The Vicbred Super Series grand final night at Tabcorp Park Melton on New Year’s Eve 2020 saw 12 harness racing Group 1 races run and won.
A look at the origins of each of the winners using the historical records of Classic Families and Harness Racing Australia shows that the dozen winners came from a dozen different standardbred families.
Seven were from families that originated in New Zealand, three from long established North American families and the remaining two were from Australian families.
One of the historic American families, A10 Jane Hunt, can be traced back to 1796, while the Australian A63 family of Lady Venture is first officially recorded as being founded in 1934 from an unnamed Directway mare.
The sires of the 12 winners represent three sire lines, each of them North American in origin. Seven trace back to super-sire Volomite, one to his contemporary Scotland, while the remaining three trace to the Indiana pacing sire Hal Dale. Interestingly, none of the most prolific Classic Race winner-producing families U1 Medio, N1 Pride of Lincoln or A1 Verity were represented.
Race |
Winner |
Breeding |
Family |
Founding Mare Foaled |
Generations From Founding Mare |
Distinct Classic Race Winners of Family |
4YO Trotting Entires & Geldings |
Always Ready |
Ready Cash (FR) out of Class Of Her Own by Yankee Paco (US) - 2nd foal of dam |
N235 Dora Parish by Guy Parish (US) |
1933 |
8 |
20 |
Stars of the N235 family include: Landoras Pride NZ, Sundons Gift NZ, Landoras Gift NZ, Let Me Thru NZ |
||||||
3YO Trotting Fillies |
Majestical Belle |
Majestic Son (CA) out of Avid by Modern Art (USA) - 2nd foal of dam |
A4 Lady Ostic by Ostia (AU) |
1909 |
10 |
149 |
Stars of the A4 family include: Dusty Miller, Classic Garry, Frith, Lenny The Shark |
||||||
3YO Trotting Colts & Geldings |
Is That A Bid |
Andover Hall (US) out of Elusive Charm by CR Commando (US) - 4th foal of dam |
U10 Jane Hunt by Paragon (TB) (US) |
1796 |
18 |
795 |
Stars of the U10 family include: Adios Harry US, Good Time US, Johnny Gee NZ, Big Towner US |
||||||
3YO Pacing Colts & Geldings |
Pacifico Dream |
Mach Three (CA) out of Mint Julep by Presidential Ball (US) - 2nd foal of dam |
U11 Esther by Express (TB) (US) |
1877 |
14 |
634 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stars of the U11 family include: Volomite US, Speedy Scot US, Goalie Jeff US, Vivid Photo US |
||||||
3YO Pacing Fillies |
Maajida |
Somebeachsomewhere (US) out of Arterial Way by Art Major (US) - 4th foal of dam |
N21 Peri by Imperious (US) |
1894 |
11 |
105 |
Stars of the N21 family include: Scruffy Murphy, Morgan James, Governor Frost, Tornado Valley NZ |
||||||
2YO Pacing Colts & Geldings |
Kimble |
Western Terror (US) from Im Wrongly Accused (NZ) by Bettors Delight (US) - 1st foal of dam |
N52 Entice by Bribery (NZ) |
1919 |
10 |
87 |
Stars of the N52 family include: Vedette NZ, Christine Maree, Courage Under Fire NZ, Sundons Way NZ |
||||||
2YO Trotting Colts & Geldings |
Dont Care |
Used To Me (FR) from My Dream Weaver (NZ) by Lindy Lane (US) - 6th foal of dam |
U37 Kit by Pioneer (TB) (US) |
Pre-1870 |
14 |
197 |
Stars of the U37 family include: Rodney US, Muscles Yankee US, Yankee Paco US, Plesac US |
||||||
2YO Pacing Fillies |
Tough Tilly |
Captaintreacherous (US) from Beninjured by Art Major (US) - 6th foal of dam |
N61 The Brat by Young Diomedes (TB) NZ |
1883 |
10 |
58 |
Stars of family N61 include: Young Quinn NZ, Sole Command NZ, PhIladelphia Man, Cenenario |
||||||
4YO Pacing Entires & Geldings |
Lochinvar Art |
Modern Art (US) from Ponder In Paris by Ponder (US) - 2nd foal of dam |
N2 Bessie B by Young Irvington (NZ) |
1897 |
11 |
391 |
Stars of the N2 family include: Parisienne NZ, Scottish Command NZ, Preux Chevalier NZ, Lombo Pocket Watch |
||||||
4YO Trotting Mares |
Our Princess Tiffany |
Art Major (US) from Dancing Diamonds (NZ) by Bettors Delight (US) - 2nd foal of dam |
N30 Rothschild mare (McDonald’s)by Rothschild (AU) |
1910 |
9 |
112 |
Stars of the N30 family include: Sprayman NZ, Vanadium NZ, Under Cove Lover NZ, Bettor Cover Lover NZ |
||||||
2YO Trotting Fillies |
Banglez |
Majestic Son (CA) from Gypsy Flair by Skyvalley (NZ) - 1st foal of dam |
A63 Lady Venture by Vin Direct (AU) |
1934 |
8 |
21 |
Stars of the A63 family include: Lynmont, Oscar Le Vant, Fionas Flair, A Touch Of Flair |
||||||
4YO Trotting Mares |
Keayang Livana |
Imperial Count (US) from Poignant by Sundon (US) - 5th foal of dam |
N24 Mavis Wood by Rodgewood (NZ) |
1922 |
7 |
170 |
Stars of the N24 family include: Barbara Del NZ, Palestine NZ, Dependable NZ, Lombo Rapida |
Sires
The Volomite sire line accounted for seven ot the winners; three pacing and four trotting.
Mach Three, his son, Somebeachsomewhere, and grandson Captaintreacherous.
Mach Three - Matts Scooter - Direct Scooter - Sampson Direct - Sampson Hanover - Volomite
Ready Cash Indy Du Vivre - Vikings Way - Mickey Viking - Bonefish - Nevele Pride - Stars Pride - Worthy Boy - Volomite
Andover Hall and sons of his full brother, Angus Hall - Majestic Son and Imperial Count.
Garland Lobell - ABC Freight - Noble Victory - Victory Song - Volomite
The Scotland sire line sired one trotting winner.
Used To Me
Nuage de Lait - Defi d’Aunou - Armbro Goal - Speedy Crown - Speedy Scot - Speedster - Rodney - Spencer Scott - Scotland
The Hal Dale line produced three pacing winners.
Art Major and Modern Art are both sons of Artsplace.
Artsplace - Abercrombie - Silent Majority - Henry T Adios - Adios-Hal Dale
Western Terror
Western Hanover - No Nukes - Oil Burner - Most Happy Fella - Meadow Skipper - Dale Frost - Hal Dale