Thursday's Conspicuous Late sell off Drops Gold to 3 Year Low

Gold prices dropped sharply late yesterday and hit a 3 year low, and was trading at under $1,200 an ounce. Silver hung in and slightly down.
This coincided with Atlanta Federal reserve President Dennis Lockhart remarks, he said:

• The Fed will eventually reduce its balance sheet (winding down QE)
• No inflationary problems on the horizon
• The Fed will start looking to raise interest rates in 2015

The pre-placed sell stopped were triggered to exacerbate selling pressure, on top of that, the U.S. dollar traded at day highs.