Preferred trotter Locatelli topped the Preferred Equine Online Mixed Sale that concluded on Monday afternoon, March 18.
Owned by Thestable Locatelli Group of Guelph, Ont., the six-year-old Muscle Hill-Girlie Tough gelding was purchased for $124,324 by Doug Millard of Woodstock, Ont.
Trained by Harry Poulton, the defending New Holland Trotting Series champion is entered in this year's second leg of that series tonight at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Aside from finishing eighth with broken equipment in the series opening leg on March 11, Locatelli has picked up cheques in his eight other starts this year competing among the top trotting ranks at Mohawk for purse earnings totalling $37,040.
A career winner of more than $500,000, Locatelli has put together a record reading 15-13-13 from 88 starts, including a 1:50.4 career-best victory at Mohawk against Preferred company near the end of his four-year-old campaign, at the time equalling the track record for older male trotters.
Locatelli was cleared to race on Monday by AGCO judges. According to Rule 17.18 in the Rules of Standardbred Racing, "After having been drawn in to start in any race, or as an also eligible, a horse shall not be sold or leased nor shall any interest in the horse be sold or leased prior to the racing of that particular race, unless the horse is sold at a public horse auction and the horse remains under the care, custody and responsibility of the trainer who entered the horse into the race."
As stated in the Senior Judges Report, "Locatelli was sold in an online auction after being properly entered in this race. As per rule 17.18, any horse that has been entered in to race cannot be sold unless it is in a public auction and the horse is to remain in the care and custody of the trainer that entered the horse until after the race. Therefore, this is not a violation of the rules."
For complete sale results, click here.
(Standardbred Canada)