A CASE OF SIBLING RIVALRY

Throughout the history of harness racing, many of the best producing mares have had several successful progeny. Understandably, more top pacing mares have had high-level full or half-brothers than their trotting counterparts. But there are several of the most noted producers of trotters whose male offspring found multiple fame.

On this coveted list of matrons, household names like Evensong, Scotch Love, Nora, Margaret Arion, Mimi Hanover, Iosola's Worthy, Roya McKinney, Ami Song, and others all produced more than one top son. Evensong was the dam of both Victory Song and Volo Song; Scotch Love produced the Hambletonian winners Speedy Scot and Speedy Streak. Nora produced the Triple Crown winner Scott Frost and his brother, Hoot Frost. Margaret Arion's sons Protector and His Excellency found a measure of fame. Mimi Hanover was the dam of the full brothers Speedster and Speedy Rodney.

Iosola's Worthy, the first filly to win the Hambletonian, produced the noted 2:00 trotters Scotland's Comet, Algiers and Long Key. Roya McKinney was the dam of both Scotland and his full sibling, Highland Scott. Ami Song produced the full brothers Songcan and Songflori. Modern Yankee produced the full brothers Smokin Yankee and Rowdy Yankee, and a nice half-brother, Yankee Predator.

In more recent times, the Bonefish mare Valley Victoria produced not only Valley Victory, but his full brothers Wall Street Banker, Valley Boss Bi and Bostonian. Crysta Hanover was the dam of both Crysta's Crown and Arsenal. Ah So produced both Workaholic and his brother, Rule The Wind. Rosemary, a brilliant stakes-winning mare, has produced the top sire Royal Prestige, and his half-brothers Spellcaster and Magna Force. The history of the breed is full of such repetition from our very best mares.

NOT MANY OF THESE MARES, HOWEVER, PRODUCED MORE THAN ONE SUCCESSFUL SIRING SON

While producing more than one good male offspring is a repeat occurrence with some mares, only a handful of mares have seen more than one of her sons become a truly successful sire.

On the previous list, none of the full brothers found anywhere near the same kind of fame as stallions. What most commonly has occurred is that one of the brothers outstrips his siblings in terms of his siring ability. Many breeders have toiled in this vineyard, only to discover that for a mare to produce two sons who have any comparable ability as sires is a very rare occurrence.

However, it would appear now that such a mare exists right before our very eyes. BJ's Pleasure, a 16-year-old daughter of Speedy Somolli-Matina Hanover, has produced nine foals of racing age. These foals have won nearly $3 million. Her offspring include six 2:00 trotters, among them the Hambletonian champion American Winner 3,1:52 3-5; $1.4 million; the multiple stakes winner Super Pleasure 3,1:58f; $827,238; Peter Haughton winner BJ's Mac 2,1:57 4-5; $376,210; Grand Circuit winner Jonlin 2,1:57 2-5; $191,277; and additional 2:00 credits in Sweet American 3,1:58 4-5 and Fame N Fortune 4,1:57f.

ALL OF HER FOALS HAVE BEEN BY SUPER BOWL

BJ's Pleasure was a decent race filly herself, earning a mark of 3, 1:59 4-5f; with earnings of $244,203. She was a multiple stakes winner, with victories in a pair of New Jersey Sire Stakes; a division of the Arden Downs, the Batavia Stake and the Landmark Stake. BJ's Pleasure was the second foal of her young Speedy Count dam, Matina Hanover. The Speedy Somolli mare comes by her abilities, naturally, since she is a half-sister to the multiple world champion trotter Mack Lobell 3,1:52 1-5, winner of nearly $4 million, and the richest American-bred trotting male of all time. This is a pedigree full of champions, since another of Mack's half-sisters is the Speedy Crown mare, Margit Lobell, dam of the 1998 Peter Haughton winner Enjoy Lavec 2, 1:56 4-5. A couple of weeks ago, we discussed the maternal family of Medio from which this family hails. It is one of the sport's biggest and most famous outposts of racing class.

Owned by American Winner, Inc (Bob Key and John Glessman) of Pennsylvania, BJ's Pleasure has produced as well as any trotting broodmare of her time. All ten of her foals, including a current two-year-old, have been sired by Super Bowl, the last trotter to win the Triple Crown.

American Winner is by far her best racing foal to date. One of the most attractive and best-gaited colt trotters in history, American Winner just skimmed over the ground with little or no effort. He has been acknowledged by many as one of the most efficiently-gaited horses of the modern era. His Hambletonian triumph was, at the time, the fastest in the history of that great stake, and came at the expense of such noted trotters as Pine Chip and Toss Out.

As a two-year-old, American Winner made only five starts, winning once, with a mark of 2:03 1-5 and modest earnings of less than $3,000. But, as a three-year-old, the stylish colt became the early star of his division, winning the Dexter Cup, Yonkers Trot, Hambletonian, Zweig Memorial, Old Oaken Bucket, Simcoe, McFarlane Memorial, Tompkins-Geers and Currier & Ives.

American Winner was easily one of the most accomplished colt trotters of the modern era, although he eventually lost divisional honors to Kentucky Futurity and Breeders Crown champion Pine Chip. The two combatants hooked up in some memorable duels, with American Winner the victor in the Hambletonian and Zweig Memorial. Pine Chip turned the tables on him in the Kentucky Futurity and the Transylvania stake that fall at Lexington, but nothing could detract from the fact that American Winner was a truly great colt trotter.

SUPER PLEASURE WAS THE MARE'S FIRST FOAL

But American Winner was BJ's Pleasure's third foal, and her first two were also major colt stars in their own right. The mare's first Super Bowl colt was the mutliple stakes star Super Pleasure, now at stud in Ontario at Armstrong Brothers.

Super Pleasure was, unlike his quick-as-a-cat brother, a big colt much more in the mold of his sire, Super Bowl. American Winner took after the maternal side of his pedigree, in that in his appearance he very much embodied the same type and classic speed of his maternal broodmare sire, Speedy Somolli.

Super Pleasure is a big colt, dark in appearance, and a gifted, good-gaited guy as well. At two, he won a division of the Arden Downs, the Champlain at Mohawk, a division of the Harriman Challenge Cup, a Reynolds Memorial division and an elimination for the Peter Haughton. He won half of his 18 starts at two. He returned at three to win six more times, including the Old Oaken Bucket at Delaware, the McFarlane Memorial, and a PaSS event. Super Pleasure was second in the Breeders Crown (to Giant Victory) and also was second in an elimination of the World Trotting Derby. He shows a beaten time at three of 1:54 2-5.

BJ'S PLEASURE FOLLOWED SUPER PLEASURE WITH YET ANOTHER GOOD ONE

BJ's Pleasure, however, was just getting started. Her next foal was the Peter Haughton winner BJ's Mac 2, 1:57 4-5. This colt, who would be much like his little brother American Winner, was smaller than Super Pleasure, but all three brothers inherited a wonderful gait from the combination of Super Bowl and their dam. BJ's Mac made only 13 lifetime starts before a stall injury forced him to the sidelines. Eight of those starts were at two, where he won the Peter Haughton by three, open lengths for Bill Gale in a performance that was only a tick from the then stakes record of 1:57 3-5. One of his many victims at two was Sierra Kosmos in that good crop of 1989 foals.

Then came American Winner, followed by the first daughter, BJ's Pure Pleasure, who did not get a record. Neither did the next foal, also a Super Bowl filly, named Precious Pleasure.

In 1993, however, the Speedy Somolli matron produced the good filly Sweet American 3,1:58 4-5, winner of a division of a late closer at Lexington in 1996. Then came another colt, a full brother to American Winner, Super Pleasure and BJ's Mac, named Fame N Fortune. This colt found neither, but did get a mark of 4,1:57f in 1998, and has earned nearly $50,000. But while that colt struggled, another full sister added to BJ's Pleasure's impressive resume.

Jonlin, a 1995 filly, got a 2-year-old mark of 1:57 2-5, becoming her dam's fastest freshman performer. The standout filly won more than $250,000, most of it at two when she won a division of the Historic/Acorn at the Meadowlands, and an International Stallion Stake at The Red Mile's annual, fall meeting.

BJ'S PLEASURE IS ONE OF THE BEST PRODUCERS EVER!

Having accomplished more with her first nine foals of racing age that almost any other mare of her generation, BJ's Pleasure must be judged as one of the most important broodmares of this century. Her record of achievement is without many parallels if we only examined the racing records of her foals.

However, something very unique sets BJ's Pleasure even further apart from many of the most influential broodmares of our breed, like those mentioned in the opening paragraphs of this "Corner."

Something nearly unprecedented is occurring. It appears from the record that, unlike many of her predecessors, all three of BJ's Pleasure's sons with Super Bowl have rather impressive and unique siring abilities.

Breeders have often shunned the full brothers of successful horses. This is an historical fact which has been known for many, many years. But it would now appear that not only has American Winner become a successful sire, but that both Super Pleasure and BJ's Mac have a lot to offer as well, in a wholly unprecedented way.

VIKING KRONOS IS A SAMPLE OF AMERICAN WINNER'S ABILITIES AS A SIRE

The exciting Viking Kronos 3,1:56f set all of Europe abuzz in 1997 and early in 1998 with his precocious, early ability. The American Winner colt won nearly $800,000 in a brief, but exhilarating career, that gives us an indication that American Winner has the capability to reproduce his own wonderful qualities in his own foals.

Viking Kronos was Sweden's Horse of the Year in 1998, and American Winner's other top performers include the equally precocious Buzzin Brian 2,1:57 3-5; 3,Q1:54 3-5, winner of the Valley Victory stake in 1997. Buzzin Brian was probably a faster colt than any of his brethren at two, winning early, and then rounding into form again late in the season with impressive victories at Lexington and his big score in the Valley Victory at Garden State Park. At three, he debuted in a Q1:54 3-5 qualifier in May, (the Hambletonian was won by Malabar Man the previous year in 1:55) and that effort seemed to rob the colt of some of his inherent ability. Buzzin Brian wound up winning nearly $330,000, but was meant to be a very serious horse whose speed should not be overlooked by European breeders.

American Winner's first crop have won more than $3 million, and also includes the Matron Stake winner Swift American 3,1:57 1-5f; $204,510 and the stakes winner Sally Hanover 3,1:55 1-5; $200,562, who sold for $177,000 last fall at Harrisburg from the Harvey Gold dispersal.

American Winner stands at Hanover Shoe Farms for a fee of $10,000, and followed his debut crop with another solid showing of 2-year-olds in 1998. His freshman crop was led by the handsome American Hi Noon 2,1:59 1-5f; $203,787, winner of four Grand Circuit stakes in 1998, including a division of the Keystone Classic. Another good American Winner colt was the Champlain Stakes star Jodie Is A Winner 2,1:59; $75,050. The good-looking Americanese won in 1:59 2-5f, as did JW Dutch Treat and Golden Globe. American Winner's offspring won 42 stakes races in the US alone, and the now 9-year-old stallion is well on his way to a solid career.

American Winner's success is not that surprising, given the fact that he was the most gifted of the trio of brothers, was the best-gaited, and stands at the biggest breeding farm in the sport.

SUPER PLEASURE HAD A BIG YEAR IN 1998

Super Pleasure got off to a slow start in Canada, but his own siring career has begun to pick up steam. He has now sired 35 in 2:00 and has more than a dozen $100,000 winners. His major stars include the FFA star Macman 4,1:53 3-5s, a winner of more than $420,000; Rama's Pleasure 3,1:56 1-5s; $104,737; Touch of Pleasure 3, 1:56 2-5f; $314,239; Tasha Yar 3,1:57 2-5; $254,155; Flame Tamer 3,1:56 3-5s; $247,778 and the 1998 2yo star Infinite's Uprising 2,1:57 4-5f; $76,015.

Super Pleasure had previously sired such winners as Spinning Reel 3,T1:56 3-5; Paige Seelster 3,1:56 4-5s; and Seasoned Pleasure 3,1:58 2-5s, cementing his position as one of Canada's top trotting sires. In fact, in 1998, Super Pleasure trailed only Balanced Image and King Conch on the Canadian money-winning lists.

THE OTHER BROTHER IS ALSO DOING VERY WELL

BJ's Mac, winner of the Peter Haughton at two, stands in New Jersey at Fair Winds Farm, where, with much less opportunity, he has also shown signs of being a quality sire.

In 1998, BJ's Mac produced the good Dancer Memorial winner High Tech 2,1:58; $125,410, also winner of four New Jersey Sire Stakes events, and a very highly regarded colt. Almost a quarter of BJ's Mac's early foals who have raced, have earned 2:00 marks, including other stars such as the $200,000 earner and Matron Stakes winner Mac Sorley 4,1:56; Harold Dancer filly winner Bobbi Jo Mac 2, 1:57 3-5; $122,469; the stakes-wining Key's La Nina 3,1:56 3-5; the fast HP Gaelic 3,1:57 and the 1999 California star, Website 4,1:57f.

BJ's Mac has not had the opportunity of his full brothers, but there is every evidence that he, too, is a quality sire with a lot to offer.

The sibling rivalry of these brothers is a unique chapter in harness racing history. Their success, when nearly all the famous full brothers who preceded them, have failed, is a remarkable story. It is even more remarkable when we consider that Super Bowl has not left a large number of successful sons. The most vital link to Super Bowl was his son, Supergill, now standing in Italy. Supergill's son, Malabar Man, will look to continue the great influence of his own champion sire and his paternal grandsire.

Few sons of Super Bowl have been able to replicate their sire's amazing qualities. Rarely, if ever, have three full brothers showed the depth of this wonderful family, and their own innate abilities, in such an outstanding way. It will be interesting to see the rivalry extended into the next century.