Keyed by the dispersal of broodmares from White Birch Farm, it was an action-packed Thursday of bidding and buying at the Standardbred Horse Sale as the two-day mixed sale began. The topper was HIP 1053 Darlinonthebeach, who was purchased by Diamond Creek Farm out of the White Birch dispersal for $450,000.  Consigned by Preferred Equine Marketing Inc., Darlinonthebeach, a Somebeachsomewhere mare, earned $1,068,648 in her time on the track and took a mark of 1:48 1/5.  She was retired after the 2018 racing season and bred to Always B Miki on March 22, 2019.  Darlinonthebeach's dam, the brilliant $2.9 million-earning Bettor's Delight mare Darlin's Delight, also sold on Thursday, going to agent Megan Velardo for $190,000.  She had last been bred to American Ideal on February 18 of this year. Another White Birch mare to sell well was HIP 1052 Celebrity Ruth, a daughter of Archangel who was taken by Velardo for $400,000.  Celebrity Ruth was a ten-time winner, earned $505,817, and had a mark of 1:51 4/5.  A 5-year-old, she made her last start on January 12 of this year and was bred to Muscle Hill on April 27, 2019. Splitting those two was HIP 1181 Secret Passion, a 5-year-old Yankee Glide mare who was acquired by Hanover Shoe Farms for $425,000.  Secret Passion, consigned by Walnridge Farm, Inc. as agent, made just four unsuccessful starts during her career, but she's out of the Cantab Hall mare Secret Magic, making her a half-sister to harness racing's fastest female trotter, the Muscle Hill mare Manchego (1:49, $2,022,980).  Secret Passion was last bred to Kadabra on June 26, 2019. Agent Concord Stud Farm continued their strong run into the mixed sale from the yearling sale, with their HIP 1083 Anikadabra going to Linda Stewart for $235,000.  A Kadabra mare, Anikadabra was a seven-time winner in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series during her career, including a victory in the Championship in her 2-year-old season in 2016.  With a mark of 1:56 and $83,809 in earnings, she is also a half-sister to the Muscle Hill stallion Resolve (1:50 4/5, $2,621,086).  Anikadabra was bred to Walner on February 18, 2019. Two-time Dan Patch Award winner, the Dragon Again mare My Little Dragon (1:48 1/5, $2,318,623), tied for fifth on the day, selling for consignor Preferred Equine Marketing, Inc. from the White Birch dispersal for $230,000.  Steve Stewart purchased My Little Dragon, who as a broodmare has produced the likes of the Somebeachsomewhere colt Stay Hungry (1:47 3/5, $1,303,709).  My Little Dragon was last bred to Captaintreacherous on June 3, 2019. Tying My Little Dragon at $230,000 was another White Birch/Preferred Equine Marketing Inc. seller in HIP 1065 Please Beehave.  Purchased by Ola Yoder, this 5-year-old Muscle Hill mare was unraced, but being out of the Balanced Image mare Beehive, she's a half-sister to the Kadabra mare Bee A Magician (1:51, $4,055,865), a former Horse of the Year.  Please Beehave was last bred to Chapter Seven on May 13, 2019. Yoder also bought HIP 1055 Dragon's Tale for $200,000 from the White Birch dispersal.  Dragon's Tale, whose first foal turned out to be the Captaintreacherous colt Workin Ona Mystery (1:48 1/5, $430,341), was a four-time winner during her racing career with earnings of $63,739 and a speed badge of 1:52 2/5.  She was last bred to Captaintreacherous on February 22, 2019. Obviously boosted by the White Birch mares, the average and gross were both up substanially over the first day of the mixed sale a year ago.  This year, the average was $37,869 and the gross was $12,459,000 for 329 horses and stallion shares sold, compared to $21,568 for the average and $5,198,000 for the total (241 horses/stallion shares) in 2018. The 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale will conclude tomorrow with HIPS 1300-1696 and 1900-1932, the latter comprising the rest of the supplement catalog, being offered.  The session begins at 10 A.M.