$150,000 King Of The North colt tops final session at Harrisburg

Harrisburg, PA — Trotting colt Theo The King (King Of The North) sold for $150,000 on Wednesday (Nov. 4) at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex to top the final yearling session of the Standardbred Horse Sale, which finished its three days of yearling offerings with its highest gross and average in four years.

The yearling portion of the sale totaled $40.04 million and averaged $45,192 — its best numbers in both categories since the 2022 yearling portion of the event totaled $44.35 million and averaged $49,066. This year’s sale saw 886 yearlings go through the auction ring, compared to 904 in 2022.

Last year, the yearling sale grossed $36.03 million for 864 horses, an average of $41,711. This year’s figures represented an 11.1% increase in gross and 8.3% hike in average.

This year’s third session totaled $5.76 million for 312 yearlings, an average of $18,468. Last year, the third day totaled $5.43 million for 323 yearlings, an average of $16,830.

Theo The King, a son of King Of The North-HP Guccio Girl, was purchased by Newfoundland’s Nikway Farms. He is a half brother to Black Gold, a 2024 Indiana Sires Stakes champion, and his family also includes HP Royal Theo, a 2019 O’Brien Award winner. The Ontario-eligible colt was bred by Ernie Lambright and consigned by Concord Stud Farm.

Also reaching six figures on Wednesday was pacing colt Waco, a son of Bulldog Hanover-Endless Summer who was purchased for $100,000 by John Pentland. His second dam is Hall of Fame broodmare Artistic Vision, the mother of 2010 Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Rock N Roll Heaven and double millionaire Clear Vision. He was bred by Concord Stud Farm and Julie Meirs and consigned by Concord. He is Ontario, Kentucky, and New Jersey Standardbred Development eligible.

Completing the top three on Wednesday was pacing colt Carter Blue Chip, a son of He’s Watching-Dixie Bayama who was purchased for $80,000 by Marc Reynolds, as agent. He is Dixie Bayama’s first foal, and his family includes graded stakes winner Funtime Bayama. He was bred by Let It Ride Stables and consigned by Blue Chip Farms, which shared ownership with Let It Ride Stables. The colt is Delaware and Massachusetts eligible.

The leading trotting sires in average for the yearling sale were Walner ($165,800 for 15), Chapter Seven ($134,742 – 31) and Muscle Hill ($98,214 – 14). The leading pacing sires in average were Sweet Lou ($103,000 – 28), Bulldog Hanover ($90,386 – 18) and Confederate ($71,781 – 32).

Trotters overall averaged $47,803, with fillies leading the way at $52,397. Pacers overall averaged $42,650, with colts leading the way at $47,000.

The Standardbred Horse Sale’s two-day mixed sale gets underway Thursday (Nov. 5) and continues Friday (Nov. 6). Both sessions begin at 11 a.m. (EST). Find the mixed sale catalog here. Mixed sale supplements can be found here.

For the live stream, visit the sale’s company website here, and for complete results, click here.

Complete Standardbred Horse Sale details are available at theblackbook.com.

 

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA