Atlanta was the talk of the harness racing world when she became the first filly in 22 years to win the Hambletonian last July. The now 4-year-old trotter didn’t lose any of her appeal when she was put up for auction at OnGait.com last Friday.

She sold for a record $1,550,000, surpassing Cameron Hall ($1.1 million in 2001) as the most expensive Standardbred ever sold at public auction. Michelle Crawford of Crawford Farms in New York, which sponsors the Hambletonian and co-owned Atlanta with Holland Racing Stable, Howard Taylor and Bradley Grant before the auction, placed the winning bid.

Atlanta, 12-for-24 lifetime with $1,140,689 in earnings, spent the winter in Florida preparing for this racing season.

Atlanta was disqualified from consideration for Canada’s prestigious O’Brien Awards because her trainer, Rick Zeron, was serving a 180-day suspension.

Ron Burke, the perennial North America leader in wins and earnings, will be Atlanta’s new trainer.

IN THE XPRESSLANE: Trainer Brian Loney sent out seven winners Monday at Northfield Park from nine starters. A $20 win bet on Loney’s nine starters produced a $280 profit. Loney won with Always’syourway ($4.60), Twin B Stingray ($14.60), Montana Pablo A ($5.20), Bully Pulpit ($5), Dante Ivy ($5.80), Man He Can Skoot ($7.60) and Hunch Man ($3). … The Dan Patch Awards banquet from Orlando, FL will be streamed live on the U.S. Harness Writers’ Association facebook page this Sunday, Feb. 24, starting at 7 p.m. … Yannick Gingras, in the midst of a torrid 27-for-61 winning run at the Meadowlands in the first half of February, guided the Ron Burke-trained Resita to a third consecutive victory in Friday’s featured $15,750 trot. … Harrah’s Philadelphia will conduct live racing four days a week, from March 29 to December 15. Post time will be 12:25 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 12:40 on Sundays.