It has been 10 years since the stallion Judge Smells came to Pennsylvania and shook up the state's breeding industry, leading a charge of established stallions - mostly from Kentucky- who were greeted with a renewed burst of enthusiasm.

Over the past decade, Pennsylvania's leading sire rankings have been in a continual flux. Just when one stallion seems to take control at the top of the list, a new stallion arrives. Now that the vision of slots money has become reality, the recent stallion standings have taken on a completely new look.

The average price at the two-day Fasig-Tipton winter mixed sale that closed Monday night increased 54 percent over last year's sale, helped principally by a strong second session on Monday.

During the session, Fasig-Tipton sold 183 horses for gross receipts of $4,640,700, for an average price of $25,359. The average on the first day of the sale, for 194 horses sold, was $11,990.

LAS VEGAS - If the trend continues, expect a 3-year-old such as Galloping Grocer, Greater Good, Proud Accolade, or Rockport Harbor - horses not bred to be at their best at 1 1/4 miles - to win the Kentucky Derby. The past three years have brought us War Emblem (by Our Emblem), Funny Cide (Distorted Humor), and Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality), three colts by stallions not particularly known for stamina.

I have written over and over again that this is the culmination of two factors:

A 4-year-old stakes-winning filly by King of Kings had brought the highest price of the final session of the two-day Fasig-Tipton winter mixed sale in Lexington, Ky., as of 5 p.m. Monday.

The filly, Sweet Win, was purchased by North Hills Management out of the Denali Stud consignment for $370,000. Denali Stud was acting as agent for an undisclosed seller.

Sweet Win, out of the St. Jovite mare Win for Juno, won the Grade 3 San Clemente Handicap last year and was third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks. She earned $162,980 on the racetrack.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Closing Argument made a good case for his ability to stretch out in distance and for his prospects in the upcoming Triple Crown preps with a victory in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream.

Running the 1 1/8 miles 1:50.14, Closing Argument won by 1 1/2 lengths from a Boston Harbor colt, Kansas City Boy, with previously undefeated High Fly another half-length back in third.

A winner of 3 of his 6 lifetime starts, Closing Argument has earned $511,984 for his owners, Philip and Marcia Cohen.

There was some trepidation but no lack of confidence by management as the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's sale of 2-year-olds in training, held at Calder Race Course last Tuesday, was not keeping pace with the early numbers posted last year.

Tom Ventura, the general manager for OBS, was quick to point out that many of the heavy hitters were closer to the end of the sale. And so they were.

New York stallion Phone Trick hit a home run at last Tuesday's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company selected 2-year-olds in training sale.

His New York-bred son out of Lark Creek (by Meadowlake), was purchased for $550,000, the second-highest price of the auction.

New York-breds sold very well at the OBS venue at Calder, which annually begins the major 2-year-old training sales.

The overall sale average was $136,890 for 109 horses sold, with 12 New York-breds bringing $1,562,000, for an average price of $130,167.

The New York Breeders' Sales Co. has scheduled a yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for Aug. 11-12, between the Fasig-Tipton selected yearling sale and Fasig-Tipton preferred sale, both also to be held in Saratoga Springs.

Harry Landry, the director of sales for the company, said the sale will offer up to 380 yearlings over the two nights from a mix of states.

"We're hoping to attract some really nice candidates from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, and some of the other neighboring states where the breeding programs have been improving," Landry said.

Eclipse Award winner Declan's Moon is not the only Maryland-bred 3-year-old stirring up excitement early this season.

Maddalena, a freakishly fast filly who is part of trainer Todd Pletcher's Florida-based contingent, is ranked third nationally in her division by Daily Racing Form's Mike Watchmaker, following a dominating performance in Gulfstream Park's Grade 3 Old Hat Stakes on Feb. 5.

Making her stakes debut in the Old Hat, Maddalena won by 7 1/4 lengths, covering 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.31.

Led by California-bred horse of the year Moscow Burning, a majority of the state's champions of 2004 are staying in training this year.

Awards were presented in nine categories at a ceremony in San Diego last Monday. Moscow Burning swept the three categories in which she was eligible: outstanding older female, top grass horse, and horse of the year. Moscow Burning became the first female to win the horse of the year honor since Cat's Cradle in 1995.