The University of Illinois stallion Sagebrush, P, 1:49 ($646,967) was named Illinois Pacing Stallion of the Year during the USTA District 5 meeting held Jan. 21, 2017 at the State Fairgrounds in Springfield, IL.

The regally-bred son of Western Hanover, out of the 100% producing Abercrombie daughter Just Say Go P, 3, 1:54.3 ($93,840) “outpaced” his fellow Illinois stallions in 2016 on the strength of an outstanding crop of 2 year-olds that included Illinois Horse of the Year, Princess Sage P, 2, 1:53.3 ($90,527), as well as other freshmen standouts like Artemesia P, 2, 1:53.2 ($26,585), Razzleme Dazzleme P, 2, 1:54.4 ($55,567), Slzburgerslzburger P, 2, 1:54.2 ($12,681), Spirited Encounter P, 2, 1:54.3 ($27,142), Dee Tumbleweed P, 2, 1:55 ($27,557) and Uptown Sleaze P, 2, 1:55 ($25,739). Sagebrush’s seven 1:55 two-year-old credits in 2016 led all Illinois Stallions by a wide margin.