Harness: Yearling sale season kicks off with Goshen Sale on Sunday

Goshen Yearling Sale president Mark Ford doesn’t mince his words. In describing the auction that takes place on Sunday, September 9 he gets right to the point.

“We have a great location and people can come and enjoy themselves for four hours,” Ford said of the auction that will be first in line this season offering the next crop of racehorses.

“I think we’re in a great spot. We’ve replaced the old Garden State Sale and we’re close enough to metropolitan New York to serve the buyers,” Ford said. “The sale has been very well received. People don’t want to go all the way to Morrisville.”

Though the Goshen Sale is relatively young, Ford, who hosts the event at his training facility in Middletown, New York, feels its composition is clear.

“We’ve structured it to sell New York and Pennsylvania horses, a majority of which were not accepted at the Lexington or Harrisburg auction,” said Ford.

What Goshen does offer is a locale for those horsemen with stables that campaign in the region to gain first access to the next crop and perhaps pick out a Sire Stakes horse to race in the adjacent programs in the years to come.

The sale in its short history has produced some standouts and just last year sold the Sheppard winner Hickfromfrenchlick, also a top colt on the New York Sire Stakes program.

With partners Joe Thomson (Winbak) and Tom Grossman (Blue Chip), the Goshen sale has formed a solid foundation and one that buyers can count on for a few things.

“We are going to start on time and move through quickly,” said Ford. “I think we can sell 30-head each hour and be done in time for the buyers to go to dinner in the area.”

The speed and efficiency of the auction is paramount to what Goshen is trying to achieve. It’s a one-stop shopping experience where buyers can look at the horses and get on with the business of bidding, and hopefully have what they need when they leave for the day.

“We’ll have tents set up and it will be a comfortable afternoon for everyone,” said Ford, who anticipates another solid crowd this season.

“I think the catalog is a little stronger this year,” Ford said.

Perhaps what is most exciting about the Goshen auction is that it will be the first place to see and purchase horses from first-crop sires.

On the pacing side, the first offerings of Bolt The Duer and Artspeak will have an opportunity to be inspected and selected while on the trotting front world champion Sebastian K or (KS as he’s known locally) has a filly in Demimonde Hanover consigned by Hanover Shoe Farms that perhaps would have done well selling in November at Harrisburg, but should garner tremendous attention as HIP number 58.

There are 122 yearlings in the catalog and there will be some outs. Ford feels it’s vital to the success of the sale to have a number that works for the venue and the public that will attend.

While Ford suggests the sale is not a great money maker for him or his partners, it would be more fair to say it is an essential venue for breeders that want to see their yearlings change hands while at the same time offering local buyers the convenience of not having to travel too far to make their purchases.

“I think we averaged around $15,000 a head last year,” said Ford. “I think with the group we have this year we might do a little better.”

There are 10 yearlings by So Surreal, the first son of the late Somebeachsomewhere to go to stud. His early returns have been most encouraging.

Winbak holds the majority of the dozen colts and fillies from the first crop of Bolt The Duer that are entered in the Goshen Sale.

Hanover Shoe Farms will offer three fillies from the first crop of Artspeak.

The popular Blue Chip stallion Chapter Seven has had championship caliber stock in every crop. Those looking to get on the bandwagon for next year may take a look at the three colts being offered on Sunday at Goshen.

“I think we’ll have a nice crowd,” said Ford.

You can bet there will be some great buys once again.