What distinguishes a good harness racing sire from the great harness racing sires is the ability to produce top class fillies and mares.
That is the key to Bettor's Delight's dominance worldwide and it is a trait of all our leading sires in New Zealand.
One sire who has been having a great run with his fillies and mares over the last season or two is American Ideal.
Noted in North America for his prowess in leaving high class fillies and mares such as American Jewel 1:48.2 ($1,834,823) Idyllic 1:50 ($1,313,241) and Romantic Moment 1:50.1 ($1,077,352), American Ideal is starting to fashion a fine record downunder with his fillies and mares.
This season's crop of three year olds by American Ideal numbers just 75 foals in New Zealand but he has produced three of the top five stake earning fillies this season.
They are headed by the champion three year old filly in The Orange Agent 1:51.1 ($337,312) who has been joined in the top five by Democrat Party 1:54.1p ($189,324) and Start Dreaming 1:51.4 ($79.150)
Last year we had the outstanding three year old filly Ideal Belle 1:54 ($191,891) while other fillies to make their mark in recent times include such smart types as River Polka 1:56 ($107,053), Star Of Isis 1:55.7 ($71,484) and Magna 1:55.5 ($64,514)
When one has a look a look at the maternal family of American Ideal it is little wonder that he is such a strong fillies sire.
Not only is American Ideal a son of a great filly sire in Western Ideal, but he is from a maternal family that has produced two absolute champion fillies.
The grand -dam of American Ideal is the brilliant Three Diamonds 1:53.1 ($735,751) who won 25 of her 31 lifetime starts and then left the champion racehorse and sire in Life Sign 1:50.3 ($1,912,454).
The third dam of American Ideal in Ambiguity is a full sister to Angel Hair who is the dam of the champion filly Naughty But Nice 1:54 ($1,062,197) who won 18 from 32 on the track.
With the record American Ideal is establishing in New Zealand with his fillies and mares it would be no surprise to see his fillies much more keenly sought after at next years round of yearling sales.
Harnesslink Media