Harness: Harrisburg Mixed Sale loaded with quality and depth

The Friday mixed session of the Standardbred Horse Sale at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is as loaded with talent as any in recent years. In an age when purses have skyrocketed to new heights, it would seem the perfect opportunity to pick up a horse that could pad your pockets for years to come.

When discussing sale-toppers, one horse jumps off the pages of the catalog - HIP 1465 Ambassador Hanover.

It isn't every day that you can purchase a 3-year-old that was third in the Hambletonian and won a Breeders Crown elimination. That opportunity exists with Ambassador Hanover, who incidentally had traffic issues in the Breeders Crown final and certainly would've finished better than sixth (beaten two lengths) if trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt had daylight.

"It was an economic decision," said Shaun Laungani, VP at consignor Diamond Creek, on why the owners are selling. "The group of owners had a great season with him and want to use the proceeds for yearling purchases to find the next Ambassador Hanover."

Apart from the potential to pick up a colt that could compete in stakes races and would certainly rate highly in races like the Graduate Series exclusively for 4-year-olds, the $557,614 career earner has broader appeal because of his ability to compete on all-sized tracks. He has a 1:51 2/5 career mark on a mile track and 1:55 3/5 on a half.

"Not only is he a top race prospect but also a stallion prospect as well," said Laungani. "He does not race on Lasix or wear trotting hobbles, and he is sound and good-looking. He could race at the highest levels in the United States or Europe."

With HIP 1523 Sandbetweenmytoes, buyers have the chance to pick up a 4-year-old pacer that already has multiple sub 1:49 wins on his card and is lightly-raced with only 38 starts in his career. While he had a subpar first year as an older horse, the gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere did recently qualify in 1:48 4/5 at the Meadowlands and won his previous start over that surface in 1:48 3/5. The only question here is whether just 13 starts this year was by design or due to some issue. According to the consignor statement from Preferred Equine, the sale is due to an annual stable reduction, so it's possible they just don't want to race older horses.

Backing it up to HIP 1391 Empressive Hill and HIP 1394 Shirley Goodness, we find two very interesting 3-year-old trotting fillies from the Northwood Bloodstock consignment. The former is the 2021 Kentucky Sire Stakes champion in her division and already a 1:51 2/5 winner at sale time. The daughter of Muscle Hill has won nine of 13 races this year and also makes for an excellent broodmare prospect down the road.

Shirley Goodness lacks the speed mark of her fellow Northwood consignee with a 1:53 lifetime-best, but has proven to be an earner with $394,945 made in her two years of racing. The Indiana champion this year was fifth in the Breeders Crown and certainly has stakes potential going forward.

"They are both fillies who have shown they can perform on the track, and they obviously have residual value as broodmares," said Northwood's Bob Boni. "These types of fillies are in here because it has proven that this is the best venue for them. You are going to get breeders who just sold their yearlings and the racehorse people to bid."

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Staying on the trot but switching back to the boys, it will be interesting to see who grabs HIP 1481 Caruso and HIP 1519 Crystal Fashion. The former is a 3-year-old son of Father Patrick with high speed and a breaking problem. With the right program he could turn into something interesting. Crystal Fashion is a bit of a household name in the sport as a $2 million-winning stakes regular with a 1:50 lifetime mark. As a 6-year-old with only 67 starts in his career, there could be more left in the tank.

Throwing out one more trotter before we switch to the pace, HIP 1366 Simon offers one potentially lucky buyer with the chance to own a son of Walner. While he has run into breaking issues of late, the colt did turn the corner at the Meadowlands last weekend with a solid second-place finish and owns a 1:55 1/5 mark. Plus, his mom's side produced Charmed Life ($1.4 million).

You probably won't win any stakes races with her, but HIP 1398 Betalady has proven to be an earner and Bettor's Delight mares have a knack for racing well for a while. This 4-year-old has performed strongly on a number of different tracks and has over $100,000 earned in 2021.

HIP 1403 Heart Of Mine is a 3-year-old filly by Roll With Joe that was a killer on the New York Sire Stakes scene earlier in the year. She was timed in 1:49 3/5 while finishing third a few weeks ago at Harrah's Philadelphia in the Simpson Memorial.

Another filly that caught my eye is HIP 1414 Tonianne. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere has been living and winning in bunches on the fair circuit in Pennsylvania before adding a catch-driver and popping off a 1:52 4/5 mile at The Meadows in early October. She has less than $100,000 on her card and could fit some conditions.

HIP 1479 Bettor Sun has been a steady earner on the Ontario Sires Stakes scene and even took some shots in open stakes action, finishing second in the Somebeachsomewhere back in August. The 3-year-old has a 1:49 mark.

HIP 1497 Simon Says Hanover has been a fringe stakes player throughout the year and comes off a win at Yonkers in 1:52 3/5 on Tuesday. With a 1:50 1/5 mark on a mile track and a 1:51 4/5 on the half at Yonkers, the colt by Captaintreacherous provides plenty of options to whoever has the winning bid.

Those looking for a solid older performer who eats up a half-mile track should check out HIP 1527 Groovy Joe. A former stakes winner (Reynolds, NYSS), he has won three straight in the Preferred class at Flamboro and has a 1:48 4/5 mark at Vernon Downs.

As we did with the trotters, we end the pacers with a 2-year-old. HIP 1344 Poetical has only qualifiers on her lines, and they don't exactly make her look like a champion, but this filly by Artspeak is out of Trim Hanover, she the producer of American Jewel ($1.8 million) and Luck Be Withyou ($1.4 million), so there is some broodmare potential if things don't pan out.

As in all years, the 2021 Standabred Horse Sale offers something for everyone. If the yearling sale prices are any indication, the bidding should be furious.