Harness: Yearling-only section of Standardbred Horse Sale ends

The yearling-only portion of the 2023 Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, concluded on Wednesday (November 8).

This year's yearling section saw declines in both gross and average year-over-year. In 2022 903 horses went through the ring from Monday through Wednesday for a record gross of $44,345,000 and an average of $49,109, while in 2023 810 yearling fetched a sum of $35,870,000 and an average of $44,284. It should be noted that while those numbers were down, they were up over a Standardbred Horse Sale held as recently as 2018 ($35,420,000 gross for 830 horses and an average of $42,675).

Trotting fillies sold for the highest average, with 161 of them at $47,137. Trotting colts were next at $46,780, followed by pacing colts ($45,437) and pacing fillies ($39,251). Pacing colts led the gross at $10,496,000 for 231 offerings. 231 pacing fillies fetched $9,067,000, with trotting colts at $8,701,000 (186 horses) and $7,589,000 (161 horses).

Agent Peninsula Farm got the nod as top consignor, as their three horses brought an average of $135,000. Twinbrook Farms was second at $96,333 (12 horses), agent Concord Stud Farm was third at $77,397 (68 horses) and Vieux Carre' Farms ($57,889 / nine horses) and Dean and Ashley Wilson ($56,000 / four horses) rounded out the top five.

Trotting sires cleaned up the top five on average, led by first-cropper Gimpanzee at $153,857 for his seven horses. Muscle Hill, who was responsible for sale topper De Kooning at $600,000 was second at $146,250 for 12 horses, followed by Googoo Gaagaa ($126,000 for two horses), Chapter Seven ($109,190 for 21 yearlings) and Walner ($93,000 for 19 horses).

Those Gimpanzee yearlings helped Kentucky eligibles to that same average of $153,857, which was tops in the sale. New York eligibles were next at $52,811, followed by New Jersey ($50,981), Pennsylvania ($42,961) and Ontario ($34,359). Pennsylvania eligibles led on the gross, with 437 of them fetching a sum of $18,774,000. Completing the top five were New Jersey ($5,506,000 for 108 horses), New York ($5,017,000 / 95 horses), Ontario ($4,870,000 / 141) and Kentucky ($1,077,000 / seven).

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Three yearlings entered six figure territory on Wednesday, led by HIP 780 Elfin, who was purchased by Ken Jacobs for $102,000. The daughter of Googoo Gaagaa was consigned by Hunterton Sales Agency as agent. Following her at $100,000 were HIP 620 Killemwithkindness, an E L Titan filly who went to Exceed Stables LLC., and HIP 820 Imagining, a daughter of Tactical Landing who was grabbed by Francisco del Cid. Killemwithkindness was consigned by agent Concord Stud Farm and Imagining by Hunterton Sales Agency as agent.

With the yearling-only part of the Standardbred Horse Sale now in the books, the focus in Harrisburg switches to the mixed sale on Thursday and Friday. Thursday features some more yearlings, followed by stallions shares and broodmare and broodmare prospects, and on Friday there will be race horses and potential stallions going through the ring. HIPs 853-1282 will be offered on Thursday starting at 10 a.m. (EST), and HIPs 1285-1548 will close out the sale on Friday beginning at 11 a.m. (EST).