Harness: Winning Key with a good-looking dozen for Harrisburg

Located between Kittanning and Butler in western Pennsylvania, Winning Key Farm, under owner Robert Key, always had a reputation for breeding and racing a great group of pacers and trotters. Among the most notable were Hambletonian champ American Winner and Pennsylvania Horse of the Year Winning Mister. When Key passed away in 2021 at 87 after four decades in the business, his wife Patty took over the reins (okay, lines for you Standardbred purists) and changed that focus just a bit.

In the five years since Bob's passing, Patty Key has continued to support the sport, with Winning Key Farm being the title sponsor of the Hambletonian. She also spent an eye-popping $750,000 to purchase a share of trotting stallion Walner in 2022.

"It's all about Bob's legacy," she said in an interview after the Walner acquisition. "I wanted to make sure that he lives forever in the harness racing business. It's very emotional for me. I know he'd be very happy with what I'm doing because this is my dream and that's what I'm focusing on right now."

Winning Key continues to focus on homebreds and cultivating their maternal families, but the farm started selling more at auctions, particularly at Harrisburg. The farm also culled a large number of mares while looking to upgrade the broodmare band, something that has led to great success, with the focus moving to selling at least some of those offspring.

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According to farm co-manager Samantha Werksman-Crocker (her husband Eric is her partner): "We just began selling horses in 2021. Diamond Creek prepped them for us, but we were boarding several at Anvil And Lace Farm. We developed that relationship and have worked with them ever since. Patty jumped in with both feet. We didn't really change what we were doing. We always focused on quality over quantity."

Shaun Laungani of Diamond Creek Farm actually oversaw a major renovation of the farm, and in the years since, Winning Key has produced exceptional yearlings. 2026 is no different.

Werksman-Crocker, who started with Winning Key in 1999 and has been there ever since, is especially proud of this year's Harrisburg consignment.

"I'm a Winning Key lifer," she joked, recalling that she began as a part-timer while still in school.

Winning Key sold three yearlings at Lexington, but from its base in the Keystone State, Harrisburg is the focus. They are selling six yearlings on day one and six more later in the sale. The day one group is as impressive on video as they are on pedigree. But how do you decide where to sell?

"It depends on lots of things - we were looking for standouts - both physical and pedigree. Some sires might be more popular at one or the other. That being said, the ones we chose for Harrisburg, I think they will do very well," said Werksman-Crocker.

The first Winning Key yearling is the only colt on the first day. HIP 12 Route Seven is a Chapter Seven who is a half-brother to Avenzee, who was somewhat successful in Kentucky this year as a 3-year-old. A late February foal, his Muscle Hill dam Avenir was a decent racehorse and hails from a maternal family with an excellent production record. I loved his video, too.

HIP 34 Make It Lass is a January filly by Volume Eight who is Kentucky and Pennsylvania eligible. Her dam is a Muscle Mass sister to Vivid Wise As, who earned nearly $4,000,000 racing in Europe. She is the second foal of her dam Deal Wise As. If you are not familiar with Volume Eight (I admit, I wasn't), he is a Chapter Seven who was a Dan Patch winner at age 2. He stands at Hanover and this is his first crop. He was also bred by Robert Key and sold for $70,000 at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale.

Book A Spa Day, HIP 73, is a full sister to multiple Dan Patch Award winner and three-time millionaire Jiggy Jog S, sired by Walner. Her dam Hot Mess Hanover is a 100% producer and Winning Key purchased her in foal with this filly. She is another one whose video I liked, and what's not to like about Walner?

HIP 84 Holy Mackerella (Patty Key names all the foals, although her farm managers occasionally make suggestions) is from the Muscle Hill family. "[She] is a real nice filly. She is from a Cantab Hall mare and her brother, who was raced lightly at 2, is now racing and has had some success," said Werksman-Crocker.

Next into the ring for Winning Key will be HIP 125 Summer Falls. Sired by Captain Corey and from their homebred Conway Hall mare Perfect Summer K, she is a full sister to Grade 1 Doherty winner Atlantic Summer. Summer Falls is a January foal and her mom is a 100% producer.

The last day one filly is Bewitchery, who will wear HIP 148. A January filly by Tactical Landing, she is a looker and I liked her video a lot. Her dam, She Must Be Magic, is a half-sister to Win Missy B, who banked almost $1.6 million in her career. Further down the pedigree you'll find world champions, as well.

Later in the sale, Winning Key will be represented by HIP 527 Cross Bones, a Sweet Lou colt; #549 Sweeping Beauty, a Tactical Approach filly; #551 Oodles of Eights, by their stallion Volume Eight; #559 Rein Over Terror, another Sweet Lou colt (those three will keep Samantha busy); #570 Norse Man, a King Of The North colt; and #618 Tickle Lillies, by Back of the Neck.

The Winning Key Farm dozen is impressive on all fronts: good looking, well-bred and looking good on video. Anyone would be lucky to walk away with one.

I'll be back next week to look at the Mixed portion of the Harrisburg Sale. There will be plenty of opportunities to "go cash" there.