by Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA

HARRISBURG – Mister Big, the Breeders Crown runner-up in the three-year-old male pace, sold for $255,000 to Virgil Morgan Jr. as agent for Joe Muscara on Saturday, topping the final day’s transactions at the Standardbred Horse Sale.

Mister Big has won six of 26 lifetime starts and earned $381,275. He was trained by Tim Pinske for the Pinske Stables, Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Tom Crouch.

“Obviously, we liked his last two starts,” Morgan said, referring to winning a Breeders Crown elim and finishing second in the final. “As a two-year-old, he was competitive. He’s a big, strong, good-looking colt. He’s not a short-term horse; hopefully, he’s got some longevity and we can race him for a couple years and get a return on the money.”

Morgan said Mister Big would return to Ohio and might race in some winter events, such as the Aquarius at the Meadowlands, but would be pointed toward the major stakes of 2007.

“He’s a long-term investment, so we’ll do what’s best for the horse,” Morgan said.

Carr’s Character, a three-year-old male pacer, sold for $150,000 to Mark Silva. He has won seven of 17 career starts, all this season. He most recently raced in the Breeders Crown, where he went off stride and finished ninth.

“He fits the series pretty well at the Meadowlands,” said Silva, who will share ownership with Bell Valley Farms. “I watched him this year and he seems like a horse with high speed. So, we took a shot.”

Three-year-old male pacer Sandro Hanover sold for $135,000 to Joe Davino. He has won $388,026 lifetime thanks to 11 victories in 37 races. He won a Jug Preview division, an Adios elimination and two legs of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes this season.

True North Hanover, the winner of the Cleveland Classic and a Jug Preview division, went for $130,000 to Don Russell. He has won 13 of 33 career starts and earned $378,742.

Four-year-old male pacer Kansas City Spur, the winner of $164,997 in his career, sold for $125,000 to Gestion Zane to round out the top five for Saturday’s session.

For the week, a total of 2,056 horses were sold for $66.5 million, an average of $32,367.