Harness: First-crop stallions clearly in the Lexington Sale spotlight

Generally, those looking to purchase yearlings are looking for what's new or different as the sale season approaches. Often the focus is on the first crops of young stallions with a great history of racing achievements but no chance as of yet to prove themselves as successful sires.

While there is much history to bloodlines, there are also an incredible number of exceptions to traditional thought that allows the expanding mind to seek out and discover the next trend in the market.

This year's crop of first-year stallions will pose the questions to buyers and for many reasons there is plenty of reason for strong optimism on a couple of fronts, most notably the first crops from champion pacer Tall Dark Stranger and three-time Breeders Crown-winning trotter Gimpanzee. Those two will be extremely well-represented at the coming Lexington Selected sale and will be joined in lesser numbers by Tall Dark Stranger's racetrack rival Papi Rob Hanover, who could join the long list of those by superstar sire Somebeachsomewhere to enjoy a sparkling second career.

Perhaps what will set both Tall Dark Stranger and Gimpanzee apart from first-year sires over the last few years is not just their collective racetrack performances, which there are many, but their unique pedigrees and how those bloodlines could transfer forward to the next generation. Tall Dark Stranger may be the most attractive son of Bettor's Delight to ever go to the stallion shed. Uniquely qualified by his impeccable freshman and sophomore season, Tall Dark Stranger also brings an impressive maternal line to the equation that can't be overlooked. Before the arrival of Captaintreacherous to the racetrack and then stallion success, it was unknown whether a son of Somebeachsomewhere could be a potent sire. Captaintreacherous and Tall Dark Stranger are rather similar in what they accomplished on the racetrack and to me both are pedigree powerhouses thanks to a powerful maternal line. In the case of Tall Dark Stranger, we need look no further than the September 23 Metro Pace winner Captain's Quarters for direct evidence that this maternal line wasn't just some sort of one-hit wonder. Captain's Quarters is the second Metro winner from this immediate family, and Tall Dark Stranger's dam Precocious Beauty is a full sister to the dam of Captain's Quarters.

If pedigree and performance isn't a justification for future stallion success then the addition of a solid first crop of mares bred should be the secret sauce that makes it all come together. As a descendant of champion stallion Bettor's Delight, Tall Dark Stranger is a natural outcross to some of the sport's best pacing mares. Clearly that's likely the reason his first crop will be so well-supported, not just in the first major yearling auction of the year but most definitely the last.

On Monday's (October 2) first night of the Lexington Selected auction, HIP 19 pretty much represents the elite expectations for Tall Dark Stranger in the colt named The Real Thing. The first colt from a Captaintreachereous-sired mare, The Real Thing is a three-quarter brother to the She's A Great Lady champion Its A Love Thing, and just second foal from the dam Love For Sail. As incredible as it seems that Bettor's Delight can still produce elite stakes winners as a 25-year-old stallion, it would not be hard to conceive that his youthful son may be able to advance his impact to the next crop. The Real Thing may not need extra support, but for those questioning his maternal line, the results this year have been off the charts, with the arrival of the currently unbeaten Pennsylvania and Kentucky champion Geocentric ever present through his second dam.

There's a potential standout filly on opening night of the Lexington Selected sale, and that's HIP 87, the first foal from Alexis Faith named Heather Michele. The dam, a daughter of American Ideal, earned over $586K as a top player on the New York Sire Stakes circuit and beyond. Alexis Faith also happens to be a half-sister to 2021 Horse of the Year Test Of Faith, thus there is strong justification to believe in the future of fillies emanating from this rich family.

Tall Dark Stranger will offer 62 from his first crop in Kentucky, with 34 colts cataloged and 28 fillies.

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The numbers in the sale will be much lower, but the expectations are sure to be as high for the first crop of Gimpanzee selling in Lexington. While not having the flash of his stablemate Greenshoe when racing for the Marcus Melander stable, what Gimpanzee accomplished on the racetrack through his three years of performance should account for something to those looking forward. The combination of speed, soundness and success cannot be minimized, but perhaps pedigree will play an even bigger role going forward. Gimpanzee is a son of Chapter Seven, and that has already spelled success for others, with Walner setting the bar particularly high to this point but not being the lone son of Chapter Seven to advance the breed to the next generation. That Helpisontheway, a less noted son of Chapter Seven, is currently enjoying prosperity in Indiana should be enough to raise the bar for Gimpanzee as he opens the way to the Kentucky Sires Stakes program as one of the first major talents to set up shop in the Bluegrass State.

Like Tall Dark Stranger, Gimpanzee's maternal line is exceptionally strong. The $2.7 million winner is out of the Muscle Massive-sired Steamy Windows. From her first six foals she has five that have won in 1:55 or better, including the $780K-winning Iteration. Gimpanzee hails from the same maternal family as one of the sport's greatest trotting sires of all time Muscle Hill.

With just seven colts selling in Lexington and 14 fillies, the chances of purchasing from the first crop of Gimpanzee are limited to some but likely not to those with deep pockets. HIP 48 on the opening night in Lexington is a filly by the name of Kadena that should attract much attention for her potential both on the track and afterwards for a second career. Kadena is just the fourth foal from Mission Brief, the nearly $1.6 million-winning mare that has already produced a pair of fast fillies from a limited supply. With Gimpanzee on the top of her pedigree, there's an additional influence of the Muscle Hill line in this pedigree, with the dam likely the best filly he has produced.

A favorite of mine though is HIP 74, the filly Marilyn Ruth. Another cross with a Muscle Hill-sired dam, Marilyn Ruth is the first foal from the exceptional filly Tuscany, a 1:51 winner in the Kentucky Sires Stakes as a sophomore in 2020. Tuscany is a half-sister to the Chapter Seven-sired Enterprise, suggesting a cross to that stallion line should produce results.

Papi Rob Hanover is likely the next in a long and strong line of stallions by Somebeachsomewhere, and his first crop selling in Lexington will be represented by a limited number of colts (12) and 23 fillies. On the colt front HIP 13 Pursuitofpapiness should draw immediate attention as a three-quarter brother to Beach Glass, last year's Meadowlands Pace champion.

HIP 88 Astoria Hanover is the first Papi Rob Hanover from the mare Anderosa Hanover, and as such is a half-sister to $2 million winner Allywag Hanover.

Other fresh names to the Lexington sale include Cattlewash (nine), Green Manalishi (eight) and Propulsion (18). Will they get lost in the shadows of the bigger names and provide value to those wise enough to look their way?

While many may be focused on some of the more fashionable bloodlines for these first-crop stallions, it would be wise to look at as many yearlings as possible because the likelihood is they will elevate the performance from most maternal lines.