28 January 2020 | Peter Craig
The opening ( phenomenal ) Australian Pacing Gold sale was held at Brisbane’s Albion Park on last Sunday 26 January 2020 (Australia Day weekend) . The APG’s Race Series No. 31, forms part of the 2020 Yearling Sales, consisting of a series of two, three and four year old Group races, Prizemoney for this series of races is over $2,400,000
The APG Brisbane Sale (had 39 Lots walk into the ring in total), Lots 14,21,31,represented the first yearlings by Always B Miki’s to be sold in the Southern Hemisphere .
Lot 31 sold for $77,500
Lot 14 sold for $60,000
Lot 21 sold for $24,000
This is a great result and it builds on his outstanding numbers from the sales in North America in late 2019.
At the Lexington, Kentucky 2019 yearling sales, Always B Miki’s North American foals debuted. On day one, eighteen sold for $2.010m with eleven selling for over $100k (average $111,667), second only to Somebeachsomewhere among the pacing stallions. A filly out of Lisjune (Camluck/Lisheen by Abercrombie) named Always Be Deo (half-sister to I Luv The Nitelife 1:48.4US – $1,944,667) was sold to the Determination Stable, Montreal (Quebec, Canada) for $290,000 (tenth highest priced overall, second highest pacer). Four Always B Miki fillies were his next top lots followed by two colts selling for $140,000. Day two’s highlight was filly Always B My Becky (out of Bettors Delight mare My Little Delight) selling for $150,000 (day two : twenty two sold for $1.426m).
Always B Miki
Forty of his yearlings had sold at the opening two sales sessions and a further sixteen sold over the final three sessions, total of fifty six (one more than Muscle Hill), making him leading sire of yearlings sold, fourth highest in aggregate sales ($3.994m), overall sixth leading sire of more than four yearlings sold on averages ($71,321) and third pacing sire on averages after Somebeachsomewhere ($112,763) and just behind Captain Treacherous ($73,776).
As one of the new sires having yearlings for sale for the first time in Australasia, Always B Miki has plenty to offer. Standing at stud in the Southern Hemisphere on behalf of Alabar in association with Nevele R Stud, for the current breeding season 2019/2020, he is physically located at Alabar Australia’s Victorian base at Echuca. During his first two seasons at stud in Australasia he served 430 mares – NZ (192), Australia (238). His 2019/2020 book was his best so far.
Stats per USTA : note Canadian earnings converted to US dollar equivalents (in some publications earnings at 3, 4 and 5 plus total differ for this reason : alternative earnings value of $2,826,176).
His impressive race record included fifteen group race wins; seven Group Ones, Tattersalls Pace at three with Open Paces at four and five : Breeders Crown (twice, back to back), Allerage Farm, William R Haughton Memorial, TVG (Sam McKee), Ben Franklin. Seconds in elimination and final of Meadowlands Pace (Hes Watching) and to Wiggle It Jiggleit in Canadian Pacing Derby and Dan Patch Invitational at Group One level. His speed and earnings record proving he got better with age.
In 2016 alone as a five year old, he set :
- Canadian record of 1:47.1 (Mohawk, 18 June 2016)
- World record for five year old pacer on the 5/8ths mile Pocono Downs track of 1:47.0US (25 June 2016)
- World record for 9 furlongs of 2:01.1US (1:47.6 mile rate) since bettered by Lather Up in 2019 at Meadowlands (1:46.1, 3 August 2019, Sam McKee Memorial)
- World record for one mile of 1:46.0US at the Red Mile, record shared with Lather Up
- Crowned USA Dan Patch 4yo+ H&G Pacer, Pacer, Fastest Pacer and Harness Horse of Year
Always B Miki was bred by Roll The Dice Stable, Wilmington, Delaware, foaling on 10 May 2011. His sire Always A Virgin (1:48.4US, $1,135,559, Cane Pace/Messenger Stakes; sire of Jugette winner Color A Virgin;) represents the Western Ideal/Western Hanover/Meadow Skipper paternal line back to Electioneer. Available at stud over five seasons in Australia leaving 404 live foals; 134 winners to date including Australian Breeders Crown – 4m winner Lovelist.
Always B Miki is out of 2016 USA Broodmare (Pacer) of Year and Hall of Fame member Artstopper (Artsplace/Ain’t No Stoppn Me), unraced dam of eight foals, six raced for four winners – two sub 1:50.0, both millionaires – Always B Miki and Allerage – Mares winner Yagonnakissmeornot (The Panderosa/Western Hanover). Note : Always B Miki’s pedigree contains multiple crosses to Big Towner (3×3) which has been successful.
Grand dam Ain’t No Stopn Me (Big Towner/Suave Almahurst), 1:55.1US, $300,747, dam of nine foals, seven raced for four winners, all sub 1:53 – Cheyenne Rei, 1:51.1US, $729,933, dam of three $400k plus sub 1:50 Group race winners; Cant Stop Me Now, 1:51.1US; Blind Ambition (Art Major), dam of Big Top Hanover (Western Ideal/Western Hanover, 1:51.0US, $749,082, International Stallion Stakes), Badiou Hanover (Well Said/Western Hanover, 1:49.3US); For My Mum (Western Hanover), unraced dam of Tink And Tiger (Art Major, 1:49.4US).
Note – the successful reverse crosses of the producing mares from Aint No Stopn Me : Art Major/Western Hanover.
Third dam Suave Almahurst (Bret Hanover/Savilla Song), lightly raced non-winner, dam of twelve foals, eleven raced for ten winners, six $100k/two $500k and four 1:55 winners – Aint No Stopn Him (Western Hanover), 1:50.2US, $779,338, Messenger Stakes; Lon Todd Hanover, $665,094; Salute Hanover, $489,340, Meadowlands Pace elimination; producing mare Road Runner, grand dam of Hawaiian Jenna (1:53.2US, $254,186, Sweetheart – 2f; dam of Hana Hanover, 1:48.4US, $1,206,644, Mistletoe Shalee, Allerage and Breeders Crown – Mares) and third dam of Drive All Night (1:49.2US, $628,121), Velocity (1:49,2US, $365,341), Class O Nine (1:51.3, $562,533).
Always B Miki is notable for the total absence of Cam Fella and Direct Scooter in his pedigree making him an excellent outcross for many possible sirelines. Of sixty six registered Always B Miki foals in NZ and ninety in Australia, 15.5% are from Bettors Delight mares, Art Major (12.5%), Mach Three (8.5%), Christian Cullen (5%) and Live Or Die (4.5%), nearly half the foals trace to these five broodmare sires.
Always B Miki is part of the family of AB (U14) who notably was responsible for no classic racehorse appearances in the Southern Hemisphere until 2000’s. It’s major Australasian credits to date are trotters Sheezadoosie (twice NZ Broodmare of Year), dam of champion I Can Doosit (T1:55.5, millionaire, Jewels Ruby – 4T, ID Champion/Rowe Cup twice, Dominion Hcp, NZ Trotting FFA/Championship), National Trot, ANZAC Cup), Snos Big Boy plus NSW pacer Shannonsablast. The family has had considerable success in both North America and Europe. It has recently been announced that Always B Miki will be inducted into the USA Harness Racing Living Horse Hall of Fame on Sunday 5 July 2020.
Having been bred to a great collection of mares so far in both North America and the Southern Hemisphere, results will be expected by breeders. USA Hall of Fame Trainer Jimmy Takter has been quoted as saying “I think this could be the greatest horse that ever lived”. Will that run true in the breeding barn – only time will tell starting in the Southern Hemisphere with just two yearlings for sale in Brisbane, they being Always B Miki’s first yearlings to be sold in the 2020 round of yearling’s sales in New Zealand and Australia. Even without the successful sales of weanlings in NZ and his first North American crop, Always B Miki’s yearlings will be popular with buyers.
Our next APG Sale will be held this Sunday at the Inglis complex, Oaklands Junction, Melbourne, commencing at 10am (yearling parade from 6pm Friday 31 January 2020). This ( Mega) sale is being held the day after the 2020 Del – Re National AG Hunter Cup (A$500,000), run at TABCorp Park (Victoria), Melton, Saturday 1 February 2020, part of the APG Grand Circuit for pacers. The Melbourne sale consists of both pacing and trotting sections (APTS), an evening session following the pacers sale – this particular preview deals solely with the pacing yearlings – a further article will look specifically at the trotter’s sale in Melbourne.
Always B Miki’s Melbourne yearlings total sixteen, split evenly between colts and fillies. They include :
- a colt (lot 135) and a filly (lot 173) from family of Lady Antrim (N31) represent this family among Always B Miki progeny at the APG Sales
- a filly (lot 71) out of speedy sub 1:50 Elsu mare Arms Of An Angel, 1:49.5, $221,866. This is the NZ family of Wild Ivy (N46) – Franco Ledger, Ohoka Arizona, Late Bid most recently and good mare Lancia back in 1970’s
- a filly (lot 63) from outstanding Bettors Delight mare Aussie Made Lombo, 1:55.1, $578,456, Bathurst Gold Tiara and Bracelet, WA Empress Stakes; dam of Soho Interceptor, 1:55.9, $170,461, WA Sales/Westbred Classics – 2f. This is the Australian family of Alice H (A65) notable for millionaire Tailamade Lombo (grand dam of this filly) and Trunkey String
- a colt (lot 145) from Christian Cullen (brings Direct Scooter blood of which Always B Miki has none) mare Jazzam (U302), 1:53.6, $231,415, dam of six live foals, two race winners including Rocknroll Pearl, 1:52.8, $77,860. This is the US family of Fanny Fern, recent stars include Let It Ride, Yayas Hot Spot, Major Secret
- broodmare sires with a number of Always B Miki foals in Melbourne are Bettors Delight (three) and Art Major (three). Whilst both represent appropriate breeding crosses, with the number of Bettors Delight (brings Cam Fella blood of which Always B Miki has none) and Art Major mares (brings additional Big Towner presence on maternal side) available, it is hardly surprising they are represented by a good selection of Always B Miki foals
NZ representation at the Melbourne sale is guaranteed based on a number of NZ mares (dams/grand dams and further back) in many yearlings pedigree, success of previous year’s sales purchases, APG Sales series qualification for purchases made and the very attractive programme scheduled for Melton the evening before the sales (Hunter Cup, Dullard Cup for trotters, Pure Steel, Rising Stars Pace Final).
Another new stallion of interest with just the one yearling (lot 130) catalogued with APG this year appears at the Melbourne sale and that is Guaranteed, the superbly bred son of Artsplace and outstanding mare Jadah Rose, 1:49.3US (Totally Ruthless/Karamea Toastime by Armbro Aussie). Guaranteed is the fastest and richest son of Artsplace in Australasia out of Australia’s second fastest ever mare (Tell Me Tales 1:49.3AUS fastest). Guaranteed’s paternal line represents the Electioneer line through Adios and Artsplace’s sire Abercrombie. His maternal side forms part of the family of Esther (U11 – Volomite, Speedy Scot, Pershing, Jaguar Spur, Goalie Jeff, McArdle, Revenue, Giant Diablo, Vivid Photo, Jilliby Kung Fu etc).
Dam Jadah Rose won on thirty one occasions (twenty eight Australia : 13 Moonee Valley, 1 Globe Derby; three in North America) from fifty three starts, pacing 1:58.2AUS, 1:49.3US, $465,424 and winning VSS – 2f and 3f, SA Oaks (third Australian, fourth Victoria Oaks) at Group One level; awarded four year pacing mare of year. From seven live foals, Jadah Rose has produced five race winners from five to have raced, four in two minutes, two $100k earners – most notable being Guaranteed and Jadahson (twenty six wins, 1:53.9, $277,390).
Guaranteed, 1:55.8 at two and three, 1:50.4 (4yo, Menangle), $856,316, the winner of twenty four races from forty six starts together with twelve placings, racing from age two to seven years. These included twelve Group wins, four at Group One level : VSS 2c and 3c, Chariots of Fire (1:50.4), SA Cup plus eight Group Two/Three successes. Placed second in Victoria Derby, VSS – 4, Coca Cola Amatil with a third in Miracle Mile and fourth in Victoria Cup, all having Group One status. His first crop of foals now yearlings consist of twenty six registered foals (fifteen colts).
In the Melbourne sale, he has a solitary filly foal (lot 130) out of Browning Blue Chip (Cam Fella line) mare Goodtime Ruby, she from race winning What’s Next mare Next Strike, dam of four winners including ten race winner Goodtime Marjie, 1:54.4AUS. This filly is a further representative of the New Zealand family of Lady Antrim (N31) responsible for current standout Spankem as well as previously Armalight and her dam Ar Miss, plus more recently Good Looking Girl, Excel Stride, Ohoka Punter, Majestic Mach, Colt Thirty One and the first sub 1:50 three year old in Australasia in Muscle Factory (1:49.6). This filly is from a very nice family with deep NZ roots back to Lady Antrim through Browngate Girl, Trixie Milne and Lady Milne.
Please note, we will have online and telephone bidding options available if you are unable to attend. If you have any issues with the online registrations, John Coffey has personally inspected all of the Melbourne yearlings and will be pleased to answer any questions that you may have on the individuals featuring in the sale, or to bid on your behalf. John can be contacted on 0418 500 211.
Please phone Louise Toulmin on 0400 950 699 or e-mail her at louiset@apgold.com.au and she’ll be pleased to assist you with your pre-sale bidding approvals or to answer any other questions that you may have
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