Record set for Harrisburg Mixed Sale

Harrisburg, PA — Hambletonian Oaks winner Heaven Hanover (Father Patrick-Hillarmbro) was among three 3-year-old female harness racing trotters to share top-selling honors at Friday’s (Nov. 10) second-and-final session of the Standardbred Horse Sale’s mixed sale, purchased for $450,000 apiece at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex.

The other two fillies were Swanky Hanover (Muscle Hill-Secret Magic), a Grand Circuit-winner who is a full sister to multiple Dan Patch Award-honoree Manchego, and Bella Ciao (Muscle Hill-Ciao Dolce), a stakes-winner whose family includes 2022 Trotter of the Year Bella Bellini.

The two-day mixed sale totaled $27.9 million, a record for the event, for 605 horses and stallion shares. The previous high, $27.5 million for 969 horses and stallion shares, was in 2006.

Heaven Hanover was purchased by Robert Lindstrom while Swanky Hanover went to Jim Avritt Sr. and Bella Ciao to Winning Key Farm.

Heaven Hanover’s victories this year in addition to the Oaks included a division of the Delvin Miller Memorial. Her mark of 1:50.3 made her this season’s second-fastest 3-year-old female trotter. She was consigned by Diamond Creek.

Swanky Hanover, also is a three-quarter sister to near-millionaire In Secret, and her half-sister Secret Passion is the dam of stakes-winner Baroness Hill. Swanky Hanover, who won this year’s Currier & Ives Filly in a career-best 1:55.1, was consigned by Preferred Equine Marketing.

Bella Ciao has a mark of 1:55.2, which came in winning a New Jersey Classic division as a 2-year-old. Her full sister Dolce Amara was a stakes-winner this year at age 2 and finished third in the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series final. She also was consigned by Preferred Equine Marketing.

This year’s mixed sale averaged $46,235, the third-best average in the history of the sale.

For complete results, visit The Black Book.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA