Important American Maternal lines in Swedish trotting
Important American Maternal lines in Swedish trotting Written by Tina Dale Brauti
Published in TIMES: in Harness, March 2004
Written fall 2003
The owners of the best producing mares in Sweden receive a Diploma for their mares contribution to the sport of harness racing. These mares are named Elite mares, and the naming of Elite mares started with mares foaled after the year 1940. Today 133 mares have been named Elite mares, and a study of their maternal lines show that the influence from American maternal lines are overwhelming. Three Foundation mares are represented with 32 Elite mares (25%) and ten Foundation mares are responsible for 57 Elite mares (43%). These Foundation mares are all from the US.
There are a couple of people I would like to thank in this regard, and that is firstly Ylva Welèn who gave me the idea to study the Elite Mares' maternal lines more thoroughly. Ylva had already spent quite a bit of time gathering information about the mares. When I was writing the article for the Norwegian trotting magazine Trav- og Galopp Nytt my path also crossed with Tom Vibke who is a tremendous source of information in regards to maternal lines. Tom has helped me get the final pieces of the puzzle together so that all the information now is complete.
Speedy Crown tops among sires
Among the 132 mares, most sires have one daughter as their representative. It is remarkable that Speedy Crown has eight daughters in this group, but of course he is also a remarkable sire and broodmare sire. Six sires then have four daughters each: the well known Super Bowl and Speedy Count in addition to Big Lama (by Jamie and out of a french mare. Bred in the US by Delvin Miller), Frances Nibs (also broodmare sire to Meadow Road), Pay Dirt (son of Florican, out of the impeccable Impish) and Whitney Hanover (son of Spencer Scott, exported to Sweden in 1946). Three sires have three daughters in the group of Elite mares, and this is Songcan, the Star's Pride son Near Me and Bulwark (son of Volomite, exported to Sweden in 1936 and a dominating sire in Sweden).
Sire lines
The sire lines from Peter the Great has been dominating in international trotting since the 1940s. In Sweden the sire lines from Axworthy has been competitive for a little longer period than in the US. This was mostly due to the success of Scotch Nibs (son of Nibble Hanover), sire of i.e. the great sire Frances Nibs.
Among the Elite mares in Sweden, the sire lines from Peter the Great dominates with 93 mares, but the Axworthy sire lines has 30 representatives. These numbers indicates how important the Axworthy sire lines has been also in Swedish trotting. The number of Axworthy representatives is much higher than what one could expect after the domination by the Peter the Great sire lines for so many decades.
The McKinney sire lines has two representatives among the Elite mares, both from French sires. The sire lines from the "French Hambletonian", Fuschia, has seven representatives, and the Orlov sire line (from Russia) has one representative.
Sophronia through Nancy Hanks with twelve Elite mares
Sophronias maternal line has most representatives among the top Swedish mares, all through Nancy Hanks - the mare that was foaled in 1886 and trotted in 2:04m. Sophronia is Nancy Hanks third dam. The twelve Elite mares comes from three of Nancy Hanks daughters: Markala, Narion and Palema.
Nine Elite mares comes from Palema, as two of her granddaughters were exported to Sweden and became extremely successful broodmares. Duchess (f.1928) made the maternal lines that gave the Elite Mares Lass Dancing (dam of three Swedish millionaires), Leona B.L. (dam of two Swedish double millionaires) and Minerva (one of Swedens most influental mares). Lemomite (f.1932) is responsible for Calotta (dam of Callit, the winner of i.e. Roosevelt International), Caressa, Lime Flash, Liselothe, Lola Will and Quadriga. A daughter of Lime Flash, Brioni, was exported from Sweden to Norway and became an important mare there.
Nancy Hanks daughter Markala, is granddam of Anna Maloney - a mare that was exported to France and became influental there. In Sweden this family has given the two Elite mares Kramer Spin and Louison H. Kramer Spin is well known in the US, as dam of the Stakes winners Exclusive Lavec and Kramer Collection. She is also granddam of Mr Lavec - a multiple Stakes winner in both the US and Europe, and now a well known sire in North America.
The twelvth Elite mare from Sophronia, is Solitaire Spin (dam of two Swedish millionaires). This maternal family comes from Nancy Hanks daughter Narion.
Maggie H. with ten Elite mares
Two Foundation mares are responsible for ten Elite mares each. One of them is Maggie H. - through her two daughters The Gaiety Girl (six mares) and The Widow (four mares).
The mare Gay Party was exported to Sweden in 1936, she was a granddaughter to The Gaiety Girl. Her daughter Nancy Gay received the Elite Diploma, and so did Nancy Gays daughter Oki. Okis granddaughter Princess Ride has been one of the top 4 year old mares in Sweden in 2003. Gay Party also became dam of Mimi Gay. Mimi Gay is dam of Axo Gay and granddam to Gay One - both these mares are Elite mares.
The last two Elite mares from The Gaiety Girl, is Lass Dame (through Gayworthy, daughter of The Gaiety Girl) and Misty Sister (through Gaiety Lee, another daughter of The Gaiety Girl). Misty Sister should be well known in the US, as she is the dam of the multiple Stakes winner Newmarket S (f.1983) and granddam of Constable - winner of Breeders Crown elim. for 2yo colts in 2002. Misty Sister has made a big contribution also to french trotting through her son Mickey Viking (by Bonefish) - a top sire in France. His son Viking's Way is a champion sire in France.
The other of Maggie H.'s daughters, The Widow, lives in Swedish trotting through her daughters Maggie Onward and Sienna. Maggie Onwards granddaughter Miss McElwyn (a sister to great sire Mr.McElwyn) was exported to Sweden as a 2 year old in 1937. She became dam of Love in Bloom, a super mare for both Norwegian and Swedish trotting. In Sweden the Elite mare Rain Loc has Love in Bloom as her 5th dam, and in Norway the super mare Inka Spin (bred in Sweden) has Love in Bloom as her 4th dam. Rain Loc is dam of i.e. Activity, and Inka Spin is dam of two classical winners in Mr Moxy (30 wins) and Zoot Spin (34 wins).
Siennas daughter Kashmir gives Maggie H.'s blood to the two Elite mares Cash Income and Enina Olympia (in the US registered as Success Bunny). One of the best mares for Norwegian trotting, Nevele Now (dam of two Derby winners and several Classical winners), also comes from Kashmir. Anticipation is another daughter of Kashmir. Anticipation is granddam to the great North American mare Wishe's Keeper, also dam of the Elite mare Lady Lexington. Lady Lexington was herself a Stakes winner in the US, and is dam of i.e. Bowls Lady - winner of the Mares Championship in Sweden.
Medio with ten Elite mares
The other Foundation mare with ten Elite mares, is Medio. All the Elite mares come from Medios granddaughter Miss Bertha C. In Sweden, Miss Bertha C. is known as the dam of Sister Bertha, dam of the Stayer King Harper Hanover, in addition to The Divorcee and Miss Bertha Dillon that both gives their precious blood to Elite mares. The Dicorcee is 6th dam to Sylvia Brodda. The Divorcee's sister Miss Bertha Dillon is one of the most influental mares in harness racing - a previous broodmare at Hanover Shoe Farms.
Bertha C. Hanover is a daughter of Miss Bertha Dillon, and her blood is in Lanette Hanover (dam of two Swedish millionaires). This line is also responsible for one good mare in Norway, Speedy Sonja (in the US registered as Ata Laura) - dam of i.e. Victoria S, multiple Stakes winner in both Norway and Sweden.
Betsy Hanover was exported to Sweden in 1937. She was a daughter of Miss Bertha Hanover - another daughter of Miss Bertha Dillon. From Betsy Hanover, there are two Elite mares: Butterfly and Grevinnan Ribb. Miss Bertha Hanover was also dam of Madge Hanover, the 4th dam of the Elite mare Margit Lobell (dam of three horses registered in the US, all with over USD 100,000 in earnings, i.e. the Peter Haughton winner Enjoy Lavec). Dam of Margit Lobell is Matina Hanover - one of the best mares in North America. Matina Hanover is also dam of Mack Lobell, granddam of American Winner, BJ's Mac, Super Pleasure and Victory My Way.
The third daughter to Miss Bertha Hanover with tremendous influence on Swedish trotting, in addition to Betsy Hanover and Madge Hanover, is Patricia Hanover. This line is responsible for some of the most successful maternal lines in Europe the last years. The mare Scotch Dot was exported to Sweden in 1969, 11 years old. Her daughters foaled in the US, Trader Dawn and Glenna H., was also exported to Sweden. From Scotch Dots production in Sweden she received a Diploma as an Elite mare. In addition, her daughter Trader Dawn is dam of the Elite mare Trader Girl, and Glenna H. also became an Elite mare. Glenna H. then became dam of another Elite mare - Cikora Tilly, a mare again dam of another Elite mare in Icora Tilly. Icora Tilly is known all over the world as dam of the fastest trotter ever - Victory Tilly. Victory Tilly has an Elite mare as dam, grand dam, 3rd dam and 4th dam!
In this respect, it is also worth noting that another daughter of Miss Bertha Hanover, Brenda Hanover, is the 4th dam to the great producers Amour Angus and Canne Angus.
Jessie Pepper with four Elite mares
This great Foundation mare is represented among the Elite mares through her two daughters Annabel and Iona. Iona is granddam of Mabel Trask, a daughter of Peter the Great that was foaled in 1911 that trotted 2:01.3/4m. This great mare is 4th dam to the Elite mare Noble Annie (dam of two stallions in Sweden).
Estabelle is the daughter of Annabel that is responsible for three Elite mares. Spenesta was exported to Sweden in 1937, and she had Queen Regent Ideal (daughter of Estabelle) as 3rd dam. Spenestas two daughters Spensa Flash and Spensa Craftsman are influental in Sweden, as Spensa Flash is granddam to the Elite mare Lady Village and Spensa Craftsman is 3rd dam to Elite mare Karolina J.
Another daughter to Estabelle, Princess Royal, leads us to the 4th Elite mare from Jessie Pepper: Ata Donna Y. Ata Donna Y's 3rd dam is Tanya Hanover - a mare that has Princess Royal as 4th dam (through her daughter Roya McKinney). Ata Donna Y. was a tremendous broodmare, and has four sons accepted for commercial breeding in Sweden. Her son Atas Fighter won the Roosevelt International and stands at stud in Italy. The mentioned Tanya Hanover is a sister to Misty Hanover (dam of Hickory Pride and Hickory Smoke) and Tronia Hanover (dam of the great mare Helicopter, dam of i.e. Armbro Flight).
It is also interesting to note that Princess Royal has been an important factor for developing both Axworthy's and Peter the Great's sire lines. Her daughter Queenly McKinney was the dam of Guy McKinney - grandsire of Florican (important sire for the Axworthy sire lines). Another daughter, the already mentioned Roya McKinney, was dam of Scotland - grandsire of Rodney that leads to both Speedy Crown and Arnie Almahurst (two important sires for the Peter the Great sire lines)...
It is worth mentioning that a daughter of the great Roya McKinney was in fact exported to Norway. This was Elsie Scott foaled in 1921, and Elsie Scott immediately made a huge inpact on Norwegian trotting. Her foals raced tremendously well, and her daughters became dominating producers. To give an example - the Norwegian team in international FFA races for a few years all had Elsie Scott as granddam! One of these horses were Scott Protector - one of the most important horses in Norwegian trotting history. This beautiful horse won 116 races. Several Norwegianbred stallions comes from the maternal family from Elsie Scott.
Lida through Young Miss with four Elite mares
Lida is 4th dam to Young Miss. Young Miss is well known as dam of one of the four great sires (Axworthy, Bingen, McKinney and Peter the Great) in the development of the trotter: Bingen. It is Bingens sisters Miss Lizzie S. and Petronia that has been important for the lines to four Elite mares. The Elite mare Pergoletta has Petronia has 8th dam. Miss Lizzie S. is 4th dam to Vienna Girl, the mare that is responsible for three mares with the great Diploma in Sweden. Vienna Girl is granddam to Virana, 4th dam to Johanna and 5th dam to Happy Secret.
Minnehaha through The Thompson Sisters with four Elite mares
Another great family from the US, the mares Tillie Thompson and Madam Thompson are known as The Thompson Sisters. They are both daughters of Eva, a daughter of Minnehaha. Tillie and Madam Thompson are responsible for two Elite mares each.
The Elite mare Victory Flight was imported to Sweden in 1965, and she became dam of two Swedish millionaires in Legend Ribb (50 wins) and Perfect Ribb (21 wins). Tillie Thompson is 6th dam to Victory Flight - a daughter to Dinner Song. Dinner Song is also a sister to Dinner Music, a mare that is well known in Scandinavia as dam of Lord Valentine - one of the sons of Florican that was highly successful from his years at stud in Denmark. 3rd dam of Victory Flight is The Miss Hanover. A sister to The Miss Hanover, Minnetonka, is 6th dam to another Elite mare Viva la Difference. Another sister to The Miss Hanover is Rose Brooke, she is 7th dam to the winner of The Kentucky Futurity 2003 - Mr Muscleman.
Madam Thompson is responsible for two Elite mares - both through the daughter Eva Tanguay. Eva Tanguay's daughter Harvest Eve was exported to Sweden in 1936, and she is the 4th dam of the Elite mare Annwone P. Eva's Girl is a another daughter of Eva Tanguay, and therefor a sister to Harvest Eve, and she is 5th dam of the Elite mare Sonoma. Sonoma is a full sister Speedy Somolli, the dam of Royal Troubador and the granddam of Cartier Hall. A full sister to Sonoma, Vana Lobell, is also dam of Egon Lavec - a multiple European stakes winner and now a stallion.
Young Chicago Maid with four Elite mares
It is the American mare Princess Kate that has made this maternal line big in Sweden. Princess Kate was exported to Sweden in 1928, and her 6th dam is Young Chicago Maid. Princess Kate has four important daughters in Sweden, and three of them are represented with Elite mares: Flora Scott, Hollyroodsons Dotter and Princess Hollyrood.
Flora Scott is dam of the Elite mare Jannie, a mare that is granddam to Ex Hammering and 3rd dam to Mustard - two Swedishbred sires. She is also 5th dam to the young Supergill-son Staro Showbiz, who bred 91 mares in Sweden in 2003.
Princess Hollyrood is 3rd dam to two Elite mares in Ingela and Princess Bowl.
The Elite Mare that joined this exclusive group in February 2004, Eva Mon, also joins the family from Young CHicago Maid. Her 5th dam is Princess Kate's daughter Hollyroodsons Dotter f.1932. Eva Mon had six foals, all older than 2 year-olds in 2003. Thee of these horses has made over 1 million Swedish Crowns.
Abbess through Nannie Etticoat with three Elite mares
Abbess is 3rd dam to Nannie Etticoat, and this blood has been important both in France and in Sweden - in addition to the US.
A granddaughter of Nannie Etticoat, Pollyanna, is granddam of the French sires Tamerlan, Tigre Royal and Uranus. It is through another granddaughter of Nannie Etticoat, Sybil Knight, that this line has become responsible for three top producers in Sweden. Sybil Knight is dam of Sybil Day - 5th dam to the Elite mare Bibbi Girl, dam of the super racehorse Copiad (50 wins). Sybil Day is a sister to Taffeta Silk - granddam to the impeccable mare Evensong.
Evensong is dam of the sires Victory Song, Hit Song, Peter Song, Mighty Song and Gay Song, and her daughters Love Song and Scotch Song have made sure that the maternal lines still blossoms. It is Scotch Song that brings us to two Elite mares in Sweden, both through her daughter Scotch Rhythm. Silken Hanover is a daughter of Scotch Rhythm, and she is the dam of the Elite mare Sybil Hanover in addition to granddam of the Swedish Elite sire Quick Pay, 4th dam of Tsar d'Inverne (winner of the Swedish Derby 2003) and 5th dam to the well known Varenne. Scotch Rhythm also became dam of Smoke Screen - 3rd dam of the Elite mare Fifth Avenue Girl. In the US, Fifth Avenue Girl is known as dam of the multiple Stakes winner First Lavec. In Sweden First Lavec also won Stakes, and his sister Gatsy Lavec has made over 2.000.000 SEK as well. A young brother to these two horses, Maxi Lotus, just won a big race for 2 years olds in Sweden this fall.
Jenny e.Bull Pup with three Elite mares
The mare Calumet Adelle was exported to Sweden in 1937, 10 years old. Her 5th dam is Jenny e.Bull Pup. Calumet Adelle had three important daughters for Swedish trotting, and one of these, Astra, is responsible for the line to three Elite mares. Astra is 3rd dam to Cilla Nathaline and Jortina Nibs, and Jortina Nibs is also dam of the Elite mare Ecana Nibs.
Lizzie Witherspoon through Isotta with three Elite mares
Lizzie Witherspoon is 6th dam of the great Isotta - a mare that is represented through two of her daughters among the Elite mares: Isabel Hanover and Melba Hanover.
In 1969, the mare Precious Star was exported to Sweden. Quite remarkable as her full brother Nevele Pride was 4 this year, so everyone knew about his qualities. Precious Star had only two foals in Sweden, but with these two foals she became a remarkable mare for Swedish trotting. Her son is Oden Sund, a horse that won 4 out of 13 starts and then sired a few nice trotters from very limited opportunity. Her daughter is Noblessa Sund - an Elite mare. Noblessa Sund is dam of five Swedish millionaires and granddam to three horses in this exclusive club. Noblessa Sund has been one of the best mares ever at Erikssunds Säteri, the farm where Sugarcane Hanover and Viking Kronos were standing at stud when they were in Sweden.
It is Isottas daughter Melba Hanover that is 4th dam to Noblessa Sund. Isabel Hanover, a sister to Melba Hanover, is granddam of the impeccable Impish through the daughter Ilo Hanover. Another daughter of Isabel Hanover is Dutchess Hanover, and she leads us to two Elite mares in Trapped and her daughter Traffic Jam. Dutchess Hanover is 3rd dam of Trapped. Traffic Jam won multiple Stakes both in the US and in Europe, and she is well known in the US as dam of Kramer Boy. In Sweden she is also dam of the stallion Express Lavec. Kramer Boy stands at stud in Italy. In Norway, Dutchess Hanover's grandson Doctor Rodney became the sire of Rex Rodney - the Norwegianbred winner of the Elitlopp 1986.
In addition to the Foundation mares mentioned above, several other mares from the US are represented with one or two Elite mares. Some worth mentioning, are the well known Foundation mares Mamie (two Elite mares), Mambrino Beauty (one Elite mare plus Princess Anita in Norway - one of the most important mares the last two decades in Norway, dam of i.e. Tamin Sandy that won the Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli over Pine Chip and Giant Chill), Ab (two Elite mares), Miss Copeland (two Elite mares, incl. Haha Arden - granddam of one of the best FFA trotters in Scandinavia 2003, Gidde Palema), Molly J. (one Elite mare) and Nelly through Honeymoon H. (two Elite mares).