The Buyer Who Was Tricked
by Lisa Harkema
He was the unlikeliest of Hambletonian heroes. His breeder felt forced to buy his dam despite not wanting her, and also felt cheated when he first saw his new broodmare. His trainer cheered for another horse. His driver felt so sure he couldn’t win that he didn’t even invite his family. But in the 1992 Hambletonian final, Mickey McNichol and Alf Palema found the tiniest of openings to sprint to victory.
The story started almost four years earlier when Karl-Erik Bender, looking to expand his trotting venture, was looking for a broodmare in the US. He found Gin Flip, a well-bred daughter of Speedy Crown, that met his criteria but had to buy her in a 2-for-1 deal as the seller also insisting on including Highland Bridget, in foal to Speedy Somolli, in the deal. The broodmares were sold by George Alexander’s estate, which was looking to offload all horses. Mr Alexander, owner of the Chestnut Farm in Illinois, had been a director of the Hambletonian Society for 20 years until he passed away in 1988. In a cruel twist of fate, one of the last matings he selected, breeding Highland Bridget to Speedy Somolli, would produce the best horse he bred – and his only Hambletonian winner as a breeder.
Highland Bridget was a solid racemare, 19-14-8 in 103 starts, and earnings of $313,427, but as Bender later admitted, he wasn’t really interested in her at all. However, since Gin Flip interested him a lot he was willing to include Highland Bridget in the transaction. But had he known all the facts the deal might not have gone through at all. According to Bender, his only requirement was that the broodmares be at least 158 cms (15,2 hands). Not being able to inspect the broodmares before completing the deal, Bender received guarantees that both broodmares met the requirement. When they finally had a chance to inspect her, however, it became clear that Highland Bridget measured 154 cms (barely more than 15 hands) and, suffice to say, Bender was not a happy man.