by Dean A. Hoffman

It sure helps when you have a pair of millionaires working for you.

The accomplishments of Glidemaster and Passionate Glide helped make their sire, Yankee Glide, the leading trotting sire in harness racing in 2006. His offspring earned $8,895,726, allowing him to finish far ahead of Angus Hall and Striking Sahbra.

Yankee Glide was naturally the runway leader among sires of sophomore trotters last year, but the best he could do among sires of 2-year-old was sixth place. That category was dominated by the brothers Andover Hall, Conway Hall, and Angus Hall. All three are sons of Garland Lobell and Amour Angus.

It was the first year at the top of the trotting sire rankings for Yankee Glide, a 13-year-old son of Valley Victory. He is owned by a syndicate and stands at Kentuckiana Farms in New Jersey.

Yankee Glide won five of his six starts as a 2-year-old in 1996, including a 1:56 win in July, with astonishing ease. Two starts later he won the Peter Haughton Memorial, effortlessly, by open lengths.

After the colt’s freshman season, his driver Berndt Lindstedt, one of the most respected reinsman in the world, said that Yankee Glide was the best 2-year-old he’d ever driven. Lindstedt had hopes that Yankee Glide would give him the Hambletonian victory he’d always dreamed about.

As a 3-year-old, however, Yankee Glide was plagued by hoof problems. He won his elimination heat of the Hambletonian, but the hoof problems returned before the final and he was simply not himself in the big race, breaking stride.

He retired after the Kentucky Futurity, in which he was timed in 1:53 in one heat, with career earnings of $506,904 and a mark of 1:55.1.

Breeders recognized his innate ability and Yankee Glide received large books of quality mares. Tom Crouch of Kentuckiana Farms had the most faith in Yankee Glide, and the Kentuckiana yearling consignments always contain ample offerings of Yankee Glide yearlings.

From his first crop came Game Of Skill and Hand Glider, and in subsequent crops he’s sired Stroke Play, Mystical Sunshine, Silver Springs, Ken Warkentin, Ticket To Glide, Solveig — all these in additional to Glidemaster and Passionate Glide.

Last year Yankee Glide served a book of 142 mares.

After Yankee Glide, Angus Hall, and Striking Sahbra, the top-10 in the overall trotting sires list were Conway Hall, Muscles Yankee, Credit Winner, S J’s Photo, Self Possessed, Balanced Image, and Malabar Man.

While Yankee Glide was the overall leader among trotting stallions, the juvenile list was dominated by the brothers Andover Hall ($3,036,966), Conway Hall ($2,042,138), and Angus Hall ($1,756,148).

Self Possessed ranked fourth, while Striking Sahbra was fifth, followed by Yankee Glide, Credit Winner, Like A Prayer, SJ’s Caviar, and Enjoy Lavec.

Andover Hall’s first crop was so dominant that there was a true feeding frenzy for his yearlings last fall. They averaged $78,383, and included 19 colts and fillies that cost $100,000 or more.

The champion colt Donato Hanover and the filly Pampered Princess were the headliners in Andover’s first crop, but they had a supporting cast that consisted of Michelle’s Angel, Ogham, Quite Easy, and Adrian Chip.

Leading Sires – All Age Trotters