Marks: The wait begins to see first-crop yearlings on the track in 2018

With the Standardbred Horse Sale venue at Harrisburg now in the books, it can only whet the appetite to see the colts and fillies from some truly exceptional first-crop stallion prospects hit the racetracks in 2018.

On the pacing side, Captaintreacherous, Sweet Lou and Sunshine Beach offered major crops, while arch rivals Father Patrick and Trixton led the trotting first-croppers.

In that not all of the sales results have been tabulated via the USTA’s Pathway at this writing, we’ll have to wait for precise final averages, but we can supply those recorded at what is generally considered the two major yearling sales in Lexington and Harrisburg.

Captaintreacherous, Pacer of the Year at ages 2 and 3, considered the optimum son of Somebeachsomewhere, is virtually bred to be a stallion being out of the Artsplace mare Worldly Treasure. She’s a sister to the great Worldly Beauty, those two by World Order, the sister to Art Major’s dam Perfect Profile. And that is a maternal family of champions.

There have been two Somebeachsomewhere sons to see their progeny hit the racetrack – So Surreal (Must See) and Net Ten EOM (Glowing Report) – and both have shown well with their initial crops this year. So Surreal had his winners in New York while Net Ten EOM did more than just OK in Indiana.

Captaintreacherous or “The Captain” as he’s come to be called, averaged $69,811 in Lexington and $70,481 in Harrisburg. Among his headliners that we’ll be looking for next year should be Captain’s Darlin’ from Darlin’s Delight, who brought $185,000, and U S Captain from American Jewel, the sister to Luck Be Withyou from the very prolific Trim Hanover.

Sweet Lou, by Yankee Cruiser from Bettor Sweet’s dam Sweet Future, enjoyed a rather unique career being a 2-year-old champion as a colt and a Pacer of the Year at age 5. The Sweet Lou’s averaged $72,862 in Lexington and $47,188 at Harrisburg. His sales topper was Lu’s Illusion from Artistic Vision, which makes her a half-sister to the brilliant Rock N Roll Heaven and the $2.7 million-winning Clear Vision.

Sunshine Beach, the main contemporary for Captaintreacherous during their racing years, is by Somebeachsomewhere from the Artsplace mare Lights Up. He ended “The Captains” undefeated 3-year-old season winning the Battle of Brandywine in a then record 1:47 4/5. Sunshine Beach, who stands in Canada, averaged $84,667 for three colts in Lexington and $36,067 at Harrisburg. His top price was for Ridin On Sunshine from Takealilridewithme at $185,000, and we’ll be watching Twin B Watching from Burnett Blue Chip, who brought $50,000 at Harrisburg.

Father Patrick and Trixton were actually stable mates along with the International star Nuncio in their great sophomore seasons back in 2014. It is remembered that Father Patrick made an unfortunate break at the starting gate in the Hambletonian that year which was eventually won by Trixton after dueling overland with Nuncio virtually the entire mile. Father Patrick both raced and stood stud at age 4 while Trixton had retired after suffering an injury. Nuncio, owned by Stefan Melander of Scarlet Knight fame, is still active across the pond and may be pointing for the Prix D’Amerique in January.

With his abbreviated initial stallion season, Father Patrick had just 47 foals to be yearlings of 2017. Considered the best ever son of the top sire Cantab Hall, from Gala Dream, Father Patrick’s sales topper Rifleman from Designed To Be brought $330,000 in Lexington. In that Explosive Matter, the first Cantab Hall son to reach stud, has shown well with his own Hambletonian winner in Pinkman, there is ample optimism for Father Patrick.

Trixton, still the ultimate son of leading sire Muscle Hill, is from Emilie Cas El, a champion sister to three significant sires in Andover Hall, Conway Hall and Angus Hall. Trixton averaged $50,550 in Harrisburg and $54,395 in Lexington. Among his headliners include Battenberg from Coffeecake Hanover at $210,000 and Steuben Hanover from Star Hanover at $200,000. Battenberg had what some considered a spectacular video presentation and there will be those excited to see what he looks like hooked up and going.

There’s always a bit of uncertainty with initial crop stallions as no one can be absolutely certain which ones will hit and which will miss. It was Hall Of Fame trainer-driver and Hanover chief John F Simpson who was quoted as saying, “Many (stallions) are called but few are chosen.”

This year we have a quintet of exceptional candidates. We will anxiously wait to see just which ones are indeed the “chosen” ones.