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Significant Sires | The American Standardbred | Breed Information

Throughout Standardbred breeding history, there have been sires who have risen above their peers. They have been responsible for dramatic changes in the physical type and speed of Standardbreds. Some of particular note are:

Pacers Trotters
The Abbe (1903-1929) A grandson of Electioneer, he was foaled at Village Farm, Hamlin, New York. The Abbe is the founding father of two prominent pacing lines, through his sons Abbedale and Bert Abbe. Abbedale produced Hal Dale who sired Adios, Good Time and Dale Frost. Bert Abbe was the sire of Gene Abbe whose son Big Towner became a worthy sire and prominent broodmare sire. Big Towner sired Lodi Hanover, the dam of the 2004 Little Brown Jug winner Timesareachanging. Peter The Great (1895-1923) A great-grandson of Hambletonian, Peter The Great stood at stud at Patchen Wilkes Farm, Kentucky and Laurel Hall Farm, Indiana. His sons, Peter Volo and Peter Scott, are responsible for today's most successful trotting bloodlines. Peter Scott is the sire of Scotland while the lineage of Peter Volo traces to the 2004 Trotting Triple Crown winner Windsong's Legacy. Peter Volo also has apacing line, through Volomite.
Hal Dale (1926-1955) A son of Abbedale, Hal Dale spent his stud career at Two Gaits Farm, Indiana, where he changed the pacing breed forever. His son Adios, in the 1950s and 1960s, became the most dominant pacing sire in the sport. Other famous sons were Dale Frost, who sired Meadow Skipper, and Good Time who produced Race Time, Best of All, Columbia George, Laughing Girl (dam of Most Happy Fella) and the successful racehorse and broodmare Good Counsel. Guy Axworthy (1902-1933) Spending most of his stallion career at Walnut Hall Farm, Kentucky, Guy Axworthy had two sons who were prominent in extending this sire line - Truax, the grandsire of Titan Hanover, who sired Hickory Smoke, and Guy McKinney, the first Hambletonian winner, who is the grandsire of Florican. Florican's sons and grandsons are keeping this line alive. In particular, Sierra Kosmos, Florican's greatgrandson sired super-mares No Nonsense Woman 3,1:54 ($1.26 million) and Fern 4,1:52.3 ($1.25 million).
Adios (1940-1965) Bred by Leo McNamara, Sr., of Two Gaits Farm, Adios had a noteworthy racing career. Purchased, as a stallion, by Delvin Miller, Hanover Shoe Farms and Max C. Hempt, he stood at stud at Miller's Meadow Lands Farm, Pennsylvania. Adios went on to become the greatest sire the sport has ever known. He produced a continuous stream of champion colts and fillies. Many became great sires and broodmares, thus carrying on his tradition of greatness. Two successful pacing lines descending from Adios are through Bret Hanover and Abercrombie. Volomite (1926-1954) A grandson of Peter The Great, Volomite was bred by Walnut Hall Farm and later returned there to begin a great stallion career. Volomite's son, Victory Song established a successful sire line through Noble Victory and Balanced Image. Another son, Worthy Boy, is the sire of Star's Pride and the grand-sire of Super Bowl and Nevele Pride.
Tar Heel (1948-1982) A son of former world champion Billy Direct, Tar Heel was a champion racehorse who later had a long stud career at Hanover Shoe Farms. His sons did not extend his male line, however Tar Heel was one of the greatest broodmare sires in the sport. His daughters include Romola Hanover (the dam of 1966 Pacing Triple Crown winner Romeo Hanover), Tarport Cheer (the dam of Tyler B.), Brenna Hanover (the dam of Bret Hanover) and Vibrant Hanover (the grandam of Albatross). Scotland (1925-1956) A grandson of Peter The Great, Scotland stood at stud for several years at Poplar Hill Farm, Kentucky and then, for the remainder of his career, at Walnut Hall Farm. Scotland had two sons who greatly affected the Standardbred breed, Spencer Scott and Hoot Mon. Spencer Scott's grandson, Speedster is the sire of Speedy Scot and grandsire of the great Speedy Crown. In addition, Scotland's son, Hoot Mon, sire of four Hambletonian winners, Helicopter, Scott Frost, Blaze Hanover and A.C.'s Viking, also provided daughters who produced great trotters including Hambletonian winners: Ayres (1964), Egyptian Candor (1965), Nevele Pride (1968), and Legend Hanover (1979).
Meadow Skipper (1960-1982) Meadow Skipper was a top racehorse who later became a stallion without peer at Stoner Creek Stud, Kentucky. Sons and daughters of Meadow Skipper completely dominated the pacing ranks during the 1970s and 1980s; his son, Most Happy Fella, was a Triple Crown winner and also a sire of renown. However, Meadow Skipper's greatest son was Albatross, who is the sire of Niatross and grandsire of Nihilator - two of the best pacers the sport has ever known. Speedy Scot (1960-1990) From the Scotland sire line, Speedy Scot was a Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year. As a sire at Castleton Farm, Kentucky, he had two sons who had a great effect on the breed, Speedy Crown and Arnie Almahurst. Arnie Almahurst had two good sons at stud - Arndon, sire of world champion Pine Chip and Florida Pro, who sired world champion Sugarcane Hanover.
Most Happy Fella (1967-1983) A Triple Crown winner and a son of outstanding sire Meadow Skipper, Most Happy Fella stood his entire stud career at Blue Chip Farm, New York. He was at his peak when he died, at the age of 16. Bred by Norman Woolworth and David Johnston, of Stoner Creek Stud, Most Happy Fella was noted as a sire of great colts and fillies and of sons who were able to extend his sire line to further greatness. This is shown by such leading sons as Oil Burner the sire of No Nukes and grandsire of Western Hanover (whose son was 1997 Pacing Triple Crown winner Western Dreamer), Tyler B. (sire of Magical Mike, 1994 Little Brown Jug winner), Happy Motoring (On The Road Again), and Cam Fella, who is the sire of Precious Bunny and the grand-sire of 2001 Horse of the Year Bunny Lake. Most Happy Fella is also the great grand-sire of 2003 Pacing Triple Crown winner No Pan Intended. Speedy Crown (1968-2000) A Hambletonian and International Trot winner and son of Speedy Scot; Speedy Crown rose to prominence as a sire at Lana Lobell Farms, New York. In addition to siring scores of colt and filly champions, his son Speedy Somolli extended this sire line two more generations to the modern-day sire Valley Victory. Speedy Crown's sons and daughters have also excelled in racing and breeding on an international level, and his daughters are sought after broodmares in the sport: Lindiliana (Lindy Lane), Crown Dream (Victory Dream), Keystone Profile (Act of Grace), and Maiden Yankee (Muscles Yankee).
Albatross (1968-1998) The greatest son of Meadow Skipper and a modern-day leading stallion, Albatross has offspring who have earned well over $146 million on the racetracks. No stallion, Standardbred or Thoroughbred, had achieved so much during a stud career. He is the sire of the great Niatross and Fan Hanover and grandsire of Nihilator. In addition, daughters of Albatross have become the most successful and in demand broodmares in the sport: Three Diamonds is the dam of Life Sign (1993 Little Brown Jug winner), Miss Elvira is the dam of Artsplace (1992 Horse of the Year) and Wendymae Hanover, the dam of Western Hanover, sire of 1997 Triple Crown winner Western Dreamer. Super Bowl (1969-1999) Triple Crown winner, Super Bowl had a wonderful stallion career at Hanover Shoe Farms, following in the footsteps of his sire Star's Pride. With Speedy Crown, Super Bowl remains at the top of the modern trotting sire lists. His sons and daughters, seven of whom are millionaires, show extreme speed and are in great demand by breeders. These include Napoletano 3,1:53.2 ($1.95 million), American Winner 3,1:52.3 ($1.3 million), and Giant Victory 3,1:54.4 ($1.25 million).
    Valley Victory (1986) A son of Baltic Speed out of Valley Victoria by Bonefish he has changed the trotting breed forever. Bred by Valley High Stable of Freehold, New Jersey, his colts and fillies are natural trotters who come to their speed and gait early. He is credited with 6 $1 million winners, led by 1996 Horse of the Year, Hambletonian, Breeders Crown and World Trotting Derby winner, Continentalvictory 3,1:52.1 ($1.61 million); Lookout Victory 1:54.3 ($1.92 million); Muscles Yankee 3,1:52.2 ($1.42 million); Bullville Victory 3,1:53.1 ($1.25 million); and Victory Dream 3,1:53.2 ($1.02 million). Valley Victory is the sire of 3 Hambletonian winners, Victory Dream (1994), Continentalvictory (1996), and Muscles Yankee (1998). He is also the grandsire of both the 1999 Hambletonian winner Self Possessed and the 2002 winner Chip Chip Hooray.