De Kooning tops opening session in Harrisburg
At 10h55, on November 7, 2023 • By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Male trotter De Kooning, a son of Muscle Hill-Brooklyn whose full brothers Kings County and Brooklyn Hill were winners on the Grand Circuit, sold for $600,000 on Monday to top the opening session of the 85th annual Standardbred Horse Sale. Ron Burke will train the colt, who was purchased by the group Burke, Brixton, Hatfield.
De Kooning’s family also includes 2008 Hambletonian Oaks champion Creamy Mimi, who is the dam of near-millionaire French Wine, and Dan Patch Award winner Pizza Dolce. The colt was bred by Stefan Balazsi’s Order By Stable AB and consigned by Concord Stud Farm. He is New Jersey eligible.
“Bud (Hatfield) and those guys thought it was the best trotting colt in the sale,” Burke said. “They said buy it, pretty much no matter what. They’ve had really good success buying off Stefan and Concord, so they like to go back to where they’ve done well.
“I know Bud really wants to win a (Hambletonian). He said that’s the best colt, he wants it. I give those guys credit for stepping up. It’ll be cool. It’ll be something different. I’m used to pressure anyhow, so it doesn’t bother me. Actually, I thought he would bring more, so I was all right with it. They were prepared to go more.”
De Kooning was one of six horses to sell for at least $390,000 on Monday.
