Legendary was the only way to describe the 2021 Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale as it smashed nearly every record on Friday afternoon (Oct. 8) in Crapaud, P.E.I.
Woodmere Xspeedia topped the 103-horse sale, garnering a record-setting $68,000 bid with Gene Smallman purchasing the handsome son of Arthur Blue Chip-Wild Ride Hanover from the Woodmere Farms/Bruce Wood consignment. Woodmere Xspeedia is the highest-priced regionally-bred pacer ever on the East Coast.
The total gross sales topped $1.7 million before sales tax, crushing the former record of $993,500 set in 2020.
Dan Ross purchased the Malicious-Independent Gal filly Red Dirt Flash for $45,000 -- the highest price for a filly ever on P.E.I. -- from the Lowell Balderston consignment.
Dusty Lane Tucker set a new benchmark for an Atlantic-bred trotter as the son of Muscle Through It-Starinthesky was purchased for $35,000 from the Dusty Lane Farms/Ronnie Gass consignment by new owner Carl Bagnall.
“The result was nothing short of phenomenal,” said sale chair Nicholas Oakes. “The group of horses offered today was second to none in the history of Atlantic Canadian harness racing. This event is the bedrock of the industry and it only means good things for the future.”
The overall sale average of $16,800 was another new record.
For complete sale results, go to Peiharnessracing.ca.
(With files from Atlantic Classic Sale)