Current Crop of 3-Year-Olds Is One Of The Best Ever

As promised this week, we are going to take a look at the current crop of North American three-year-olds. By any yardstick, this group of precocious colts seems destined to be judged one of the best all-around groups in recent memory. Nearly every one of the serious contenders is from one of our leading stables, and nearly every colt has an impressive pedigree. This is clearly a very special group of trotting stars.

Anyone who witnessed the mutliple world record performances of CR Commando and Angus Hall at Colonial Downs last fall, or who saw Starchip Entrprise launch a ridiculously easy 1:56 effort in the Valley Victory final, would testify that this crop of 3-year-olds has more quality--and more depth--than any we have seen in many, many years.

THE 1993 CROP WAS AN AWESOME BUNCH

Perhaps the most talent-laden crop of recent history is the 1993 version, which included memorable stars such as Continentalvictory, Moni Maker, Lindy Lane, Running Sea, Act Of Grace, Mr Vic, Super Ben Joe, Dancer's Victory and Mostly Super, among others.

The foal crop of 1996, however, probably has more potential stars than even that "golden year" of 1993. To illustrate our point, consider the fact that in the Breeders Crown final at Colonial Downs last fall, six colts-- count, em--six, trotted faster than 1:55!

CR Commando led the parade at 1:53 2-5, smashing the world record of 1:54 4-5 that had been set by Angus Hall in a Breeders Crown elimination just one week earlier. It is difficult to comprehend these achievements, considering the fact that the world mark for two-year-old colts of 1:55 3-5 had been set by Mack Lobell at Lexington in 1986. The performance by CR Commando has come under some scrutiny, because of the one-turn, speed-producing configuration of the Colonial Downs track. Personally, it looked like this bunch could have trotted that fast on any track that night. Even if you spotted CR Commando a full second for the track bias, he still would have smashed the old mark by a full second.

A VIRTUAL PARADE OF SPEEDY COLTS

CR Commando led a parade of fast colts through last season, and in his world record at Colonial, was first under the wire, trailed by San Pellegrino (timed in 1:54); Angus Hall (timed in 1:54 3-5) and Self Possessed, Starchip Entrprise and Enjoy Lavec (all timed in 1:54 4-5.)

CR Commando is easily one of the most gifted colt trotters in the history of the breed, and his performance in the Breeders Crown was astounding. The Royal Troubador colt had shown that he was definitely up to something significant when he twice defeated the best of the Grand Circuit colts at Lexington last fall. Owner-breeder-trainer-driver Carl Allen once again performed his magic act with CR Commando, transforming him from a head-strong runaway early in the year, to a mature colt able to manage his talent. CR Commando ended the season with six wins in 12 starts, earning $355,703. Carl Allen has already gone on record as saying that CR Commando will trot in 1:51 this summer. No one who saw the Colonial Downs performance would argue that point.

STARCHIP ENTRPRISE LED THE MONEY LIST

Starchip Entrprise was the leading money-winning colt of 1998, earning $374,684. The handsome, strapping colt was an early-season star whose victory in a division of the Harriman Cup at the Meadowlands served notice that he was a serious contender for national honors.

Trained and driven by the veteran Jim Doherty (who also developed the champion filly No Nonsense Woman,) Starchip Entrprise is a son of Pine Chip from the Speedy Crown mare Starlet Crown. The colt won only four of 12 in 1998, but his impressive victory in the Valley Victory final, where he roared home in :27 4-5 seconds, completely in hand, was ample evidence of his class. Unfortunately, the colt popped a gravel before the Breeders Crown eliminations, and was not himself in the Crown elimination and final. Still, he had trot in the stretch of the world record final mile, and appeared to be able to close in on CR Commando, when he went offstride. Starchip Entrprise is owned by Frank and Helen Rubinetti and trainer Doherty. Many North American breeders have been pursuing the big colt all winter, attempting to line him up for future stud duty. Starchip Entrprise was bred by Richard Heffering and sold as a yearling for $70,000 at Harrisburg. All stallion inquiries to date have been put on hold as Doherty prepares his colt for this season.

ANGUS HALL IS A PRIME CONTENDER AS WELL

Another colt who has caught the eye of breeders is Angus Hall 2, 1:54 4-5, who was the first colt to break Mack Lobell's record last fall. A full brother to 1998's 3-year-old star, Conway Hall, Angus Hall is far from just a little brother. He is a bigger colt than Conway Hall, and also appears to have more talent than his accomplished sibling. "Angus" is also better-gaited, and a very attrative stud prospect when done racing. This colt has a very similar style to Conway Hall, in that he was raced from behind all season. In order to contend for 1999 honors, Angus Hall will need to develop the tactical, early speed to gain position, which accompanied his full brother's rise to fame late in 1998.

Owned by Lynda Stewart, Mimi Lenenberg, Allister Stables and Jerry Semer, Angus Hall won six of 13 at two, earning $229,203. Trainer Bobby Stewart conditions Angus Hall and recently reported to Dean Hoffman of HOOF BEATS that Angus Hall was wintering well at The Red Mile in Lexington in preparation for his 3-year-old season. The son of Garland Lobell and super-producer Amour Angus, bred in Quebec by Ferme Angus Farms, was third in both the Valley Victory and Breeders Crown finals, after winning both a Crown and Valley Victory elimination. Angus Hall was sold as a yearling for $125,000 at Tattersalls by Walnut Hall, Ltd.

ENJOY LAVEC MUST OVERCOME THE PETER HAUGHTON "CURSE"

Yet another colt who impressed early and often last year is the Peter Haughton final winner Enjoy Lavec 2,1:56 4-5. A winner of $313,458, this Pine Chip colt has drawn raves from trainer Jimmy Takter. Owned and bred by Johan Dieden's AB Dica Vinn, Enjoy Lavec brings one of the most impressive pedigrees to these racing wars, since he is a son of the Speedy Crown mare Margit Lobell, a half-sister to Mack Lobell, in the same, immediate maternal family which also produced American Winner. Enjoy Lavec made only eight starts in 1998 in a well-managed campaign. Should this colt develop under Takter's acknowledged regimen, he, too, would be an attractive, intriguing stallion prospect. He simply has to overcome the fact that none of the previous 19 Peter Haughton winners has ever won the Hambletonian the following year. The last four Haughton final winners did not even start in the Hambletonian.

SELF POSSESSED IS ANOTHER COLT WITH STAR WRITTEN ALL OVER HIM

Another of the colts who caught our eye in 1998 is Self Possessed, a son of Victory Dream, bred in Kentucky by Brittany Farms, and co-owned by Brittany, Sampson Street Stable and David Scharf. Self Possessed caught our attention at Du Quoin, when he toured that famous oval in 1:55 4-5, breaking his maiden, in just the third start of his young career. Trained by Ronnie Gurfein, Self Possessed looks like a colt who should improve as the season wears on, much like his half-brother Take Chances 3, 1:53 2-5, winner of the 1997 Kentucky Futurity. Self Possessed's win at Du Quoin in the Castleton/Hayes Memorial was a stakes record for that event. This means that Self Possessed is the fastest 2-year-old colt ever to set foot on the Du Quoin oval, home to the sport's best for the past 50 years. The effort was also only one fifth of a second from Mack Lobell's then world record of 1:55 3-5.

Self Possessed won four of ten starts in 1998, was second in the Valley Victory final and fourth in the Breeders Crown final. Reports this winter out of the South Florida training center utilized by Gurfein indicate that Self Possessed has grown, matured and appears ready, for an improved campaign. That should serve as a warning to all, since Gurfein previously managed the careers of Hambletonian winners Continentalvictory and Victory Dream.

THERE ARE MANY OTHER CONTENDERS AS WELL

With five colts already profiled here, it would be easy to say they are the cream of the crop, and the only real contenders. But that would be wrong.

Another colt with spectacular potential is San Pellegrino. If pedigree is important (and we all know it is with trotters) then this colt has quite a genetic package as well. He is by Valley Victory and his dam, Self Supporting, is a Prakas half-sister to Peace Corps. This is a colt who was developing rapidly as the 1998 season wound down. He did not break 2:00 in a race until August 13 last season, but was timed in 1:54 in the Breeders Crown final. Reports indicate that Takter will have San Pellegrino ready early, and intends to point him for a debut in the Dexter Cup at Freehold.

San Pellegrino won only twice in 1998, but showed in the Breeders Crown final that he was a legitimate contender for 1999 honors. Owned by Christina Takter and Kenneth Ross, San Pellegrino was sold as a yearling by breeder Marg Wallenius Kleberg for $145,000 at Tattersalls.

ARMBRO SCORPION IS THE CANADIAN CHAMPION

Then there's the Canadian champion Armbro Scorpion 2,1:57 3-5; $297,196. Although the Balanced Image colt did not win outside Ontario Sires Stakes competition, his seven wins in 14 starts indicate he has abundant class. A son of leading sire, Balanced Image, the colt should also improve as the season progresses. He is owned by trainer Bob McIntosh, Stonebridge Canada and the CSX Stables. He was bred by Armstrong Brothers and sold by them as a yearling for $110,000 at Kentucky Standardbred.

A DEEP, SUPPORTING CAST CHASES THE TOP ONES

There is also a deep supporting cast, and if history is any indicator, one of these colts could step forward to assume divisional leadership should any of the leaders falter. This group includes such notables as Rafaello Ambrosio, another Victory Dream colt trained by Ronnie Gurfein. "Rafaello" was timed in 1:55 2-5 in the Breeders Crown final, and was second in the Review and Standardbred stakes. The Ambrosio Racing Stable owns this colt, bred by Walnut Hall, Ltd. Yet another talented colt is the Pennsylvania star American Hi Noon 2,1:59 1-5f, a winner of just over $200,000. This half-brother to Hambletonian elimination and $800,000 winner Hi Noon Star, is a handsome, good-gaited guy and should improve at three for breeder-owner Bob Key.

The Continental Stable has managed the careers of many trotting stars, and Mssrs. Lindstedt and Johnson have a couple of talented colts in the Review Stake winners Arbor 2,1:57 2-5 and Comet's Tail 2,2:00 4-5. Both colts are sons of Pine Chip with impressive credentials. Arbor, owned by Arden Homestead Stable and KG Bertmarks Hingstdepa AB, was bred by Castleton Farm, and is from the Bonefish mare Kentucky Rosebud, previously dam of the good colt Climbing Bud 3, 1:55. This is the immediate family of 1998's champion filly, Fern. Comet's Tail, meanwhile, is a half-brother to 1998 star 3-year-old Kick Tail, from Victorious Tail 3, 1:55 1-5, a full sister to the dam of Valley Victory. Comet's Tail is owned by Continental Farm, Rylan, Inc., and Mats Anderson Drycker AB, and was bred by Al Libfeld.

Chuck Sylvester, who has managed the careers of Mack Lobell, Pine Chip and Muscles Yankee, to name just a few, has always been very high on Wired Pine 2,1:57 1-5. This big, Pine Chip colt is a half-brother to the noted trotters Express Ride, Carry The Message and Harry's Bar, being a son of Castleton Farm's late Arnie Almahurst matron, Flory Messenger. This colt must overcome the late-season soreness which ended his 1998 campaign prematurely.

It is exciting to ponder the outcome of the upcoming season, to determine which, if any, of these outstanding performers, will become the divisional leader. Perhaps there is a colt waiting in the wings. But if he is, he will have to have his trotting shoes nailed on tight, for this crop of 1996 is one of the deepest and most talented in history.