by Susan Schroeder, Executive Director, Minnesota Harness Racing Inc.

Cannon Falls, MN — Thirty yearlings went to the auction block on Thursday (Aug. 28) at the fifth annual Minnesota Standardbred Sale held at Simon Arena in Cannon Falls, Minn.

The sale included Minnesota breds, Minnesota bred and Iowa foaled, along with some Pennsylvania, Ontario and Indiana sired horses that were foaled in Iowa, making them eligible to the Iowa fair circuit.

Minnesota Harness Racing Inc. photo

Sale topper Al Mar Zombie poses with his new owners.

The sale topper at $10,000 was a Money Talks yearling out of the Tom Ridge mare Tomridge Baby Doll. Trainer Ulf Holm-Johansen took home the gelding for a syndicate of owners including Holm-Johansen, Loura and Mark Corless, Vern Devine and first time horse owner Cathy Dessert.

Dessert was part of the Bucket List Racing Stable, a fractional ownership group this summer at Running Aces. She went from a casual fan to a very active fan to a horse owner during our summer racing season in Minnesota.

The yearling’s averaged $3,514 with the 18 pacing breds averaging $2,878 and the trotting breds averaging $4,555.

There were many “driving” horses sold which attracted some good prices. The 17-year-old stallion Intrepid Seelster was also sold and will remain standing at stud in Minnesota.