But to many others, it’s the Standardbred Horse Sales Company Annual Sale, and the 2013 edition is underway with more than 2,100 racehorses offered at public auction.
The ‘Black Book’ will feature a Select Yearling Sale held Monday through Thursday, followed by the Mixed Sale on Friday and Saturday at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Some of the sport’s brightest starts, including those who are currently racing at Woodbine Racetrack, will be offered on Saturday during the Mixed Sale.
Atop the list is the four-year-old Knows Nothing, who is fresh off an open-length victory in the $34,000 Preferred Trot at the Rexdale oval. Hillsborough conditioner Jeff Gillis will auction the top sales prospect. The trotting star has a terrific 5-4-2 record from 17 starts this season, along with his 1:51.4 career best. The talented son of Kadabra competed in the Grand Circuit this season when he contested the Maple Leaf Trot, Arthur Cutler Memorial, and TVG Free-For-All Series. The Ontario Sires Stakes graduate has $729,356 in career earnings and will sell as Hip No. 1970.
Another Gillis trainee that will sell at the Mixed Sale is Continual Velocity. The classy five-year-old has found the winner circle in 21 of 85 career starts and has banked $344,166 in career earnings. A regular overnight campaigner on the Woodbine Entertainment Group circuit, Continual Velocity has a 1:50.3 career best and has raced in the Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace. She will sell as Hip No. 1797.
Cheltenham, Ont.-based conditioner Dave Menary will offer four top campaigners in Tarpon Hanover, Windsong Jack and Tea Party Princess and Macharoundtheclock.
Tarpon Hanover, who captured the $300,000 Battle of Waterloo last season as a rookie, will sell as Hip No. 1947. The pacing son of Badlands Hanover has banked $503,854 in his two season of racing. Fresh off a second-place finish in the $200,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final, Tarpon Hanover recently qualified at Mohawk Racetrack on October 30 in 1:55.3. The brown colt has a 5-3-8 record from 24 career starts.
His stablemate is another top OSS campaigner, Windsong Jack. A son of Santanna Blue Chip, Windsong Jack has banked $438,486 in his career for Menary. The brown gelding has amassed an impressive 6-7-2 record from 21 career starts along with a 1:49.4 career-best. He recently qualified at Mohawk on October 30, winning gate-to-wire in 1:54. He will sell as Hip No. 1953.
Macharoundtheclock, a daughter of Mach Three, has banked $239,837 in her young career. From 21 career starts, the bay filly has a 3-5-1 record and a 1:51.1 lifetime best. She talented filly competed in the Jugette, Shes A Great Lady, Canadian Breeders along with the OSS. She will sell as Hip No. 1825.
The richest of Menary’s offerings is Tea Party Princess, who has banked $666,934 in her career. The daughter of Art Major has found the winner circle in 18 of 73 career starts. A regular overnight competitor on the WEG Circuit, Tea Party Princess has competed in the Breeders Crown, Fan Hanover and Milton Stakes, just to name a few. The $40,000 yearling purchase will sell as Hip No. 1836.
Hall of Famer Bob McIntosh will sell top OSS graduate Pan Luis Obispo as Hip No.1832. The daughter of No Pan Intended enjoyed a terrific three-year-old season in 2013 with $240,833 banked from 16 starts and five wins. The pacing miss has a 1:51.4 lifetime best and was a top competitor in the Ontario Sires Stakes program this season. She was primarily driven by Randy Waples.
WEG’s top conditioner, Richard Moreau, will sell top trotting mare Smarty Pants as Hip No. 1807. The daughter of Kadabra banked $305,836 last season while racing primarily in the provincial program. She classy mare recently finished third in the $34,000 Preferred Trot as she took on aged pacing horses of both sexes. With career earnings of $389,017, Smarty Pants has a 1:54.3 lifetime best. She competed in the Miss Versatility, Armbro Flight, Elegantimage and Casual Breeze in her career.