The first in a series reviewing the top ten North American maternal families.
U1 Medio 1887 (Miss Bertha C)
Medio is the greatest standardbred maternal family, her sire an obscure son of Happy Medium in Cooper Medium. Medio produced the fastest 3yo trotter of year in Peter Stirling (Kentucky Futurity). The most notable of her four daughters by different sires being Marble who left Miss Bertha C, dam of prolific Miss Bertha Dillon, foundation mare for Hanover Shoe Farms.
Miss Bertha Dillon won two classic races, world champion at three, set her mark of T2:02½ at four, became the greatest broodmare of the first half of the twentieth century producing eleven Classic Progeny with five Classic Winners. First dam to produce three two minute trotters (foaled in consecutive years – Miss Bertha Hanover, Hanovers Bertha, Charlotte Hanover) and only broodmare of her era with six foals in T2:05½ or better.
Her best daughter, Hanovers Bertha defeated the colts in the Hambletonian and Kentucky Futurity before daughter Shirley Hanover made it the only mother/daughter combination to have won the Hambletonian.
Branches of the Medio family, include :
• Miss Bertha Dillon, by Dillon Axworthy (1914, T4, 2:02½). At four established world record for age and sex as trotter of T2:02½. She died in 1935
Her trotting fillies included –
1) Miss Bertha Hanover, by Peter Volo (1926, T4, 2:00.0TT), Hambletonian winners tracing to her : Egyptian Condor, Green Speed, Mack Lobell, American Winner, Chip Chip Hooray, Muscle Massive, Trixton. This branch includes Peace Corps, Arndon (sire of Pine Chip, Sundon), Victory Tilly, Cantab Hall (USA Hall of Fame Living), Passionate Glide, Sea Cove and famous three Garland Lobell/Amour Angus full brothers, Andover Hall/Angus Hall/Conway Hall. The latest major North American winner is fastest trotting mare of all time in Hannelore Hanover (T1:49.2US, two Aged Breeders Crowns) while this year’s Grand Prix D’Amerique winner Readly Express ((Swedish/European Derbies at four, European Championship at five, millionaire trotter) traces back to Miss Bertha Hanover. NZ influences include Chiola Hanover (Yonkers Trot, USA Trotter of Year, multiple leading sire/BM sire of Australasia trotters), Our Real Force (ID Final), Royal Aspirations (Jewels – 2T, T2, 1:56.5), Jaccka Justy.(Dominion Hcp).Sundons Luck (NZ/GN Trotters Derbies), sire Roydon Boy, Sunny Action, Jinja Gal
2) Hanovers Bertha, by Peter Volo (1927, T2, 2:02.0; T3, 1:59½TT at Red Mile, Lexington), winner of Hambletonian (also Kentucky Futurity) as were daughter Shirley Hanover and grandson Blaze Hanover. Died in 1944 at Hanover Shoe Farms. The 2015 Elitloppet winner Magic Tonight traces to this branch of Medio family. Hanovers Bertha (inducted to USA Hall of Fame Immortals) together with dam Miss Bertha Dillon
The predominantly pacing branch fillies from Miss Bertha Dillon included –
3) Miss Bertha Worthy, by Lee Worthy (1925,T2:21.0), family of Bret Hanover (Triple Crown winner), Dragons Lair/Dragon Again, Western Terror (sire multiple NZ Cup winner Terror To Love), Anndrovette (1:48.0), world record 3yo’s on 5/8m tracks in McWicked (1:47.3US) and Betting Line 1:47.2US, (Little Brown Jug/NA Cup
4) Charlotte Hanover, by Peter Volo (1928, T3, 1:59½), family of Royal Mattjesty, Sabilise, Sushi Sushi; third dam of Hambletonian full brothers Timothy T, Christopher Tl; recent NZ influence include leading trotter Speeding Spur (T1:55.5, GN/NZ/VIC Trotting Derbies, Breeders Crown – 3T, Great Southern Star), 3f Our Golden Goddess (NZSS – 3f, grand dam Sabilise)
5) Bertha Hanover, by Guy McKinney (1930, T2:08¾), family includes Artsplace, Cambest, Little Brown Jug winners Merger/Best of All/Armbro Operative/Wiggle It Jiggle it (1:47.2US, $3.9m, Meadowlands Pace, Little Brown Jug, USA Harness Horse of Year 2015)
Other prominent branches of Medio not passing through Miss Bertha Dillon include –
6) Jane Dillon, by Dillon Axworthy (1919,T2:20.0), sister of Miss Bertha Dillon, family of Armbro Mackintosh
7) Ariel Wilkes, by Don Wilkes (1899), daughter of Medio, family of Duchess Faye (World Trotting Derby)
Miss Bertha Dillon and Peter Volo had eleven foals – apart from maternal branches, her paternal descendants included Sandy Flash (1924) who sired Bill Gallon (Hambletonian, Kentucky Futurity – 3T); Dillon Volo, sire of Helen Hanover, ancestress of numerous stallions that stood in Southern Hemisphere (Brad Hanover/Overtrick/OK Bye/WRH/Union Guy/Jennas Beach Boy/Happy Chatter); recent classic performers Five Star Anvil/Lets Elope; Lawrence Hanover (Kentucky Futurity – 3T, dam sire of Helicopter, Hambletonian winner).
Medio is the leading Standardbred maternal family whether measured by number of millionaires, producers of speed, classic winners or Triple Crown winners. This influence is seen worldwide e.g. Medio with four has more Prix d’Amerique winners than any European based maternal family (best is three) and is second only to Lady Pierce (eight including multiple winners Ourasi, Uranie).
Cambest the second fastest pacer in history (TT1:46.1US) leads the Medio family with Hannelore Hanover (T1:49.2US) and Trixton/Strong Yankee/Victory Tilly (T1:50.3) fastest trotters. Medio is currently second top producer of trotting millionaires (28 to Sally Sovereign’s 30) and third on the pacing list with 33 millionaires (36 – Minnehaha, 35 Miss Duvall). Medio’s wealthiest pacer is Wiggle It Jiggleit ($3,907mUS) followed by Anndrovette ($3.465mUS), with richest trotter Peace Corps with in excess of four million dollars (Mack Lobell $3.9m, Victory Tilly 37m Swedish Kroner).
Bret Hanover is the only Triple Crown winner in the family. Leading Classic Race winners are Victory Tilly with forty six wins, Peace Corps (41), Mack Lobell (37), Bret Hanover (36), Timothy T (28); a total of 188 classic race wins by five horses is a feat unmatched by any other family.
U2 Minnehaha 1868 (Netty Clay)
The second most successful trotting maternal line is Minnehaha. Her dam Netty Clay was by Cassius Clay Jr 22; she was from a grandson of Mambrino Chief in Bald Chief (Stevens), possessing numerous crosses to Messenger but no Hambletonian blood. Neither mother nor daughter raced.
Minnehaha produced ten Classic Progeny with daughters Beautiful Bells and Eva (Thompson sisters) founding significant branches. All ten foals were sired by The Moor or his sons (Sultan, Silverthreads) or grandson (Stamboul 5101).
Beautiful Bells (1872 by The Moor), was Minnehaha’s first foal. She was purchased in 1879 by Leland Stanford and at Palo Alto Farm became known as “The Empress of Broodmares”. The first mare to produce ten Standard Performers from her eighteen foals, fifteen Classic Progeny, six Classic Winners and eight registered sires. She was credited with three yearling world record holders (Adbell, Bell Bird, Hinda Rose), three year old World Champion (Hinda Rose) and three 2:20 3yo’s (Bell Boy, Hinda Rose). Siring sons included Saint Bel, leading sire of America in 1894; Chimes, grandfather and founder of modern pacing line through Hal Dale (Adios, Good Time, Meadow Skipper etc). Beautiful Bell’s branch survives today with a recent Classic Winners being the 2005 Delaware Breeders Stakes 2yo filly winner Staying Power and in Italy Probo OP (2013 GP Citta di Cesena/Torino/Padovas).
Minnehaha’s sixth foal Eva, (1879 by Sultan) was fastest race timed daughter (Sweetheart TT quicker). Eva is better known as dam of Thompson Sisters (Lydia, Tillie, Madam) leading to an extensive maternal branch of Minnehaha’s. All three sisters were by Guy Wilkes and were obtained by Patchen Wilkes Farm.
Lydia Thompson’s (1892) only offspring was gelding Peter Thompson (1911 Kentucky Futurity).
The strongest line from Tillie Thompson (1890) is through great broodmare Spinster (grand dam, The Miss Stokes) who was 3×3 to Peter the Great with dam Minnetonka 4×4 to George Wilkes with two crosses to Netty Clay. Spinster’s offspring included The Old Maid/Light Brigade. This branch includes pacers – Armbro Feather, Follow My Star, Caesars Jackpot, Race Time, Storm Damage, Warm Breeze, Dancer Hanover, Thorpe Hanover, Kentucky Spur, French Chef, Bachelor Hanover, Art Official, good trotters include Hambletonian winners Hoot Mon (Kentucky Futurity), Miss Tilly, Duenna, Steve Lobell (Yonkers Trot), Speed Bowl; Crevette, Davidia Hanover, Brisco Hanover, Spotlite Lobell, Mr Muscleman (Kentucky Futurity), Iceland (Elitloppet).
Remaining sister Madam Thompson’s (1891) family is not as large but produced champion Hambletonian winning trotters Speedy Somolli (Yonkers Trot), Victory Dream, Legend Hanover, Diller Hanover (Kentucky Futurity; David Raymond, Workaholic, Royal Troubador (Yonkers Trot), Wesgate Crown, Offshore Dream (Prix d’Amerique twice), Crazed, Wild Honey (Hambletonian Oaks/Kentucky Futurity/Breeders Crown), Ariana G (Hambletonian Oaks, two Breeders Crowns), All The Time (Hambletonian Oaks, Breeders Crown). Leading pacers include Happy Escort, Overtrick, Bullet Hanover, Ensign Hanover, Jenna’s Beach Boy, Village Connection, Flight Director.
Minnehaha family is second to Medio in classic progeny. This family has been a leader in producing pacing speed in NA : 5 in first 100 2:00 pacers; 8 in first 100 1:55; equal with Medio, Mambrino Beauty and Miss Duvall with 7 in first 100 1:50; second equal with Miss Duvall on eleven to Medio (15),) in 1:48 (107 in total, January 2018).
Trotters in NA : second equal with Medio with 11 in first 100 1:55 (Sally Sovereign, 13); 1:51 Sally Sovereign leads with eight, Minnehaha has two and is sixth equal (Chapter Seven (T1:50.1)/Wild Honey (T1:50.4).
Minnehaha : leading producer of millionaire pacers with 36 (Miss Duvall, 35), Medio 33), third equal leading producer of millionaire trotters (23) with Mambrino Beauty. Blissful Hall is Minnehaha’s only Triple Crown winner (Cane Pace, Messenger Stakes, Little Brown Jug).
Next Edition : Mambrino Beauty and Jessie Pepper
Peter Craig
31 January 2018
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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