It was the strongest Blooded Horse Summer Sale since 2002. Yearlings were in greater demand and buyers were a bit gamer on the racehorses. The three-year-old Ohio bred trotter, Count Howie, was the sale topper at

$27,000. Consigned by Marty Wollam, agent, the handsome bay gelding had been racing at Northfield Park and still had several fairs left.

Big Valley, a competitive conditioned claimer also coming from Northfield Park, sold for $21,000. Consigned by Anthony Peregrin, the son of The Panderosa was purchased by Michael Temming of New Jersey to race on the East coast.

The promising four-year-old trotter, Auro Hanover, was picked up on an $18,000 bid by Malcom Martin to race in Florida this winter. The Muscles Yankee gelding was racing in conditioned company at Indiana Downs. Merv Chupp of Illinois got the nod on the nice Art Major conditioned claimer, Major Worries, for $15,000.

Nicota, an Open pacer at Running Aces, was purchased by Ed Zubkoff of Michigan for $14,000. Maiden trotter, Chocolate Cream, a striking black Broadway Hall gelding, was knocked down to John Pete Marshall of New York for the same price.

The Kentucky bred Jennas Beach Boy filly, KZ Beach Girl, led the yearlings at $17,000 from Robert Reid of Ohio. Memphis Star, an Ohio bred son of Memphis Flash, was next at 12,500 followed by another Ohio bred, Neely Lane, by Neely Dunn for $10,200.

(Blooded Horse Sale)