First Crop Sires

There are not that many first crop sires this year but there are several high profile ones. Donato Hanover will likely create the most buzz at the yearling sales for the trotting enthusiasts while Tell All appears to be the pacing sire of greatest interest. Others include the pacers Lis Mara in Ontario and Kenneth J in New York, and the trotting star Majestic Son in Ontario (although he has a pacing maternal line from the third dam down.)

I am always interested in what Hanover Shoe Farms does and particularily since Paul Spears is now involved in the sire selection process. Paul has been a great supporter of Pedigree Camp having attended all four years to date. It appears that some of that experience is rubbing off on the Hanover breedings.

I have not looked at all of the Donato Hanover yearlings yet but the ones bearing the Hanover name are from some very special mares, as it should be. Among the best that I can see so far are the following:

Aerodonato Hanover, colt from Aurora Hall

Donato Hanover is Donerail (Valley Victory) and Giant Victory (Super Bowl) maternally so you should expect that Valley Victory - Super Bowl combinations in the mares would be a large part of his success. This is a classic case since the dam is by Self Possessed from a mare by American Winner. The dam is also a double to Margaret Parrish

Bernice G Hanover is a very special filly since she is a double to Margaret Parrish as is her dam Batbreaker (Muscles Yankee).

Sari Maki Hanover from Likeavirgin Lindy is a similar filly with a double to MP and a dam that is also a double MP. She is my favorite so far being out of a mare by Like A Prayer whose sire is a son of Valley Victory and whose dam is by Super Bowl. The match is also a strong outmatch to the dominant Speedy Crown lines in Donato Hanover.

Tell All is by the Abercrombie line sire Real Desire and his maternal lines are Albatross - Jate Lobell. Western Hanover mares make a lot of sense here and one that is outstanding is a filly called Intelligence from Western Wisdom, a full sister to the millionaires Western Terror and If I Can Dream.

Lis Mara will be an interesting sire to follow. Will he dodge the bullet that comes from being a son of Cambest ? Or will he follow Cammibest and Camotion into early obscurity ? With a colt from Barbys Makentrax called Basque Hanover it looks like he might have a chance with his first crop.

The 2010 yearlings should be available shortly in both PedigreeGuru and Globetrotter