Canada's 2009 Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year, Sportswriter’s first crop of yearlings are currently on offer at the Australian Pacing Gold yearling sales and are being snapped up by astute trainers and owners.
With their sire winning the Metro Pace in 1:49.2 – making him the fastest two-year-old ever at that time and bettering the previous record set by the great Somebeachsomewhere – no doubt buyers are keen to tap into those outstanding juvenile speed genetics.
At the recent Melbourne APG sale, the 12 Sportswriter yearlings sold for an average of $24,583 – exceeding the overall sale average of $21,786.
Top priced yearling by Sportswriter was Hip 88 from Sancerre – a half-sister to Legends Mile winner It Is I (1:56.2, $208,575) and Group 1 Queensland Nursery Stakes winner La Sperenza (1:59, $155,828). The colt sold for $60,000 to Brendan McMullen. Sancerre was bred back to Sportswriter in the 12/13 stud season.
Top priced filly was Hip 80 from Ravaged – a 100 per cent producer with seven foals for seven winners, including Tsunami Sloy (1:55.2), Izit (1:58.2), and AussieAussieStride (1:55.1). The filly was purchased for $52,000 and will join the stable of Susan Hunter.
In a season crop of great colts, Sportswriter was named the O'Brien and Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year after winning seven of his eight starts in dazzling fashion including the Nassagaweya Stakes and Champlain Stakes as well as the Metro Pace. The son of Artsplace out of Precious Beauty quickly showed his class again early in his three-year-old season when he took out the $1.5 million North America Cup in a sizzling 1:48.3.
Sydney APG buyers will have the pick of 26 yearlings by Sportswriter – with 18 colts and eight fillies on offer.
(With files from Harness Racing New South Wales)