For years Pennsylvania has been to Standardbreds what Kentucky is to Thoroughbreds. With some of the best stallions and mares, along with hosting some of the sports most prestigious races, PA has been the premier state in which to breed and race Standardbreds. This summer, the PHRA will take a look at some of the greatest Standardbreds in the sports history and their connections to Pennsylvania.
Andover Hall
Andover Hall was born on February 6, 1999 in Lexington, Kentucky. By Garland Lobell out of the Magna Force mare Amour Angus, Andover Hall has gone on to produce some of the top trotters of the last two decades.
Andover Hall began his career in June of 2001 by winning two qualifiers at Lexington’s Red Mile as a two year old. His first pari-mutuel start came on July 19, 2001 at Hoosier Park in Anderson, Indiana. Sent off as the 4th choice in the $4,000 maiden trot, Don Irvine Jr got away 4th before clearing to the lead in the stretch and drawing off to a 3-¾ length win in 2:00:4.
10 days later Andover Hall returned to the races for his first stakes start in the Hanover 2CT at Balmoral Park. Sent off as the favorite with Dave Magee in the bike, he sat behind Kadabra before moving out in the stretch and winning the $30,000 stake by a length.
Following a win at the Indiana State Fair, Andover Hall would make his first trip north of the border for the Champlain Stake at Mohawk Raceway. With trainer Bob Stewart handing the lines over to John Campbell, he sat third before taking the lead in mid stretch and winning comfortably by 3 lengths in 1:57:3 over Duke Of York.
He would remain at Mohawk for the elimination and final of the Campbellville. After winning his elimination, Andover Hall was set off as the heavy favorite in the $545,900 final. Leaving from post 2, John Campbell sat behind Armbro Winner before taking the lead prior to ¾ and drawing off to win by 2-½ lengths in a lifetime best 1:56:2.
Andover Hall would return to the US for a Late Closer at The Red Mile, which he won before heading back to Canada for the Breeders Crown at Woodbine. After winning his elimination, he would return as the favorite for the $812,292 final. Unfortunately it would result in the only blemish of his two year old season, as he was one of 5 in the field of 10 who made a break. The race would be won by Duke Of York and Paul MacDonnell in 1:57:3.
Andover Hall ended his two year old Campaign with 8 wins in 9 starts and earnings of $450,920.
Returning in 2002 as a three year old, Andover Hall again won two qualifiers at The Red Mile to start off his season, but struggled with some setbacks to start the year. After finishing second in his first start at The Red Mile, he was scratched sick from his second start. A week later he returned in a qualifier, which he won before being scratched again a week later at The Meadowlands.
His first win as a three year old came on July 19 at The Meadowlands. Sent off as the favorite, Andover Hall took charge prior to the half before going onto win over Amazing Glide in 1:57 over the sloppy track.
The Hambletonian Eliminations would take place a week later. In his elimination, Andover Hall was dealt post 8. After taking back to 8th off of the gate, he never saw a pylon. Steadily advancing throughout the mile, he was moved 3 wide near ¾ and came up a head short to Chip Chip Hooray, finishing 2nd in 1:54:1.
A week later the final of the $1,000,000 Hambletonian, Andover Hall got post relief and was bet down to favoritism starting on the rail. After getting away 3rd Andover Hall collided with the helmet of Likely Lad’s driver Berndt Lindstatd and made a break and was pulled up in the stretch. Chip Chip Hooray went on to win the final in 1:53:3.
Andover Hall would finally find the winners circle again in late August when he went to Du Quoin for the World Trotting Derby. After making an interference break in the first heat, he would return to capture the second heat in 1:51:3, forcing a third heat race-off.
Andover Hall would return for the two horse race off with Like A Prayer. Trevor Ritchie drove Andover Hall, Ron Pierce drove Like A Prayer. Andover Hall went right to the front and cut fractions of 28:4, 58, and 1:26:4. With the lead turning for home, Like A Prayer angled out with an ⅛ of a mile to go, but could not reach. Andover Hall would win the $550,000 World Trotting Derby in 1:54.
After finishing second in the final of the Kentucky Futurity and third in the Breeders Crown, Andover Hall would retire with 11 wins in 22 starts, 5 second, and 2 third. He earned $870,510 and retired with a lifetime mark of 1:51:3, taken at Du Quoin.
In his second career at stud, Andover Hall became a sire of superstar trotters. To date, from 1,236 foals he has produced 878 starters, 529 in 2:00 and 153 in 1:55. They have combined earnings of $84,235,597.
Some of his top offspring include Nuncio. Nuncio has proven to be a star on the international stage. Along with winning the Kentucky Futurity, Yonkers Trot and finishing second in the Hambletonian, Nuncio has won some of Sweden’s premier events including the Elitloppet and the Swedish Breeders Crown. Nuncio has a mark of 1:50:4 and $3,645,393.
Andover Hall is also the sire of 2007 Hambletonian winner Donato Hanover, who retired with a mark of 1:50:1, earnings of $2,998,777, and has stood stud at Hanover Shoe Farms along with his sire since 2008.
He is the sire of Creatine, who earned over $2,000,000. Other million dollar performers by Andover Hall include Adrian Chip, Beatgoeson Hanover, Cedar Dove, Spider Blue Chip, Magic Tonight and Pampered Princess.
Andover Hall currently stands at Pennsylvania’s Hanover Shoe Farms for a fee of $6,000.
Southwind Frank
Southwind Frank was born on March 3, 2013 in Pennington, NJ. By Muscle Hill out of the Cantab Hall mare Flawless Lindy, Southwind Frank would only miss the board twice in 26 career starts.
Southwind Frank began his career in June of 2015 at New Jersey’s Gaitway Farm. After finishing second in his first qualifier he would win his second qualifier before making his first start in a New Jersey Sire Stakes division at The Meadowlands.
Yannick Gingras drove for trainer Ron Burke in his first start. Leaving from the rail, they went to the front and despite being headed by Brooklyn Hill in the stretch, Southwind Frank fought back to win by a head in 1:56:3 as the favorite with a blazing 26:3 last quarter.
After making a break in the second round of the sire stakes, Southwind Frank returned to win the $100,000 final. He would finish out July with a win in a Peter Haughton Elimination.
In the $349,850 final of the Peter Haughton Memorial on Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands, Southwind Frank was sent off as the favorite. Leaving from post 2, Southwind Frank made the lead prior to the half and won comfortably by 2-¼ lengths in 1:53:4 over Brooklyn Hill.
Following wins in the Reynolds, The Champlain, and a William Wellwood Elimination, he would make his next start in the $283,480 Wellwood Final. Leaving from post 4, Southwind Frank took the lead away from Brooklyn Hill just after the ¼ and would win by a length and a quarter in 1:55:4 at 10 cents on the dollar.
After a win in the International Stallion Stake, Southwind Frank would again venture north of the border to Woodbine for the Breeders Crown. He was never threatened in the elimination, taking the field gate to wire and winning by 5 in 1:55:2 over Marion Marauder and Will Take Charge.
A week later the final went virtually the same way as the elimination. Leaving from post 5, Yannick Gingras again pointed him right to the front and they went right down the road to win by 1-¾ lengths in 1:54:2 over Marion Marauder.
Southwind Frank would end his two year old season with 11 wins in 12 starts and earnings of $786,419.
Returning to the races as a three year old, Southwind Frank won his first two starts in the New Jersey Sire Stakes before finishing second in his Earl Beal Elimination at Pocono.
Returning a week later in the $500,000 Earl Beal final he would have to deal with post 7. Taking the lead away from Trolley as the favorite just past the ¼, Southwind Frank would go right down the road, winning by 2-¼ lengths in 1:52:4.
After the Beal he would head back to The Meadowlands for the $153,250 1-⅛ miles Stanley Danver Memorial. After sitting around mid pack for much of the journey, Southwind Frank went 4 wide in the stretch and took the lead to win the Dancer in 2:06:4.
After finishing second his his Hambletonian Elimination, Southwind Frank returned for the $1,000,000 with the rail. After taking the lead at the ¼, favorite Bar Hopping circled to the lead just prior to the half. Southwind Frank was shuffled to third at ¾, then found room to squeeze through at the pylons but came up a nose short to a very game Marion Marauder in 1:51:4.
Southwind Frank and Marion Marauder would meet again in the $500,000 Colonial Trot at Pocono a week later. Leaving from post 6, Southwind Frank took the lead from Sutton at the ⅜ pole and never looked back, winning by a head over Marion Marauder in 1:52:4.
For the final start of his career, Southwind Frank would return to the The Meadowlands for the $500,000 Breeders Crown. After finishing 3rd in his elimination he was dealt post 9 for the final. After getting away 2nd and being shuffled to 4th, he was able to re-rally to 2nd but was a length and a half short to Bar Hopping, who won in 1:51:4.
Southwind Frank retired from racing with a record of 26-17-6-1 and career earnings of $1,950,887. He took a lifetime mark of 1:52:1.
Southwind Frank stood his first year at stud at Pennsylvania’s Diamond Creek Farm in 2017. His first crop his hitting the track in 2020. With just 26 starters so far, he had produced 9 in 2:00 and 1 in 1:55. They have earned $354,283 to date.
Some of his top performers from this first crop have included Flawless Country who has already won multiple PA Sire Stakes divisions, Type A who won the Hickory Pride PA Sire Stake at The Meadows, and PA All Star winner Southwind Mazzarati.
He currently stands at Wellsville’s Diamond Creek Farm for $10,000.
