Filly trotter tops final day of Harrisburg Sale

Hanover, PA — Three-year-old harness racing filly trotter Quickest Hanover was the top seller at Friday’s final session of the Standardbred Horse Sale, purchased for $450,000 by Hanover Shoe Farms. She was among seven horses to sell for more than $300,000 during the second day of the event’s mixed sale.

The mixed sale ended with a gross of $27.01 million for 521 horses and a record-setting average of $51,846. The previous best average was $40,756 for 663 horses in 2019. This was the fourth time the mixed sale grossed more than $27 million since 2001. The top total was $27.5 million for 969 horses in 2006.

Quickest Hanover (Father Patrick-Queen Of Grace) has won three races lifetime and was stakes placed at age 2. She is a three-quarter sister to 2014 Hambletonian Oaks winner Lifetime Pursuit and her full sister Graceful Lady sold in foal to Muscle Hill for $360,000 during Thursday’s session.

She was owned previously by Burke Racing Stable, Bill Donovan, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi. Quickest Hanover was consigned by Preferred Equine Marketing.

Empressive Hill (Muscle Hill-Slice Slice Baby) was next on the list, purchased for $410,000 by France’s Jean-Pierre Barjon. A 3-year-old filly trotter, Empressive Hill has won 10 of 19 career races, including this year’s Kentucky Championship Series final. She is from the family of Dan Patch Award-winner Pizza Dolce.

She was owned previously by Jordan Derue, Bruce Soulsby, Alan Weisenberg, and Gilbert Short. Empressive Hill was consigned by Northwood Bloodstock Agency.

The third-highest seller was 3-year-old filly trotter My Abigail (Bar Hopping-Pleasing Lady), who was purchased for $370,000 by Shaun Laungani. She has one win, in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series, in nine career races. She is a half-sister to multiple Dan Patch Award-winner and world-record-holder Six Pack.

My Abigail was owned previously by Determination stable and consigned by Preferred Equine Marketing.

Two horses sold for $350,000, with 3-year-old filly trotter Fortitude Fashion (Father Patrick-Winbak Blondie) going to Diamond Creek Farm and 2-year-old filly trotter Gyre Hanover (Father Patrick-Global Desire) going to Eric Good.

The lightly raced Fortitude Fashion is a three-quarter sister to Grand Circuit winner Hey Blondie from the family of Muscle Hill. She was owned previously by Fashion Farms and consigned by Preferred Equine.

Gyre Hanover has won two of four races. She is a full sister to Grand Circuit winner Gangster Hanover out of the family of Trotting Triple Crown winner Glidemaster. She also was owned previously by Determination and consigned by Preferred Equine.

Completing the list of horses to top $300,000 were 3-year-old filly trotter Evening Stroll (Cantab Hall-Wind Stroll), a 2021 Pennsylvania Stallion Series champion purchased for $310,000 by M Biasuzzi Stable, and 4-year-old gelding pacer Sandbetweenmytoes (Somebeachsomewhere-Galleria), a 2020 Breeders Crown champion purchased for $305,000 by Greg Luther.

For complete results of the mixed sale, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA