Harness: Hurricane Beach tops Meadowlands Summer Mixed Sale

The 2018 Meadowlands Summer Mixed Sale was held on Sunday afternoon, and it would be 4-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding Hurricane Beach headlining the day, fetching $115,000 from Rene Allard.

Hurricane Beach, who had been trained by Luc Blais, won a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes at Mohawk last year in 1:50 3/5. He tried the North America Cup after that, but was fourth in his elimination and fifth in the consolation. He also made the final of the Adios and was third in the Simcoe, again at Mohawk. To close out his sophomore stakes season he tried the Breeders Crown eliminations at Hoosier Park, but he struggled and finished a well-beaten eighth. As a 4-year-old, he has won two of nine starts, including a 1:52 1/5 score on July 4 at Harrah's Philadelphia. His one stakes engagement was the Confederation Cup at Flamboro Downs, but he was sixth in his elimination, which didn't earn him a spot in the final.

The other six-figure seller on the day was 5-year-old Yankee Cruiser gelding TJ Blast, who was purchased by Richie Banca for $100,000. TJ Blast was acquired by Ron Burke at the end of last year and had won eight of nine starts for him this year, including a 1:50 2/5 tally in the open at Northfield Park on July 2.

Rounding out the top five sellers were American Ideal gelding Cultural Paradise, who sold to Howard Ouriel for $89,000, Bettor's Delight gelding Te Kawau N, who went to Tony Montini for $72,000, and Kadabra mare Kadabra's Temple, who was selected by Mitch Skolnick from Bluestone Farms for $72,000.

130 horses sold in all, good for a total of $3,163,500 and an average of $21,969.