The 2026 Ohio Selected Jug Yearling Sale was the best yet and had three co-sale toppers on Friday, Sept. 18 at the Pickaway Ag Center in Circleville, Ohio.

For the fifth out of the last six years, the Ohio Selected Jug Yearling Sale broke its own sale record during the 2026 edition of the Standardbred auction with 268 horses selling for a gross of $12,765,278 ($9,191,000 USD), which was a six per cent increase from 2025. The average price per yearling sold was also up nearly 5.4 per cent to $47,632 ($34,295 USD) from the previous year.

The three highest priced yearlings of the 2026 sale each attracted bids of $277,777 ($200,000 USD).

The first was Hip 66, Seaside Memories, a Downbytheseaside colt out of Rememberthedragon, a Fear The Dragon half sister to the dam of millionaires Lous Pearlman and My Girl EJ. Seaside Memories was purchased by Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania. The consignor was Clearview Farm.

About an hour later, Hip 90, Free Range, an In Range filly from the Spring Haven Farm consignment was sold to Reijo Liljendahl of Vero Beach, Florida for the same price. She is out of a Chapter Seven mare Gypsy Wind and from the same maternal family as the freakishly fast CR Kay Suzie.

A few minutes later, Hip 95, Perls Hotshot, a filly by first crop stallion and Little Brown Jug champion Lous Pearlman, was hammered down for the same price, selling to Burke Racing Stable. The filly out of the Mcardle mare Hotshot Temptress is a half sister to two-year-old Ohio Sire Stakes Championship runner-up Tempting Flames. She was consigned by Hickory Lane Farm, agent for Ivy Holdings, and was that nursery’s first sale topper.

Farm owner and syndicate manager Kevin Greenfield could not have been more pleased. 

“I am thrilled to have the co-sales topper by our first year stallion Lous Pearlman," he said. "They were very well accepted at the sale and we want to thank all the consignors and bidders for their enthusiasm with the stallion.”

Lous Pearlman’s average was the highest of first crop pacing stallions at $63,778 ($45,920 USD), and co-owner Mark Weaver was excited about the results.

“We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time and are thrilled it went as well as it did for him and everyone that supported him," said Weaver. "To average 10 times his stud fee and have the sale topper at 40 times the stud fee might be uncharged territory.”

The 2021 Little Brown Jug winner had 25 sell for a gross of $1,594,444 ($1,148,000 USD).

Second crop trotting sire Ready For Moni enjoyed the highest average, which was $77,917 ($56,100 USD) for 20 sold for a gross of $1,558,333 ($1,122,000 USD). 

Third generation Midland Acres co-manager Jake Mossbarger noted, “We are extremely proud of how good he’s done. We had a lot of faith in the horse and it’s coming through on the track and we are just glad that the owners and the buyers are supporting him. We are super excited for all the breeders who have supported the horse.”

Another first crop sire, trotter Branded By Lindy, also enjoyed strong support with an average of $66,821 ($48,111 USD) for nine sold, which was just above last year’s leader In Range, who had 18 go through the ring this year for an average of $64,661 ($46,556 USD).

On the pacing side, Downbytheseaside led the charge for the sixth consecutive year, with the high gross of $2,075,000 ($1,494,000 USD) for 28 sold and an average of $74,107 ($53,357 USD).

The sale is conducted by the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale Company, and general manager Bruce Brinkerhoff noted, “We were very pleased with the results of the sale. The consignors brought an outstanding set of horses that were very well received. With the strength of the Ohio program, which is perhaps the best in the nation, people were very eager to bid and buy. In addition, we had a significant amount of participation from people outside the state. There were a lot of new faces.”

Brinkerhoff added, “We are very happy for Ohio Breeders who enjoyed another record-breaking sale with high gross and high average.”

Burke Racing Stable was the top buyer spending $745,833 ($537,000 USD) for five purchases, followed by William Hartt spending $702,778 ($506,000 USD) for eight yearlings and Reijo Liljendahl spending $652,778 ($470,000 USD) for three.

Midland Acres topped the consignor gross sales category with $1,933,333 ($1,392,000 USD) in total for 50 sold. They were followed by Spring Haven Farm with $1,450,000 ($1,044,000 USD) for 35, Rose Run Farm with $1,300,000 ($936,000 USD) for 19, and Hickory Lane Farm with $1,290,278 ($929,000) for 19.

Clearview Farm led the consignor average category at $88,889 ($64,000 USD) for eight sold. Abby Stables was second in consignor average with $84,722 ($61,000 USD) for two sold, followed by Spring Run Farm at $76,389 ($55,000 USD) for two sold.

IMPORTANT LINKS

• Sale Catalogue (PDF)
• Sale Roster
• Sale Results
• Live Video Streaming & Bidding (via CCI.live Auctions)

(With files from Ohio Harness Horse Breeders Association; photo of the Hickory Lane Farm crew stands with co-sale topper Perls Hotshot)