Trotting yearlings accounted for eight of the 10 lots to sell for $200,000 or more at the annual Black Book Sale held at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, last week.
The four highest priced yearlings were trotters with Date Night Hanover, a daughter of leading American sire Chapter Seven from the family of Hambletonian winner Trixton, realising the top price of $600,000.
Tandem Hanover, a filly by this season’s premier two and three-year-old sire Walner and a sister to the multiple Stakes winner Temporal Hanover, sold for $510,000, while Greenspring, a filly from the first crop of 2019 USA Trotter of the Year Greenshoe, and the Chapter Seven colt Pennteller Hanover, who belongs to the family of thrice Breeders Crown champion Manchego, both realised $500,000.
The highest price paid for a pacing yearling was $325,000 for Time Out Hanover, a daughter of this season’s leading rookie sire Stay Hungry from the family of champion racemare American Jewel. The Captaintreacherous colt Twin B Predator, a close relative of world champion Papi Rob Hanover, sold for $310,000.
The yearling portion of the sale grossed a record $44.3 million for 904 lots with the average price of $49,066 the second highest in history.
Trotters averaged $55,273 for 384 lots sold and pacers $44,483 for 520 lots.
Trotting fillies realised the highest average at the three-day sale at $66,978 for 181 lots.
Chapter Seven topped the yearling sale averages at $149,462 for 26 lots. Next were Chapter Seven’s son Walner ($134,917 – 24 lots), Captaintreacherous ($119,000 – 42), who was clearly the leading pacing sire, Muscle Hill ($97,857 – 14) and Downbytheseaside ($90,875 – 8).
Other stallions of Australian interest were Stay Hungry ($59,245 – 49 lots), Captain Crunch ($55,688 – 32), Bettor’s Delight ($52,771 – 48) and Sweet Lou ($50,242 – 33).
Hanover Shoe Farms, which sold three of the four highest priced yearlings at the sale, achieved an average of $71,288 for 198 head sold.
