western ideal
Bred by Brittany Farms, world champion pacer Western Ideal was foaled on May 23, 1995 in Versailles, Kentucky, and raced in 1997, 1999 and 2000. As a five-year-old in 2000, trained by Brett Pelling and driven by Mike Lachance, Western Ideal won the Breeders Crown, William R. Haughton Memorial, Canadian Pacing Derby and the Graduate Series. In his Breeders Crown victory, Western Ideal set a world record 1:48 for five-year-old and older Standardbreds on a mile track. He was voted 2000 Dan Patch Older Pacing Horse of the Year.
As a stallion, Western Ideal has sired winners of over $124 million, with 193 $200,000 winners and 12 millionaires to date. They include 2005 Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame Immortal Rocknroll Hanover p,3,1:48.3 ($2,754,038); 2009 Adios winner and world champion Vintage Master p,4,1:48.1f ($2,160,953); 2010 Matron Stakes winner and world champion Krispy Apple p,6,1:48.4f ($1,905,676); 2005 Woodrow Wilson winner Western Ace p,4,1:48.4 ($1,891,133); New Jersey Sire Stakes star Dial Or Nodial p,5,1:48.3f ($1,764,975); 2014 Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year Artspeak p,3,1:47.4 ($1,628,762); and 2010 Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year and world champion Big Jim p,2,1:49.1s ($1,541,924).
Western Ideal has sired three sub-1:48 pacers - world champion American Ideal p,3,1:47.4 ($786,055), winner of the 2005 Confederation Cup and Tattersalls Pace; 2014 Dan Patch and O’Brien Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year Artspeak p,3,1:47.4 ($1,628,762); and 2013 Breeders Crown winner Luck Be Withyou p,5,1:47.4f ($1,454,166).
As a broodmare sire, Western Ideal has sired the dams of winners of over $58 million to date, with 5 millionaires: 2014 Dan Patch and O’Brien Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year, world champion Mcwicked p,3,1:47.3f ($2,346,772); 2015 Canadian Pacing Derby winner, O’Brien Horse of the Year and world champion State Treasurer p,6,1:47 ($1,908,424); 2017 North America Cup winner Fear The Dragon p,3,1:48.4s ($1,578,547); 2010 Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year, 2011 Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year and world champion See You At Peelers p,3,1:49.2f ($1,573,260); and 2015 O’Brien Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year Solar Sister p,4,1:49.4f ($1,012,209).
Western Ideal passed away on April 11, 2025.