Art Official sold for $2.75 million

Owner James Jesk has told harnessracing.com that he has sold double-millionaire 4-year-old pacer Art Official to Joseph Muscara for $2.75 million, with the son of Art Major changing hands after Saturday night’s American National at Balmoral Park. Although Muscara’s plans for Art Official have not yet been officially announced, it is believed that the horse will stand stallion duty in 2010.

 

“Art Official is subject to fertility tests after the American National,” said Jesk. “I still own Art and he is still trained by Joe Seekman until after the American National. When fertility tests pass, the ownership changes and the deal will be final.”

 

Winless in 15 starts at two, Art Official has since won 18 of 38 starts, including last year’s memorable world-record 1:47 upset win over Somebeachsomewhere in the $1 million Meadowlands Pace. This year, Art Official has won five of 18 starts heading into Saturday’s $200,000 American National in which he drew post six with Peter Wrenn driving. His seasonal earnings stand at more than $430,000.

 

“We knew something had been in the works for about a couple of weeks now, since after the Breeders Crowns (for 2 and 3 years olds at Woodbine Oct. 24),” Seekman told harnessracing.com of the sale of his stable star.

 

Seekman said Art Official’s leg issues suffered the fall of 2008 are a thing of the past and that the horse has been at 100 percent throughout 2009. Seekman said earlier that the recovery process included “stall rest…and then we slow-jogged him all winter.”