Harness: Volomite pacing line thriving through an unlikely source
If someone said the once proud Volomite pacing line would be alive and flourishing into the 21st century through Sampson Hanover, they would have been dismissed as having diminished resources. But yet the number one pacing sire of this the 21st century has been the prematurely deceased Somebeachsomewhere and judging from the exploits of his first crop son Captaintreacherous, it appears that dominance is being extended.
Sampson Hanover, a foal of 1947 by Volomite from the Dillon Axworthy mare IrenehanH Hanover, was bred to trot but like many Volomite sons paced eventually, time trialing in 1:56 4/5, respectable for that era. Like other Volomite sons, he was a double-gaited sire, although he produced more pacers than trotters, the fastest of which was his son Sampson Direct from the Billy Direct mare Dottie Rosecroft. Sampson Direct, a foal of 1957, took a mark of 1:56 in a time trial at age 4 and became a moderate at best sire of pacers.
Sampson Direct eventually sired Direct Scooter from the Noble Victory mare Noble Claire, which conceivably could have produced a trotter given the maternal heritage, even though Noble Claire took her mark on the pace. Direct Scooter proved an excellent pacer, earning some $800,451 and a best time of 1:54 and became a member of the then fledgling New Jersey Sires Stakes brigade.
Direct Scooter was a good but not great sire, though he did throw a world champion son in Matt’s Scooter from the Meadow Skipper mare Ellens Glory, who extended the line to a degree. He also threw In The Pocket, who didn’t make much impact here but emerged as a significant sire Down Under, accounting for Christian Cullen, who has been one of the top homegrown sires in the Southern hemisphere.
Christian Cullen did stand in North America for a brief period in 2009, but at age 15 was probably past his peak at that time. Still that year, he sired a Grand Circuit colt in Good Day Mate (1:49 3/5, $57,041) from Stienams Place. A couple of his imports have become millionaires while in North America.
Matt’s Scooter himself was a good though not necessarily great sire with sons like Mach Three, Royal Mattjesty, His Mattjesty and others who received siring opportunities. Of those, Mach Three emerged as Matt’s Scooter’s best siring son despite looking much more like his Abercrombie dam than his Direct Scooter sire.
Mach Three, like his sire Matt’s Scooter, was considered a good though not necessarily outstanding sire until a horse named Somebeachsomewhere happened along. Somebeachsomewhere (Mach Three-Where’s The Beach-Beach Towel) was a revelation from the get-go, standing near 17 hands with immense power, speed and gait. Where it all came from is open to opinion, speculation and/or pure awe, but he proved himself among the all-time greats and arguably the best pacer of the 21st century.
The question then became, how would he sire? In this business we’ve seen super racing stars like Adios Butler, Speedy Scot, Overtrick, Bret Hanover, Romeo Hanover, Nevele Pride, Niatross, Nihilator, Mack Lobell, Self Possessed and others who were not nearly as proficient in stud as they were on the racetrack. The same applies to thoroughbreds as the likes of Secretariat, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Citation, etc. all came up short in the siring department although Seattle Slew did prove an exception.
Interestingly enough one modern day superstar, Muscle Hill, has proven as proficient in the stud barn as he was on the racetrack, but he was the third link of a great sire line via Valley Victory and Muscles Yankee which may have aided his cause.
Somebeachsomewhere proved an instant success with a sensational first crop featuring Captaintreacherous, Sunshine Beach and Somewherovrarainbow, and was the dominant pacing sire of this last decade until expiring in early 2018. Thus far, his number one son Captaintreacherous has proven a similar revelation getting such brilliant 2-year-olds as Captain Crunch, Tall Drink Hanover, De Los Cielos Deo and Captain Ahab in a sensational opening crop suggesting that he too, like dad, will be a milestone type stallion.
Captaintreacherous, however, is from an outstanding maternal line whereas Somebeachsomewhere’s was far more modest.
Prior to “The Captain’s” initial crop hitting the races, Somebeachsomewhere sons So Surreal and Net Tem Eom indicated they could sire respectable regional performers in New York and Indiana, which if nothing else paved the way for The Captain. Sunshine Beach has proven solid in Canada, though we’ll look to see if his 3-year-olds improve as sophomores as he did.
Then there’s Downbytheseaside, last year’s 3-year-old pacing champion who seems poised to carry on his father’s line in Ohio.
Suddenly that once proud Volomite pacing line which barely hung on by the proverbial thread is alive and flourishing in this the 21st century.