In this week's Rewind Robert Smith takes a look at some of the results and highlights from 25 years ago with The Canadian Classic Sale of 1985

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Years ago when a sale was held it sometimes took quite a while to get the results. Not like today when we often find out a few seconds after the auctioneer receives the final bid and it is posted on the Internet. In those days it might be a week or two before the paper arrived and the list could be scanned. When U.S. sales results appeared in harness racing magazines such as The Harness Horse, my father used to go through the list first and put a tick mark on a Canadian buyer or for that matter anything that might interest the next reader. How many times do we say "times change"?

I have assembled some facts, figures and highlights from a major sale from 25 years ago and hope that it provides some interest and also some comparisons to today. The Sale was held at Woodbine on September 11 and 12 and the auctioneer was Paul Martin Jr.

Total Gross Sales - $4,001,200
Total No. Horses sold - 279
Average per head - $14,341

The average was up almost 15 per cent from 1984 and resulted in an all time record figure.

Top Yearlings

Horse Name & Price:                  Purchased By :
Armbro Fare - $77,000                John Burns
Cosmos Maud - $62,000                Wm. Wellwood
Armbro Fame - $60,000                Wm. Wellwood
Bio Zindabad - $ 57,000              Jim Miller
Jazzy Jen - $52,000                  Thos. Abramoff Stables
Armbro Foxy - $48,000                Grants Direct/Waples Stable
Good Time Jazz - $47,000             Moe Graif - Agent
Armbro Foley - $47,000               Trent Valley Stables
Armbro Freda - $47,000               John Burns
Armbro Fizz - $ 46,000               Robert Waxman
P F Joey - $45,000                   Torlando Farms/Stew Firlotte
Grand Jazz - $ 41,000                Helen Lawrence
Clinton Seelster - $41,000           Gerry Vanboekel

Stallion Averages (Top 10)

 
Sire                       No. Sold               Average

1. Royce                    2                     $30,500
2. Dream Of Glory          20                     $27,925
3. Jazz Cosmos             13                     $27,746
4. Worthy Bowl              6                     $20,003
5. Justin Passing           3                     $19,500                       
6. Armbro Omaha            36                     $19,169
7. Armbro Splurge          15                     $14,740
8. Brisco Hanover           4                     $14,250
9. Smog                     4                     $13,875
10. Balanced Image         12                     $12,875

Consignor Averages (with 5 or more sold)

Consignor                  No. Sold               Average
 
Armstrong Bros.            32                     $26,772
Cantario Farms             27                     $15,240
Halton Bloodstock          26                     $10,408
Seelster Farms             18                     $18,667
Rockwood Stud, Agt.        11                     $16,654
Bio Test Farm               6                     $17,583
Cuddy Farms Agt.            6                     $15,950
Wilson Farms                5                      $8,280

The following is a random list of purchasers showing the colt's name and price paid. List does not include horses shown in "Top Sellers" listing above.

John Burns, Mississauga
Armbro Festive - $ 19,000
Just Plain Scarey - $26,000
Armbro Fabius - $15,000
Armbro Filly - $25,000
Armbro Fatima - $27,000
Armbro Fascination - $8,500

Pat Crowe, Stoufville
Classic Breeze - $11,000
Doctor Magic - $10,000

Wm. Fritz, Walkerton
Torys Encore - $8,000
Island Love - $6,000

Cape Mitchell Stables, Campbellville
Supreme Example - $27,000
Fun Money - $12,000
Spring Tiger - $7,200
Swingfire Skipper - $13,000
Rau D Kid - $10,000
Bio Reaction - $17,000

Mark Steacy, Kingston
Wilcos Express - $3,700
Whistlers Tristar - 6,500
Windsong Prince - $9,500

Tom Strauss, Milton
Armbro Fallon - $30,000
Ellies Doug - $12,000
Lapidiste - $11,000

Wayne Horner, St. Marys
Windsong Jade - $4,000
Canadian Mint - 1,200
Secret Skipper - $9,500

Alice Kopas, Ilderton
Rebecca Seelster - $8,000
Fog Patch - $18,000
Graham Seelster - $17,000
Imperialist - $12,000

Bob McIntosh, Windsor
Mr. Lang - $25,000
Sammi Killean - $15,000
Justin Dispute -$34,000 (with E. Forbes)

Dave Wall, Komoka
Tantallon Royale - $8,500
JN Prize Package - $31,000

Wm. Wellwood, Milton
Armbro Fission - $24,000
Yarley Seelster - $12,500
Arbor Cosmo - $24,000

James Wellwood, Ancaster
Wilcos Energy - $15,000
Omaha Station - $23,000

Norm McKnight Jr., Campbellville
Vegas Trick - $16,000
No Prisoners - $9,500
Armbro Form -$27,000

Eugene Forbes, Walkerton
Skippy Omaha - $8,500
Justin Dispute - $34,000 (with R. McIntosh)

Rusty Cart Stable, Windsor
Village Umpire - $13,000
Ancestral - $3,700
Benjamin Seelster - $18,000
Fraud Squad - $9,500
Embattled - $5,500
Royal Performer - $17,000
Kaiser Seelster - $12,000
Robel Brian - $8,200
Casimir Gambler - $9,700