Harness: Volcanic Blue Chip fronts the field on day two of Standardbred Horse Sale

HIP 294 Volcanic Blue Chip gave sire Walner the top seller during Tuesday's second session of the Standardbred Horse Sale, going to Ake Svanstedt for $325,000.

A filly consigned by Blue Chip Farms as agent, Volcanic Blue Chip's dam Thislady'sdynamite is an Explosive Matter half-sister to Dunk The Donato, the dam of Plunge Blue Chip, Splash Blue Chip, and Threepointbluechip. Svanstedt has plenty of experience with the family as he also trained Plunge Blue Chip and Splash Blue Chip.

"[I liked] the conformation, maybe she will be too big, but I like the horse," said Svanstedt. "This was the most expensive horse I've bought [this year at Harrisburg or Lexington]."

HIP 391 Twin B Predator took the second spot on the board for the day, with agent Noel Daley picking up the Captaintreacherous colt for $310,000. Bred and consigned by Twinbrook Limited, Twin B Predator is the first foal out of Paisley Hanover, a full sister to 1:47 3/5 performer JK Panache.

Taking third-place honors was HIP 366 Seven Again, a Chapter Seven filly who fetched a winning bid of $260,000 from Trond Smedshammer. Seven Again, who is out of Armbro Deja Vu, is a half-sister to $1.1 million-plus earner Dejarmbro. She was consigned by Preferred Equine Marketing as agent for Fair Winds Farm.

The striking chestnut filly HIP 277 Elista Hanover finished fourth on the list at $240,000. Bred and consigned by Hanover Shoe Farms, the daughter of International Moni-Evermore sold to Lynn Curry and is a half-sister to May Karp [1:52 2/5, $281,408].

"We have looked at her multiple times. We've been out to Hanover, and we've turned her out. She checked all the boxes. It had nothing to do with her color, but she is a beautiful horse," remarked Curry. "We got two really nice ones in Lexington. We were looking for a third, and I only do trotting fillies in my own stable. I wanted her, and my trainer wanted her.

"From the minute we turned her out, she was number one. She was the one we wanted the most if we were lucky enough to get her. Emotion sets in, and you go as hard as you can and still be what you think is reasonable. I always hope I get them cheap, but this was reasonable for how we gauge our horses. We'll see."

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Completing the top five yearlings to go through the ring on Tuesday was HIP 512 Abra Abra Kadabra, a $235,000 acquisition for Serge Godin's Determination stable. A filly from the final crop of the late Kadabra and consigned by Icy Stable for Farhi Standardbreds, her dam Windsong Nolwenn is a Donato Hanover half-sister to Windsong Espoir [1:55 3/5, $763,229].

Through two days the gross is sitting at $35,730,000 and the average is $70,613. The gross is up from last year's sum of $33,427,000, but the average is down from 2021's record pace of $79,399. Ninety-nine more horses have been sold so far (520 in 2022 versus 421 a year ago), contributing to the drop in the average.

The yearling-only portion of the Standardbred Horse Sale concludes tomorrow with HIPs 525-938 on offer. The focus will then shift to two mixed sale sessions on Thursday and Friday. Action gets underway on Wednesday at 10 a.m. and then at 11 a.m. for the mixed sale.

--quotes by Derick Giwner--