hanover, an SJ’s Caviar lass out of D Train, by Donerail. The first two foals from D Train are Here Comes Herbie 3, 1:52 ($276,783) and this season’s dominant freshman colt, Donato Hanover 2, 1:55 ($662,587). She was haltered with a bid of $260,000.

Lord Of The Wings-With Sprinkles

A brother and sister-in-blood, the colt Lord Of The Wings and the filly With Sprinkles, each brought $250,000 from European buyers.

Lord Of The Wings is a son of Andover Hall, out of Queen Of Angels by Valley Victory. With Sprinkles is a daughter of Angus Hall (a brother to Andover Hall), out of Maple Frosting (a sister to Queen Of Angels). This pedigree is particularly hot because With Sprinkles is a half-sister to the widely admired Chocolatier 3, 1:53 ($1,324,800) and Sugar Trader 3, 1:53.4 ($730,898). Both Chocolatier and Sugar Trader finished second in the Hambletonian during their sophomore seasons.

Vinnys Dance

Vinnys Dance, an Andover Hall son of Dance Girl Dance 4, 1:58.1 ($99,406) was a $230,000 purchase by California horseman Rick Plano. The high-priced colt is the second foal from his Dancer’s Victory dam.

Kyril Hanover

Kyril Hanover, an Andover Hall colt from Ken Col Maggie by Balanced Image, was a $220,000 item for Jonas Moberg of Sweden. His dam has produced the long-wearing gelding Kirkman Hanover 3, 1:56.3f ($344,451), a starter in the 2000 Hambletonian, and the filly Kibitzer Hanover 2, 1:56.3 ($217,052).

Meucci Madness

Selling for $200,000 was this Yankee Glide daughter out of Margarita Miss by Crowning Point. This makes her a half-sister to the champion trotting filly Rum Boogie 3, 1:55 ($900,908). Meucci Madness is the seventh foal of her dam and her first by Yankee Glide, leading trotting sire in harness racing in 2006.