Jim Simpson, the President of Hanover Shoe Farms and the syndicate manager of the stallion Somebeachsomewhere announced today that the horse will stand the 2013 season at a stud fee of $20,000.

The Beach’s first crop are now two year olds and in it he has done what no other sire in the history of Harness Racing has accomplished. His two year olds have already earned an all-time record of $4,642,586. He is the sire of thirty one 1.55 or faster two year olds.

He has also demonstrated the ability to sire great fillies as well as colts. His fillies have thus far earned an astonishing $2,603,799. His two year olds were headed by the magnificent colt Captaintreacherous p.2,1.49.2($918,253), the Breeders Crown winning filly Somwherovrarainbow p.2,1.51.2(446,831) and numerous other prominent two year olds.

Somebeachsomewhere will be greatly in demand and that Hanover Shoe Farms will try to accommodate as many of its customers as possible, but warns that preference will be given to current syndicate members and to those who have previously supported the horse.

via Somebeachsomewhere continues to shine.

The final mega stakes card of the 2012 Maritime racing season lines up Saturday afternoon at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Post time for the card’s first race is 1 p.m.

The best two- and three-year-olds in the region will compete in six Island Breeders Finals which are the culmination of the Island breeders series held throughout the summer.

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Across the continent

Somebeachsomewhere again added his name to the record books Saturday night at Woodbine Raceway with the Breeder’s Crown finals featured.

With Somewhereovrarainbow winning the $600,000 two-year-old filly final, Somebeachsomewhere set a new all-time season’s record for most money earned by a crop of two-year-olds. Somebeachsomewhere’s first crop has hit the track in 2012, with his two-year-olds lighting up tote boards across North America, while earning $4.54 million to date, more than No Nukes’ $4.16 million set in 1990. Somebeachsomewhere was the talk of harness racing as he won all but one of his lifetime races in 2007-2008 for Nova Scotia trainer Brent MacGrath and his group of Maritime owners.

It’s been nearly four years since world-champion pacer Somebeachsomewhere retired to stud. But his offspring are continuing his legacy on harness tracks across North America.

Somebeach, who was co-owned and trained by Truro’s Brent MacGrath during the horse’s racing heyday, is the top money-winning sire for 2012, according to United States Trotting Association.

Somebeach has sired 124 foals, of which 95 have started a race throughout North America this year. Combined they have made nearly $4 million this year, $1.35 million more than the next closest sire (Art Major: $2,641,564).

Ten of those starters have earned over $100,000 in 2012, including Captain Treacherous, which has made over $833,000, the best of any two-year-old in North America this year.

The Standardbred Horse Sales Company has announced its 2012 edition of The Black Book.

This year’s edition of The Black Book includes more yearlings by the top winning sires than any other sale and in some categories more by those sires than all of all the other sales combined.

In the two-year-old pacing category, the leading money winning sire Somebeachsomewhere is represented by 57 blue blooded yearlings, not only more than any other sale, but more than all other sales combined. He is followed in earnings by Art Major (46), Dragon Again (32) and Bettors Delight (66); all of whom have more yearlings than all sales combined.

The second day of the race meet at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds saw freshman pacers face each other and the weather, as storms played havoc with the race card.

In the lone division of the Quaker Stake, Fool Bewitch U remained undefeated in her career, now two-for-two, as the Western Ideal filly paced home in 2:06.2. Wayne Long drove for lessee and trainer Ron Lineweaver.

Four divisions of the PA Sire Stake for filly pacers were up next, and Roger Hammer captured the first three divisions with horses from his own barn. Lifesarealbeach (Somebeachsomewhere) was up first, winning in 2:02.3. Another daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, Cebu Hanover, was next to the winner’s circle, pacing in 2:03. Finally, the Quik Pulse Mindale filly Quik Response was a winner in 2:02.3. Hammer owns all three fillies.

One of the greatest harness racing horses of the modern era is coming ‘Down Under’ – not via frozen semen – but the actual champion himself! Somebeachsomewhere (1:46.4), the 2008 North America Horse-of-the-Year, will stand at Empire Stallions in Victoria. His owner/trainer Brent MacGrath confirmed this to Harnesslink today (Friday June 29).

It is the first time in the history of the conservative Hanover Shoe Farms that they have sent an actual stallion ‘Down Under’.

The best Christmas gift, at least an early one, that owner/trainer Brent MacGrath could have asked for came true when his Weigh The Odds received a favourable post position in one of two $25,000 Valedictory Stakes eliminations set for this Saturday evening at Woodbine Racetrack.

MacGrath, the man who campaigned the incomparable Somebeachsomewhere to superstardom, is hoping Weigh The Odds, a three-year-old son of Bettors Delight, can rebound from an off-key performance in his last race, an eighth-place effort on December 12 at Woodbine.

Getting Post 5 for his Valedictory elim certainly increased his chances at getting back into winning form.

“Well, I think I’ve been a good boy, so a nice post was just what I was hoping for,” said MacGrath, in reference to what his three-time winner from nine starts would benefit most from. “He’s the type of horse who likes to be in the mix early. We wanted him to be prominent early in his last start and it didn’t pan out. It was a brisk opening quarter (:25.4), a horse broke stride in front of him…it just didn’t go his way.”

John and Tom Cancelliere of New Jersey have not only purchased the the full brother to Somebeachsomewhere, they have also collared the highest priced yearling in standardbred sale history.

Hip 203, Detour Hanover – the first full brother to the phenomenal racehorse and sire Donato Hanover, was sold for a record $825,000. The Cancellieres reportedly outbid trainer Staffan Lind on the Andover Hall – D Train colt.

Earlier in the sale the duo obtained Hip 120 Some Of The Beach (Mach Three – Wheres The Beach) for $430,000 – the highest price ever paid for an Ontario-sired yearling. Cancelliere was the underbidder on Hitting The Cycle, the Somebeachsomewhere yearling that sold at Lexington last month for $450,000 – the highest priced pacing yearling colt in harness racing history.

SOURCE: Standardbred Canada

For those that prefer not to wait for mail delivery, the entire catalogue for the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale is now available on the sales company’s website. This year’s sale is scheduled for October 3-7 at Lexington’s Fasig-Tipton Pavilion, and, as always, will be held in conjunction with the Grand Circuit meet at the Red Mile.

PDF files of yearling catalogue pages may be downloaded from the website [CLICK HERE] by individual horse or by sale session. There are also indices by sire, by dam, and by consignor.

Brent MacGrath

Talk about getting out of the gates in great fashion. This past Saturday marked the initial edition of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (previously called the Burlington Stakes) at Mohawk Racetrack. The Pepsi North America Cup prep race was renamed in honour of the harness rascing great Somebeachsomewhere, who was trained and co-owned by Brent MacGrath.

Somebeachsomewhere, Canada’s Horse of the Year in both 2007 and 2008, kicked off his outstanding three-year-old campaign with a tour de force victory in the Burlington in 2008.

A resident of Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, MacGrath was on hand this past Saturday for the winner’s circle festivities.

WEG’s media department had a chance to catch up with the veteran trainer. To watch the video interview with MacGrath, please click here.

For the purists who passionately follow harness racing the racing season officially gets under way tonight at Mohawk Racetrack.

There will be three divisions of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes for many of North America’s best three-year-old pacing colts. This marks the first year for the event, which was previously known as the Burlington Stakes; but was changed in honour of one of the greatest — if not the greatest — pacing horse ever.

Someheartsomewhere, a three-year-old full sister to the great Somebeachsomewhere, recorded her third consecutive qualifying victory Thursday, May 26 at Pocono Downs. Owned by Ronald Michelon of Northbrook, Illinois and John Carver of Rapids City, Illinois, Someheartsomewhere (Mach Three–Wheres The Beach) went sent forth to Post 4 during Pocono’s fourth qualifying dash of the morning.

Stu Rath

Stu Rath is a well-known Truro businessman who will be recognized tonight with the Truro and District Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Today is a sad day in Winbak Farm history. Last night the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame and Canadian Hall of Fame mare, Classic Wish, passed away during foaling. She gave birth to a Somebeachsomewhere colt. The colt survived and is doing well.

Classic Wish earned $436,000 and was time-trialed in 1:52 during her race career. After her retirement from the racetrack, she came to Winbak Farm and had her first foal, Bettors Delight, the 2000 Breeders Crown Winner and 2001 Little Brown Jug winner.

TRURO – Stu Rath has been named the Truro and District Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner for 2011. The annual award recognizes a lifetime of accomplishments in the local business and charitable communities.

“Stu Rath is an institution in the local business community,” says chamber president Chantale Hache. “His involvement and success serve as a shining example of what can be accomplished with drive and determination.”

For more than 50 years, Rath’s name has been widely known in the local business community. He has been involved in a number of companies and ventures including the Truro Junior “A” Bearcats, Truro Centre, Halifax Cablevision, Eastern Cablevision and Stuco Holdings Ltd. His community involvement ranges from being on the boards of Nova Scotia Business Inc, the Colchester Regional Development Agency and the Truro Industrial Development Society to being involved with a number of charitable organizations over the years, including the United Way, Camp Triumph, the To Our Health Campaign for a new regional hospital in Colchester and the Ignite the Spirit Campaign for a new civic centre. Rath was also involved in Schooner Stable, which owned the highly-successful race horse “SomebeachSomewhere.”

The award will be officially presented to Rath at the Truro and District Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner on March 31. The award is presented by the Truro and District Chamber of Commerce with support from the Business Development Bank of Canada.

For more information on the dinner, visit www.trurochamber.com

Ernie Martinez will never ever forget the time he suggested to his friend Stephanie Smith-Rothaug that she have a look at a Beach Towel mare who was in foal to Astreos. They were at the Harrisburg Sales at the time and the well known American harness racing owner and breeder said if the sale didn’t work out he would even buy it off her.

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Stephanie Smith-Rothaug, who owns Rails Ridge Farm, always felt Somebeachsomewhere would be a nice racehorse. “The mare didn’t have a problem foal and he was the prefect colt right from the beginning. He was a very athletic type who as a yearling would bite his two field mates and always want to be vigorous and run around after a workout. He was very intelligent, the sort of horse you only had to teach him once and he could do it,” Smith-Rothaug said.

When she went to sell him at the yearling sales Smith-Rothaug said she would have been happy just to fetch the price of the sire’s fee $7,500. She got $40,000.

via Somebeachsomewhere Stakes Set For Mohawk | Standardbred Canada.

The interview with Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky, Farm Manager for Hanover Shoe Farms, airs at 12:00 p.m. Atlantic Time. Jablonsky provides an update on ‘Beach’ and discusses a few interesting facts about the popular stallion that was named CBC News-Nova Scotia Newsmaker of the Year.

Visit the CBC website for more.

Somebeachsomewhere trainer MacGrath buys son of legendary pacer

TRURO – He looks a lot like his father and Brent MacGrath is hoping Sepia Sands paces like him too.

The Truro resident bought the seven-month-old weanling son of legendary Somebeachsomewhere at the recent Harrisburg Sale in Pennsylvania for $32,000. When the trainer first laid eyes on Sepia Sands, it was almost like déjà vu.

“I really like the look of him. He looks a lot like ‘Beach,” MacGrath said. “His colour and his shoulders, he’s quite athletic looking.”

Arguably the greatest harness racing pacer of the modern era has sired his first foal in New Zealand. A colt by Mach Three stallion Somebeachsomewhere from L’Oiseau De Nuit, by Christian Cullen, found it’s way into the world at Arden Lodge in Tapanui, the property of John Stiven. Somebeachsomewhere served a large number of mares in the US and North America, but down under has a very small number of mares in foal, and is only available via frozen semen through Alabar Stud. The son of Mach Three stands at $16,000 AUS.

Not only will Saturday night’s card at Western Fair Raceway be the richest in the history of the London, Ont. track, it will also be one of the busiest, as several special features have been added to complement the eight $100,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Championship races on track.

A handicapping contest is now underway on the Western Fair Facebook page. The winners will receive the Somebeachsomewhere coffee table photo book.

It’s 34 years ago today that the Meadowlands opened its doors and night-time mile track harness racing was introduced to the Metropolitan area of New York for the first time.

Here’s a brief look at the highlights through the eyes of ‘Hollywood’ Bob Heyden from each year since.

Here’s what you get when you cross one the most heralded pacers in the history of standardbred racing with one of the great broodmares of all time.

Hanover Shoe Farms recently welcomed a bay colt to its nursery – a colt from the first crop of World Champion Somebeachsomewhere, and out of the highly regarded broodmare Rich N Elegant. Worth noting is the fact that both the sire and the dam were inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2009.

The colt, who was foaled on June 5, 2010, is the product of an embryo transfer from Rich N Elegant, who has produced over $8.4 million in progeny earnings with three sub-1:50 performers.

She has produced the 2005 Horse of the Year Rocknroll Hanover p,3,1:48.3m $3,069,093. This colt is also a half-brother to Royalflush Hanover p,1:49.3m $2,182,205, Rustler Hanover p,3,1:51m $971,638, Red River Hanover p,3,1:48.4m $1,394,626, Richess Hanover p,2,1:50.3m $557,537 and BJs Canouan p,2,1:54m $109,412.

Don’t expect another miracle from Weigh the Odds, says trainer MacGrath

Common wisdom tells us it’s one of the most unlikely occurrences; something that happens only to the insanely lucky.

Some say Brent MacGrath had his windfall with Somebeachsomewhere, his legendary pacer that became arguably the greatest standardbred of all time with 20 wins in 21 starts and more than $3 million in earnings.

And the MacGraths would agree with those people.

Brent MacGrath pats his newest horse Weigh the Odds on the nose while taking the two-year-old colt for a walk recently at the barns at Truro Raceway. MacGrath, who trained world champion Somebeachsomewhere, is hoping Weigh the Odds can qualify to race in.