News & Updates

Dear Members,

The MHHA Board remains committed to protecting your financial interests and supporting your family businesses and farms. As we navigate current industry challenges, I want to provide an update on our progress and the path forward.

Congratulations to the connections of the state champions honored at our Annual Meeting and Banquet. A few years ago, program champions earned less than $50,000. This year, we celebrated 20 horses earning over $50,000, including seven state champions exceeding $80,000. Notably, the trotter New Plan Stan set a state record for a non-champion by earning over $94,000. 

The Sixth Circuit Court recently ruled that the State of Michigan cannot require revenue-sharing agreements for ADW wagers from residents. This results in a devastating loss of nearly $5M in annual revenue, including $1M for the AG Equine Fund and $2M each for our association and the licensed track.

Considering this devastating reduction in revenues the Board has requested the MGCB for a 10-day meet at Hastings for September 2026, featuring overnight events and the Michigan Sires Stakes.  Sires Stakes Eliminations will take place the first week, with finals ($80,000–$100,000) scheduled for September 9. This is the most viable strategy given the ruling. We are working with our attorneys and the Carlo family on a legislative fix and have requested formal opinions from the MGCB and the Attorney General regarding potential taxation of these wagers.

With the loss of simulcast and ADW revenue, our primary funding source is Casino Tax Revenue. We expect approximately $4M for the Ag Equine Fund in 2026. Our top priority is the passage of HB 4346-47, which would increase the funding cap from $3M to $9M this year, reaching $15M by 2028.

This vital legislation would provide:

• Up to 20% Breeders Awards.
• Estimated Doubled purse levels for 2 and 3-year-old programs.
• New 4-year-old programs with potentially six-figure finals.
• An expanded fair racing season from mid-April to late September.
• Annual revenue payments for all 86 fairs.
• Additional revenue opportunities for racing fairs.

These bills have passed the Agriculture and Rules Committees and await a House vote. Your outreach to Speaker Matt Hall is making an impact. We did get some encouragement from some key legislators this week and hope for House approval in February and Senate approval by May to secure additional funding for the 2026 season. We have unprecedented bipartisan support in both chambers, and we remain optimistic the Governor will sign the bills.

I would like to thank our team at AMR.  They did a great job with our Annual Meeting & Banquet and Katy Stanke is preparing the 2026 Stallion Guide, which will be mailed to members soon. Staking guides are available at mhha.com and can be mailed upon request. Please note that postmarking rules have changed this year and we encourage you to mail forms early or pay online by February 17.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support.  Please continue to contact your legislators and push for support for House Bills 4346-47!

Happy New Year,

Brett Boyd

MHHA President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LANSING, Mich. — A total of $769,200 changed hands at the Winner's Circle Speed Sale, held Thursday (Oct. 9) at Michigan State University, making the one-day event the highest-grossing edition of the sale in its four-year history.

The Overtime Stable consignment accounted for the two highest-priced trotters of the 34 who left with new owners. Faceofafranchise, a Lindy The Great-Homefortheholidays gelding attracted a sale-high bid of $27,500 from Marotta Investments. As I Am (Lindy The Great-As You Are) was the second highest-priced trotter, attracting a bid of $26,000 form Keya Morgan.

Sunsetacresjaguar, a Captain Victorious-Gotagetuptogetdown colt, was the highest grossing pacer at $26,000, purchased by Ron Davis from Sunset Acres. Vicky (Captain Victorious-Joyful Game) attracted the highest bid for a pacing filly, selling to Steve Oldford for $24,000 from Ernie Lambright.

Oldford was the sale's overall top buyer, spending a total of $82,000 on four horses: pacing fillies Vicky and Mathematics (Captain Victorious-Always A Plus, $18,000), trotting filly Sunset Acres Jojo (Muscles For Life-Classic Rewind, $22,000), and pacing colt Kirk (Captain Victorious-Dreamadreamforme, $18,000).

LilliVin Farm was the highest-grossing consignor, selling 16 horses for a total $202,500, followed by Overtime Stable (11 horses, $171,400) and Sunset Acres (five horses, $76,500).

In total, of the 105 horses to pass through the sales ring, 89 went home to new owners with an average price of $8,643.

For complete sale results, visit winnerscirclesale.com/2025-results.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

from the Winner's Circle Speed Sale

FOWLERVILLE, Mich. — Updated pedigrees for yearlings selling at the Winner's Circle Speed Sale, which will take place Thursday (Oct. 9) in Lansing, Mich., are now available online.

Pedigree pages on the Winner's Circle roster page have been updated to reflect accurate data through Monday (Oct. 6) and will be updated again the day before the sale. Additionally, yearlings will be available for inspection the day before the sale (Wednesday, Oct. 8) at the Farm Bureau Pavilion on the Michigan State University campus from their arrival until 7 p.m.

The Winner's Circle Speed Sale, Michigan's Standardbred Yearling Sale, will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday in the main auditorium at the Farm Bureau Pavilion, 4310 Farm Lane, Lansing, MI 48910.

To browse the catalog and yearling videos online, visit www.winnerscirclesale.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winner's Circle Speed Sale catalog available online

FOWLERVILLE, Mich. — Pedigree pages for all 110 yearlings entered to the 2025 Winner's Circle Speed Sale are now available online.

The pages, which include three-generation pedigrees and notable performers through each yearling's maternal line, can be accessed at winnerscirclesale.com/roster. Yearling videos will be added to the roster as they are made available.

The full catalog is available for view and download at winnerscirclesale.com/catalog.

The sale will take place Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Michigan State University Sales Pavilion, in East Lansing, Mich., at 12:30 p.m.

For more information, visit winnerscirclesale.com.

FOWLERVILLE, Mich. — A total of 110 Standardbred yearlings have been consigned to the 2025 Winner's Circle Speed Sale, which will take place Thursday, Oct. 9, on the campus of Michigan State University.

The roster of 110 yearlings represents an 80% increase over the 61 that sold in 2024, and is led by a 17-horse consignment from Lillivin Farm. Other major consignors include Snow Ridge Farm (12), Overtime Stable (11), Marcus Yoder (9), Brett Boyd Racing (7), HB Standardbreds (7), Prairie River Equine (6), and Sunset Acres (5).

Prominent stallions represented include pacers Bondi Hanover, Captain Victorious and Luck Be Withyou, and trotters Flanagan Memory and Musclesprinctonian.

To view the entire roster, visit https://www.winnerscirclesale.com/roster/. Catalog pages and videos will be added to the online listing as they are made available.

For more information, visit https://www.winnerscirclesale.com.

Fowlerville Family Fair: Ship-In to Train - $20 a horse available on Mon., Wed., Thurs. from 10AM - 2PM starting now, until June 12.

Call Claudia with ?'s (517) 294-0003

Please note that Hastings will not be racing in April as originally planned. We are, however, making every effort to schedule races at Hastings in August. Stay tuned for further updates as we work to finalize the details.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding!

From the Winner's Circle Speed Sale Company

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Bit-O-Honor attracted a bid of $33,000 to lead the 61 yearlings who passed through the ring at the Winner's Circle Speed Sale, held Thursday (Oct. 10) at the Michigan State University Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education.

A colt by Captain Victorious consigned by Engle Equine, Bit-O-Honor is the sixth foal out of Do Me Honor, p,1:51.2f ($683,233) and a half brother to two-time Michigan Breeders' Futurity winner Honor's Image and six-figure earner Virgin Honor. David Jarvis was the winning bidder.

Captain Victorious accounted for all three of the highest-priced pacers, as the LilliVin Farm-consigned tandem of Ima Victorious and King Kong Kade attracted bids of $29,000 and $25,000, respectively. Mark Weaver was the top bidder on Ima Victorious, a filly out of 24-time winner Ima Forget Me Not and a half sister to Man Dontforget Me p,1:50f ($701,394); Wilfred Deshetsky took King Kong Kade, a half brother to multiple Michigan Colt Stakes winners Mother Mary and King Putt out of 22-time winner PV Miracle Mary.

On the trotting side, Ironhorse Herbie attracted a top bid of $25,000 from Bob Tait. The Musclesprinctonian-Stickum Vicky colt is a full brother to Michigan Sire Stakes champion and seven-time winner Libbys Lucky Lady, and was consigned by Brett Boyd Racing. Smooth Is Fast, the final horse to pass through the ring, fetched $22,500 from Tim Roach. The Prestidigitator-Lukes Sophie filly, consigned by Overtime Stable, is a half sister to six-figure earners Hill Of A Horse and Mighty Nicky.

Gross bids totaled $566,600, with a per-horse average sale price of $9,704.

For more information and complete results, visit winnerscirclespeedsale.com.

From the Winner's Circle Speed Sale Company

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Winner's Circle Speed Sale Company will conduct its third annual yearling sale on Thursday (Oct. 10) at the Michigan State University Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, in East Lansing, Mich., beginning at 11 a.m.

The sale features 65 yearlings in total from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. The bulk of the sale consists of yearlings eligible to the 2025 Michigan Colt Stakes program, and features yearlings from the first Michigan crops of Captain Victorious, Global Republic, Flanagan Memory and Musical Rhythm, four yearlings from the final crop of Michigan Hall of Fame stallion Manhardt, and 20 first-foal candidates.

The catalog contains a proposed 2025 program for Michigan-sired and -bred 2- and 3-year-olds, which includes an estimated $100,000 Sire Stakes final for each division, three $30,000 stakes events, and eight weeks of fair stakes contested on three circuits with base purses of $15,000, $10,000 and $8,000.  The program proposed by the Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association requires legislative action and Department of Agriculture approval, but MHHA president Brett Boyd is optimistic of its eventual passage and implementation.

"We have had positive meetings with both state budget directors on our supplemental request and have tentatively presented our proposed 2025 Colt Stakes program to MDARD officials," Boyd said. "Once our supplemental legislative effort is successful, we look forward to finalizing the program and schedule with officials from the Department of Agriculture and the Michigan Association of Fairs. MHHA is also assisting an effort with the Carlo family to realize a licensed track in Hastings, Mich., and potentially host 24-30 additional live race cards for 2025." 

An online catalog and yearling videos are posted at winnerscirclespeedsale.com. The sale will be livestreamed on the sale website, and phone bidding will be accepted the day of the sale. Interested phone bidders should contact Don Marotta at (248) 249-3716 for call-in and credit procedures prior to the sale.

LUDINGTON, Mich. — After track conditions and weather forced multiple postponements of the Great Lakes Stakes, the 2024 Michigan fair harness racing circuit came to a close Thursday (Sept. 26) when the Great Lakes Stakes highlighted a 22-race marathon card at the Western Michigan Fair, in Ludington, Mich.

Art McIlmurray took top honors in the Great Lakes Stakes portion of the card, driving four stakes winners — two of them from his own barn.

Mr Pnut, trained and driven by McIlmurray, rallied to a 2:06.1 win in the $20,000 Great Lakes for 3-year-old male pacers. The Manhardt gelding enjoyed a pocket trip behind Kourageous Key, wedged off the pegs turning for home, and drew away in the final sixteenth to win by 2-1/2 lengths over the ground-saving Seeyalaterbye. He now has won two of his last three starts for owner Staci Malady, including the Sept. 3 Michigan-Sired Championship.

McIlmurray also trained and drove Smashin'classy to a 2:15.3 win in a $10,100 division of the 3-year-old filly trot for owner Ryan Morefield. His other driving wins came with Ruth Langmore (2:11), in a $10,200 rookie filly trot for trainer Kevin St. Charles, and Solidasabrickhouse (2:08.1), who edged Michigan champion Forever A Flirt in a $10,150 sophomore filly pace for trainer Krista Harmon.

After delivering devastating drubbings to 3-year-old male trotters all season long, Guns A Brazen and trainer-driver Raymond Kinney went out with a bang at Ludington, vacating the pocket with five-eighths to go, overtaking Inkadabra Abe at race's midpoint, and winning a $10,150 Great Lakes split by more than 15 lengths in 2:07.2, the fastest trotting mile of the day. The Brazen gelding won nine of 11 starts this summer for Sandra Kinney and Chad and Jared Kreeger.

The fastest pacing mile of the day went to Bunkerhill Lil, who sat the golden chair behind Mother Mary before lifting in the stretch to prevail by a long neck in 2:05.2. Charles Taylor drove the Vlos filly for trainer Jeff Novak and owner-breeder Gene Miller.

To watch all 22 races from Ludington, visit the Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9J9zEYAnI4.