Harness: Time to make room for the new boys of 2021

It's a New Year and while theoretically it's pretty much business as usual in the breeding world - despite the crippling effect of the pandemic - that means "make way for the new boys" as the first-crop stallions will either be making their debuts with foals on the racetracks or begin a new career in the stud barn as first-time breeders.

This year there's no shortage of both.

Last year's first-crop stallions included Always B Miki, Betting Line, Racing Hill, JK Endofanera, Bar Hopping and Southwind Frank. Of those Always B Miki was a major success, as his son Perfect Sting is virtually odds-on to be anointed the top 2-year-old pacing colt of the season. The others had their moments, noticeably JK Endofanera, the Art Major son who improved the outcross outlet so needed by Indiana's Hoosier Sires Stakes given the preponderance of incumbent Western Hanover-line stallions proliferating in the State.

Both Bar Hopping and Southwind Frank, seeking to extend the Muscle Hill stallion line, also did well. While neither will be credited with a divisional champion ala Always B Miki, both Bar Hopping and Southwind Frank had their share of stakes performers and both achieved top 10 rankings in terms of 2-year-old trotting money winners. Bar Hopping ranked sixth and Southwind Frank eighth in that all-important category.

This year's first-crop brigade with sons and daughters to reach the races include Walner, What The Hill, Downbytheseaside, Huntsville and Fear The Dragon. Of those, much is expected from Walner (Chapter Seven-Random Destiny), who looked like a potential all-time great during his brief career on the racetrack, which saw him win nine of his 10 outings, earning accolades like Dan Patch 2-year-old champion of 2016.

Walner is generally considered the number-one son of the currently brilliant stallion Chapter Seven, although some might cite the recently retired Gimpanzee as a serious contender for that honor (more about Gimpanzee later). The Walner's sold very well, averaging $82,194 cumulatively, highlighted by the $725,000 filly Kadena from the brilliant Mission Brief.

What The Hill, by Muscle Hill-K T Cha Cha, started off a bit more modestly, averaging $24,145. As the ranking Muscle Hill son in Ohio, What The Hill, 3-year-old Dan Patch trotting champion of 2017, is expected to challenge Uncle Peter for supremacy in the rich Buckeye Sires Stakes program.

Downbytheseaside and Huntsville are both sons of Somebeachsomewhere and as such, much is expected from both. Downbytheseaside (Sprig Hanover), Pacer of the Year in 2017, with eight six-figure priced sons and daughters, looms an immediate threat to Ohio's current pacing sire leader Pet Rock, though his ultimate competitor in that region may be his own racing stablemate Fear The Dragon.

Fear The Dragon (Armbro Cinnamon), perhaps the foremost intact son of the recently expired Dragon Again, could well prove his sire's line extender as he provided a trio of six-figure yearlings to last year's auctions.

The New York-based Huntsville (Wild West Show), still another son of Somebeachsomewhere, averaged $45,883 with eight of those yearlings exceeding the $100,000 level. He was the Dan Patch 2-year-old pacing champion in 2016.

Headlining the newly retired brigade are Tall Dark Stranger, Papi Rob Hanover, Bettor's Wish, Gimpanzee, Propulsion and Cattlewash. Each will have their share of supporters, although the latter will breed a limited book at Walnridge Farm of New Jersey, as plans for that 4-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere include a return to racing in 2021.

Tall Dark Stranger, the likely Pacer of the Year and Horse of the Year for 2020, has been compared to Cam Fella for his grit, determination and visual refusal to lose despite being headed in mid-stretch. The son of Bettor's Delight wound up winning 19 of 22 starts and $2,020,195 during two almost all-conquering seasons. He's going to Hanover Shoe Farms and being from the Art Major daughter Precocious Beauty, figures to feast on the abundance of Western Ideal and Somebeachsomewhere matrons in residence there.

Papi Rob Hanover, by Somebeachsomewhere from the Rocknroll Hanover daughter Panera Hanover, proved Tall Dark Stranger's fiercest rival, although his career was cut short following an injury sustained at The Meadows when he set a world record of 1:47 1/5 despite being visually under wraps through the stretch.

Papi Rob Hanover will vie with Captaintreacherous for ultimate Somebeachsomewhere-siring-son honors at Hanover and should be well supported.

Bettor's Wish (Bettor's Delight-Lifetime Star) will challenge Tall Dark Stranger for Bettor's Delight-siring-son honors from his base at Diamond Creek of Pennsylvania. The likely 2020 Aged Male Pacer of the Year has a head start on his younger Bettor's Delight rival, having served mares earlier in New Jersey prior to resuming racing.

Gimpanzee (Chapter Seven-Steamy Windows), this year's assumptive aged male trotting champion, will serve a book of 80 mares in Kentucky in 2021 as he vies with Walner to see which Chapter Seven son will ultimately extend his currently flourishing line. Undefeated at age 2, Gimpanzee wound up winning his three Breeders Crowns in a three-year career that saw him trot in 1:50 at age 4 and accumulate $2,701,075 in lifetime earnings.

Propulsion (Muscle Hill-Danae) returns to his New Jersey place of siring following a distinguished career on the other side of the pond which saw him competitive in many of the leading stake events in France, Sweden, etc. He's by a Hambletonian winner in Muscle Hill from the Hambletonian Oaks-winning Danae, and his full brother Damian is remembered as the "other" million-dollar trotting yearling of 2019. According to trainer Marcus Melander, we'll see more of Damian this year. Propulsion replaces Trixton as the eminent Muscle Hill stallion at Deo Volente of New Jersey after the latter was dispatched to Canada for the 2021 breeding season,

Cattlewash (Somebeachsomewhere-Road Bet) took a mark of 1:46 4/5 at 3 last year while earning $824,777. He's slated to reside at the Burke Barn at Gaitway Farm and will be shipped over to Walnridge on breeding days. It'll be interesting to see how Cattlewash responds to the double duty. Last year, Bettor's Wish showed no ill-effect from his early encounters, while I seem to remember Father Patrick not exactly setting the world on fire as a 4-year-old following his early season breeding trysts.

Lots of new boys here and plenty to look forward to in the future.