Standardbred Trotting Sire Lines 101 - Speedster and Volomite

During the first decade of the 21st Century of harness horse racing, Breeders Crown-calibre stallions all descend from three 20th Century Foundation sires:

Hal Dale
Speedster
Volomite

Whereas the 3 primary standardbred pacing sire lines (Western Hanover, Artsplace, Cam Fella) all come from Hal Dale, the premier trotting line (Valley Victory) descends from Speedster and the other two dominant lines (Garland Lobell, Stars Pride - Super Bowl) are from Volomite:


Speedster - Speedy Scot - Speedy Crown - Baltic Speed - Valley Victory - Muscles Yankee

Volomite - Victory Song - Noble Victory - ABC Freight - Garland Lobell

Volomite - Worthy Boy - Stars Pride - Super Bowl


Alright, now let's take a few steps back and see how these trotting lines descend from Hambletonian son Happy Medium:

Hambletonian - Happy Medium - Pilot Medium - Peter The Great - Peter Volo - Volomite

Hambletonian - Happy Medium - Pilot Medium - Peter The Great - Peter Scott - Scotland - Spencer Scott - Rodney - Speedster

Though they descend from Star's Pride, sires like SJS Caviar and Kadabra are considered outcross sires as they have emerged from the once perceived as semi-dormant Hickory Pride and Nevele Pride lines respectively.

Trotting Outcross lines:

Stars Pride - Hickory Pride - Yankee Bambino - Photo Maker - SJS Photo - SJS Caviar

Stars Pride - Nevele Pride - Madison Avenue - Meadow Raod - Primrose Lane - Kadabra

Speedster - Arnie Almahurst - Arndon - Pine Chip - Chip Chip Hooray

Speedster - Arnie Almahurst - Florida Pro - Magna Force

Breeders looking to raise a stakes-caliber Standardbred may want to do two simple calculations when choosing between two sires:

A) Count the number of appearances of Speedster and Volomite in each stallion

B) Count the number of times Valley Victory, Garland Lobell and Stars Pride appear in each stallion

Of course it is also crucial to look at conformation and the match with your mare's own breeding, plus trends in marketability of yearlings, however the process of adding more greatness to what's already there in your mare can be magnified by focusing on the most proven names in the breeding shed.

Standardbred Pacing Sire Lines 101 - Hal Dale

In the early 21st Century years of standardbred horse racing, stakes-calibre stallions all descend from three 20th Century Foundation sires:

Hal Dale
Speedster
Volomite


The dominant pacing lines are from Hal Dale and the premier trotting line is from Speedster, whereas Volomite has sired dominant trotting lines (eg. Star's Pride - Superbowl line, Garland Lobell line) and valuable outcross pacing lines (Bye Bye Byrd line, Direct Scooter line).

Hal Dale was a decendant of Hambletonian's son Electioneer, as follows:

Hambletonian - Electioneer - Chimes - The Abbe - Abbedale - Hal Dale

As Speedster and Volomite are both descendants of Hambletonian son Happy Medium via great grandson Peter The Great, the old adage that all standardbreds are descended from five sons of Hambletonian can now be refined: Premium Standardbred sire lines now descend from just two sons of Hambletonian, Electioneer and Happy Medium. Legacy lines like George Wilkes (represented today by Sierra Kosmos) and Dictator (last big splash was Steady Star) often survive by a single thread, and these almost inevitably break at some point. The trotting world success of Kadabra does illustrate that a line can be revived as an outcross option with a chance to compete for dominance.

Back in the 1980s there was concern in the harness racing world that too many eggs were being placed in the Meadow Skipper basket, as his grandsons by Albatross, Most Happy Fella and others were dominating stakes races. This situation corrected itself in three ways:

A) The dominant Albatross - Niatross - Nihalator faded out as the daughters of this powerful line went to Most Happy Fella, Abercrombie and outcross sires.

B) Most Happy Fella emerged as the new dominant line via Cam Fella and then No Nukes / Western Hanover

C) Abercrombie's son Artsplace re-affirmed Abercrombie / Artsplace as the dominant non-Meadow Skipper line

So today we have 3 dominant lines in pacing, and all trace to Hal Dale:

No Nukes - Western Hanover

Abercrombie - Artsplace

Cam Fella

You can argue who the fourth dominant line is (I'd prefer to call it the top outcross line and would suggest Mach Three / Somebeachsomewhere may solidify this position over the next two years), however I challenge any reader to suggest a 4th pacing sire line that is as successful as the 3 above, which we will now call Western Hanover line, Artsplace line and Cam Fella line. Here's how they descend from Hal Dale:

Hal Dale - Dale Frost - Meadow Skipper - Most Happy Fella - Oil Burner - No Nukes - Western Hanover

Hal Dale - Adios - Henry T Adios - Silent Majority - Abercrombie - Artsplace

Hal Dale - Dale Frost - Meadow Skipper - Most Happy Fella - Cam Fella

When Western Hanover passed at a relatively young age, I was concerned that it could affect his legacy, however he is a bona fide sire of sires and his sons and grandsons have already proven they are the ones to beat.


Pacing outcross sire lines:

Volomite - Sampson Hanover - Sampson Direct - Direct Scooter - Matts Scooter - Mach Three - Somebeachsomewhere

Meadow Skipper - Most Happy Fella - Tyler B - Dragons Lair - Dragon Again

Meadow Skipper - French Chef - Beach Towel - Jennas Beach Boy - Quik Pulse Mindale

Adios - Bret Hanover - Warm Breeze - Falcon Seelster - McArdle


The key to predicting the future is understanding which outcross sire will benefit most from daughters of Western Hanover, Artsplace and Cam Fella line stallions, and being a Maritimes-affiliated (PEI, NB) Canadian, my heart and mind are watching the offspring of Somebeachsomewhere; Which way to the Beach!!!

Part Shark SIZZLES in 1:51 Gold Cup and Saucer victory

Four Starzzz Shark son Part Shark (out of Pop Art by Artsplace) wins PEI's premier race

Most Happy Fella cross proves up Cam Fella line yet again




Rick Zeron drove Part Shark (trained by Wayne Preszcator) to a Gold Cup and Saucer victory in a record time of 1:51!!! This was the 51st running of the Charlottetown PEI's Gold Cup and Saucer race, now sponsored by premier Maritimes grocer Sobey's.




Stonebridge Terror, driven by Scott Coulter, Placed in 1:51:1, while the Show position went to Panda Bear driven by Anthony MacDonald in 1:51:1.

Watch online video of Part Shark winning 2010 Gold Cup and Saucer, Charlottetown PEI

Family Vacation in PEI; Ready to Rock and Roll!

My family is from the Maritimes (mom from NB, dad from PEI) and we're having the Trainor Family Reunion in Charlottetown PE from August 5th to August 8th. We had 2 reunions back in 1989 and 1967 so you can see this is a fairly big event for my family!

Too bad I won't be there for the Gold Cup and Saucer, as it is one of my 2 favourite (NA Cup) races in the entire world!

Please visit my other blogs regularly and don't hesitate to support my sponsors (eg click on ads) so that we can pay for this trip!!!

A Green Realtor Websites Blog

Wind Energy Investments Links

Geothermal Energy Investing

Photovoltaic Solar Power Stocks

Wind Energy Companies to Watch

Tidal Energy, Wavepower, Water Purification Stocks

Joe College Punk Politics Ecology Blog


Peace 2 All,

Joe College

Coleman-trained Sportswriter and PEI's Mark MacDonald win North America Cup 2010!

I'll admit I was fixated on the run Rock N Roll Heaven was on and missed Sportswriter rounding into form. I will also say that even though I lost $40 on that race, and my dad lost a few bones too, we were pleased to see PEI-born Mark MacDonald drive his way to his first North America Cup.

Congratulations to Sportswriter, Casie Coleman, Mark MacDonald and all of this great horse's connections here and Stateside.

Peace 2 All,

Joe T

Sportswriter wins 2010 Pepsi North America Cup, video and story

Unofficial Advance Odds 2010 Final Pepsi North America Cup at Mohawk

Here are the ten finalists for this Saturday's 2010 Pepsi NA Cup at Mohawk Racetrack, with my unofficial advance Evening Line Odds (these will be re-calculated after post positions are drawn, as the field is well matched):

Evening Line Odds - North America Cup at Mohawk

Rock N Roll Heaven 8-5

All Speed Hanover 5-2

Kyle Major 3-1

Sportswriter 7-2

We Will See 4-1

Delmarvelous 6-1

One More Laugh 8-1

Fred and Ginger 12-1

Piece of the Rock 15-1

Art Professor 20-1

AE:

Power Of A Moment 25-1

Stonebridge Tonic 30-1

Everybody have fun on Saturday night, this 3 year old crop is starting to shape up nicely!

Green Energy Stocks Investing Links

Geothermal Power Stocks Companies

Wind Energy Investing Stocks

Green Energy Mutual Funds

PV Solar Stocks Investing

Water Technology Stocks Tidal Energy Wavepower

Mohawk Racetrack 2010 NA Cup Eliminations Morning Line Odds

This first elim is wickedly competitive, with the four outside horses and Ideal Matters all looking to be in the final. At least two of them won't make it, possibly more, so in this race you have to look for value. I believe the morning line undervalues Kyle Major, and that he and Rock N Roll Heaven will be co-faves, with Ideal Matters a quite close 3rd fave. Dr Dreamy or Sportswriter could be worth a fling at the right price.



5 -- Pace, purse $50,000 (EX, P3, SF, TR)
D-PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XXVII - ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLDS.
STARTING FEE $8,000 CDN $8,000 U.S.
Post time: 08:54 P.M. Lasix: 04:39 P.M.
1 Rock Me Please S Condren R Mcintosh 10-1
2 Ok Commander D Mcnair R Mcnair 25-1
3 Ideal Matters D Palone M Vanderkemp 7-2
4 Power Of A Moment M Miller E Miller 12-1
5 Code Word S Filion K Oreilly 25-1
6 Allthatgltrsisgold D Magee B Brower 7-1
7 Sportswriter Ma Macdonald C Coleman 6-1
8 Kyle Major J Jamieson S Robinson 9-2
9 Rock N Roll Heaven D Dube B Saunders 5-2
10 Dr Dreamy B Sears B Teague 7-1



In Race 7 the M/L shows Pierce and Palone on the two faves, and by race-time the order may be reversed. delmarvelous is ranked third but this race may be wide open, racing luck winning in the end. Watch for an upset! MD has similar genes to Beach...

7 -- Pace, purse $50,000 (EX, P3, TR)
D-PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XXVII - ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLDS.
STARTING FEE $8,000 CDN $8,000 U.S.
Post time: 09:36 P.M. Lasix: 05:21 P.M.
1 Mach Dreamer L Ouellette M Brethour 25-1
2 Delmarvalous(L) B Sears B Teague 7-2
3 Twin B Warrior Ra Waples J Gillis 7-1
4 Art N Charm M Saftic R Roberts 25-1
5 All Speed Hanover R Pierce M Vanderkemp 2-1
6 Four Starz Trace J Jamieson J Seekman 12-1
7 Stonebridge Tonic D Mcnair R Mcnair 15-1
8 Haul Away T Tetrick D Menary 8-1
9 Fred And Ginger D Palone R Burke 3-1
10 Triple Major S Filion W Companion 20-1
Race 7 - Retention Barn - All horses


In the 3rd and final elim, Tetrick driving One More Laugh is rated tops, with Piece of The Rock, BP Chimo and Malicious close behind. We Will See if Woodstock can can experience a late revival, or if Art Professor can challenge the leaders of the day.

8 -- Pace, purse $50,000 (EX, P3, SF, TR)
D-PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XXVII - ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLDS.
STARTING FEE $8,000 CDN $8,000 U.S.
Post time: 09:57 P.M. Lasix: 05:42 P.M.
1 We Will See B Miller C De Pinto 8-1
2 Woodstock Y Gingras M Vanderkemp 10-1
3 Iam Bonasera D Magee E Miller 12-1
4 *Bp Chimo S Filion J Barton 6-1 (cog: 15-AUG-2010)
5 Keystone Raptor J Moiseyev J Kopas 7-1
6 Piece Of The Rock P Macdonell R Young 5-1
7 Warrawee Legend Ri Zeron C Cadieux 15-1
8 One More Laugh T Tetrick R Schnittker 2-1
9 Art Professor B Sears S Elliott 7-1
10 Malicious D Miller Dr I Moore 6-1




Gonna be at a concert so can't make the races Saturday, yet I still advise everyone to get out if you can. The finals have a deeper feeling when you saw the trip they took to get there.

Peace 2 All,

Joe