Harness: Bettor's Delight, Cantab Hall and American Ideal defy age

Age is only a number, so they say.

Those heading to the Standardbred Horse Sale that begins on Monday (November 6) should be mindful that there are a few stallions with offspring going on the block that are currently in their twenties. Mindful, because in the case of Bettor's Delight, American Ideal and Cantab Hall, age has not been a determining factor in their collective abilities to sire a champion.

On the trotting side, Cantab Hall has done what few from his male line have been able to accomplish. A son of Self Possessed, and therefore a grandson of Victory Dream and great-grandson of Valley Victory, Cantab Hall's impact is still very relevant despite being euthanized earlier this year at age 22. His paternal line didn't have the fortune to live long or sire as often but thankfully Cantab Hall's ability to pass on these genes has led to greatness on the track, including this year's record-setting 2-year-old colt T C I, who, in last Friday's (October 27) Breeders Crown, became the richest 2-year-old trotter ever.

His paternal line didn't have the fortune to live long or sire as often but thankfully Cantab Hall's ability to pass on these genes has led to greatness on the track, including this year's record-setting 2-year-old colt T C I, who, in last Friday's (October 27) Breeders Crown, became the richest 2-year-old trotter ever.

Cantab Hall has 26 colts and fillies heading to the yearling sale and is more than likely to come up with a few that show extreme talent on the 2024 Grand Circuit. HIP 41, a colt named Hatfield, likely after one of the co-owners of T C I, should attract attention for many reasons, with the clearest being he's a full brother to this year's star. Still, Cantab Hall hasn't done it alone through the years, and he's been matched with some impressive broodmares along the way. Such is the case here as the Dream Vacation-sired Nicole's Promise has been rock-solid, producing seven foals with six having records of 1:55 or better. Having been bred to Muscle Hill, Donato Hanover and Kadabra during her early years, Nicole's Promise has now hit with two straight sons of Cantab Hall, with Hatfield her third straight colt by that prolific sire.

Also on opening day at Harrisburg there's a Cantab Hall-sired filly that has every reason to succeed. HIP 21 Lady Irene is a Pennsylvania and Maryland-bred out of the Credit Winner-sired mare Lady Winona. The dam, a winner of $284K, is a full sister to the top trotting filly Jezzy, herself a winner of $834K that has gone on to decent production as a broodmare. Here is an example of a young trotting mare mated to a veteran with an outstanding paternal line.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Bettor's Delight has had a remarkable career as a stallion, and there seems no end to his ability to pass on speed and stamina to any generation of mares he's met. In recent years Bettor's Delight's staying power has been fortified with the presence of champions Bettor's Wish and Tall Dark Stranger. They have defied ageism on the racetrack and are now embarking on second careers, only hoping they can produce at a reasonably close level to their famous father. That said, Bettor's Delight's impact on the pacing fillies and mares has been extraordinary over the years, and 2023 was no different with the emergence of Silver Label (runner-up in Saturday's Breeders Crown) as a multiple stakes winner against the best open mares in North America would prove out.

So, while other 25-year-olds have been retired from breeding, Bettor's Delight continues to provide the sport with quality colts and fillies that do well when young and do even better as they go on in years. With this year's crop again Ontario-sired, 39 will be auctioned off in the yearling portion of the sale with HIP 33 a filly that should get plenty of interest on the opening day. Millie May Hanover is a full sister to this year's outstanding 2-year-old Mirage Hanover, a colt that captured multiple Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions and was a winner in the Nassagaweya in open company. He was the first Bettor's Delight from the dam Mayhem Seelster, and that daughter of Mach Three has already been prolific with much younger stallions due to the success of $725K winner Mad Max Hanover (by Always B Miki) and Milieu Hanover (Betting Line), a filly with a $382K bankroll. Mayhem Seelster's first four foals all have records of 1:51 or better.

HIP 89, a Bettor's Delight colt by the name of Touchback, is the first foal from an American Ideal-sired mare named Tall Dark Beauty. The dam is a half-sister to Tall Dark Stranger and those hoping for lightning to strike twice should love that her first foal is by Bettor's Delight. Not only is Tall Dark Stranger by Bettor's Delight, but he has a 2-year-old brother named Total Stranger that was a stakes performer this year, and while not in the same league as his older brother, certainly a likely player in the 2024 Ontario program. Touchback's purchaser will be able to race him in Ontario and the lucrative Kentucky sires programs.

Another Bettor's Delight worth a long look is HIP 116 Bettorseetheshow. The colt is out of a Somebeachsomewhere-sired mare Beach Showoff that happens to be a half-sister to North America Cup champion It's My Show and Meadowlands Pace winner Best In Show. Of significance here is that Best In Show is perhaps one of the best examples of Bettor's Delight's endurance as a stallion and now the maternal family gets extended a generation with a dam by the incomparable Somebeachsomewhere.

The 21-year-old American Ideal continues to be a dominant force on the New York Sire Stakes circuit, and this year is likely to be no different with 25 of his colts and fillies offered throughout the yearling sale. For those concerned about what they get with a son or daughter of American Ideal, the success this year of his son Covered Bridge should lay to rest any worries about just how good they are both early and late in their careers. Covered Bridge earned $120K as a 2-year-old and this year at the age of 7 has made $460K, with victories in the Camluck, Kane and divisions of the Borgata helping bolster those numbers.

HIP 293 on the second day of the Harrisburg sale is a filly by American Ideal named Sandbar Babe. She has dual eligibility in New York and the New Jersey Development Fund. Sandbar Babe is just the second foal from a fast daughter of Somebeachsomewhere named Keystone Riptide. The dam earned $330K on the racetrack, and this is just her second foal and first by American Ideal.

Another American Ideal filly with similar dual eligibility is HIP 397 Still Alice. Just the third foal from the Art Major-sired mare Above Average, Still Alice is a full sister to 2021 New York Sire Stakes leg winner Top Genius.

Some younger stallions may not be around in 10 or 20 years, and that's because they don't live up to expectations during the initial phase of their second careers. In the case of Cantab Hall, Bettor's Delight and American Ideal they are still producing today, not just due to their early success, but the product they have consistently put on the racetrack year-in-year-out. More than likely there will be a few from the current yearling crop that exceeds expectations on the racetrack in 2024.