Muscle Hill dominated the first session of the 2017 Standardbred Horse Sale on Monday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as he had seven of the top ten sellers, including HIP 112 Sheer Muscle and HIP 162 The Ice Dutchess, who both fetched $320,000 to top the day. Sheer Muscle, selling from the Peninsula Farm Inc. consignment for breeder Coyote Wynd Farms, went to Mario Mazza.  She is the first foal out of Sheer Desire, a Yankee Glide mare who earned $193,564 and had a mark of 1:54.  Sheer Desire is also a half-sister to Flex The Muscle (Muscles Yankee, $937,460). "I like the family, and I'm putting trust in Muscle Hills this year, so I decided to go for it. Hopefully it will work out," said Mazza. "I thought he would go for $225,000 but he went for a little more." Sheer Muscle will be trained by Francisco Del Cid. The Ice Dutchess, a full sister to this year's Kentucky Filly Futurity champion Ice Attraction $490,842, was part of the Preferred Equine Marketing consignment and was purchased by Clark Beelby.  The Ice Dutchess was bred by David Reid and Stephen Dey III. "First, I liked her breeding and pedigree; it speaks for itself," explained Beelby.  "She had a great video and is a nice racehorse size. She’s just an overall beautiful filly.Derick GiwnerThe Ice Dutchess "I’m not sure who else was bidding on her, but bids were coming from everywhere. I didn’t think she would sell that strong, but I always underestimate." Ironically, Beelby purchased The Ice Dutchess for owner John Floren of Coyote Wynd Farms, who bred the other $320,000 Muscle Hill yearling, Sheer Muscle. "How often does that happen? It’s just a little kind of a trade," Beelby said.  "John picked her out. I just gave him the thumbs up. "He was racing in British Columbia when I was out west. Coincidentally he moved to Ontario at the same time I did. My name came up (as a recommendation to train), and we’ve been together ever since (21 years)." Also bringing $300,000 was Muscle Hill colt Summit In Sight.  Selling as HIP 29 from the Fair Winds Farm Inc. consignment, Summit In Sight went to Stroy Inc. (Natalia Stroy).  Summit In Sight, bred by Willow Pond LLC., is the first foal out of the world champion Donato Hanover mare Bluff ($172,182, 1:54). "She (Stroy) has stepped up in this sale, but she's also had a very good year with Devious Man and Met's Hall," noted Andy Miller, whose wife Julie will train the colt. Ake Svanstedt went home with the fourth-highest priced seller, that being HIP 49 Personal Parasdise.  A daughter of Muscle Hill, Personal Paradise also sold from the Fair Winds consignment.  Fair Winds also bred the filly, who is out of the Donerail mare Armbro Deja Vu, making Personal Paradise a half-sister to millionaire Dejamrbro (Credit Winner). Derick GiwnerPersonal Paradise“She had a very nice video and was a good-looking horse,” said Svanstedt, who purchased the filly for Mellby Gard, owner of Yes Mickey. “I trained Katniss, one of her sisters. She was very good, but she was by Credit Winner and I think Muscle Hill is much better. For me she was the best overall filly in the sale.” Finally breaking Muscle Hill's reign was HIP 139 So Diane Hanover, a filly by Cantab Hall.  Bred and consigned by Hanover Shoe Farms, she went to Chuck Sylvester for $240,000.  So Diane Hanover is out of the Chocolatier mare Shared Past ($414,165) and is another half-sister to Dejarmbro. The other Muscle Hill's in the top ten were HIP 76 Inge Hanover (out of I'm On Cloud Nine), who went to Jules Siegel for $225,000, HIP 31 Kings County (out of Brooklyn), who was taken by Lindy Farms for $210,000, and HIP 104 Hillofamistery (out of Mistery Woman), who was grabbed for $210,000 by Perry Soderberg.  Soderberg purchased Hillofamistery for Mellby Gard Inc., and the horse will be trained by Jimmy Takter. Muscle Hill's son Trixton also placed a pair in the top ten, with HIP 43 Battenberg, bred by Millstream Farm and the first foal out of Coffeecake Hanover (Cantab Hall, $422,861), going to Crawford Farms for $210,000, and Steuben Hanover, a half-brother to Superstar Hanover (Cantab Hall-Star Hanover, $517,731), being acquired by Determination (Serge Godin) for $200,000. Only one pacer was able to crack the armada of trotters in the top ten, and that was HIP 141 Unseen, who was taken by Scott Horner for $200,000.  Unseen, a Bettor's Delight filly bred by Fair Winds Farm, is out of the Artiscape mare Sight To See, making Unseen a half-sister to Casual Cool (American Ideal, $156,538), who was a multi-time winner in New York Sire Stakes action for 2-year-old pacing colts this year. Captaintreacherous's top seller was HIP 75 Izzy Hanover, who went to Perry Soderberg for $170,000.  Soderberg purchased her for owners Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, and Nancy Johansson will train the filly.  Izzy Hanover is a three-quarter sister to Closing Statement (Somebeachsomewhere-Ideal Newton, $226,939), who has multiple stakes wins this year and was third in the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Pace final. Somebeachsomewhere had two yearlings bring $150,000 in HIP 36 Burning Desire and HIP 82 Vodka On The Beach.  Burning Desire, out of Carols Desire (Real Desire, $442,643), was purchased by Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Vodka On The Beach, out of Just Add Vodka (Art Major, $121,540), was acquired by Don Swick. 164 yearlings went through the ring during the session, bringing a total of $12,350,000 and an average of $75,304.  This average was down a bit from last year's record-setting opening session when 170 horses sold for an average of $78,676. "The pacing colts were light, and I really can't give you a reason for it," said Horse Sales Company President and CEO Paul Spears.  "Everything else was very strong. Pacing fillies were very strong. Why did the pacing fillies out-average the pacing colts? If you can tell me that one then I'll understand, because I really don't understand. The trotters were very strong. "Anything by Muscle Hill was beyond imagination. The buyers are happy with the Captaintreacherous's, but they are looking for them to prove themselves. They didn't really go totally off the wall. "If but for the pacing colts I think we would have been far above last year's average. There were a few Hanover pacing colts that went for a whole lot less than we thought, so somebody got some good buys and we'll sell their brothers or sisters next year." Spears added that he was both pleased by Monday's action and optimistic about the remainder of the yearling portion of the sale, which will run through Wednesday. "We had more lookers," he said.  "From Saturday morning on, all of the consignors were saying that they had never seen a Sunday like they had, and this morning it was extremely strong. People got a good look, and they got what they wanted. I think overall, I'm pleased. "Compared to last year we certainly cut a lot off the bottom end, so Tuesday and Wednesday will be stronger than last year, and we'll hope that the sale proves that." The sale will continue on Tuesday morning beginning at 10 A.M. with HIPs 175-506 on offer. For full results of today's session, please click here.