Derby Connections
It won’t have escaped the attention of many in the region that Canada and BC played an important role in the breeding of Saturday’s long-shot Kentucky Derby winner, RICH STRIKE.
His dam GOLD STRIKE (Smart Strike) had led a storied life, even prior to the exploits of her son at Churchill Downs last Saturday.
Bred in Manitoba by Harlequin Ranches, she was a former champion three-year-old filly in Canada and subsequently the dam of Natalma Stakes winner, Llanarmon, before being purchased in-foal to Sky Mesa by Calumet Farm for $230,000 in 2015.
The subsequent foal, a full-sister to Llanarmon, never saw action and, after another dud and then a barren year, Gold Strike was culled by Calumet and sold in-foal to their own sire, Ransom the Moon. She made just $1,700.
Calumet retained the Keen Ice colt out of the mare, now named Rich Strike, and raced him once. On the turf. He finished last. He was then snatched out of a claimer for $30,000 on his very next start, a race he won by more than 17 lengths, and the rest is most definitely history.
BC also basked in some reflected Derby glory by virtue of Rich Strike’s granddam Gold Strike’s BRASSY GOLD being bred by our leading owner/breeders R.J. and Lois Bennett.
By the Bennetts’ own stallion DIXIELAND BRASS, Brassy Gold was out of the six-time winner Panning for Gold, purchased by Russ Bennett carrying what would become Lady Hawkster, a winner and subsequently the dam of multiple winners herself.
Without the Bennetts’ expertise and commitment, there would be no Brassy Gold and, by extension, no Canadian champion called Gold Strike. Furthermore, without Canadian breeders, there would be no Rich Strike and no race that shocked the world.
The ripples in this crazy pond of ours travel a long way.
Hastings Horse of the Year Nominees
Our look at the nominees for 2021 Horse of the Year honours continues with Swift Thoroughbreds’ talented filly, HEIDI
HEIDI b f 2018 by BAYERN - THETALOVEANDMINE (MASTER COMMAND)
Owned: Swift Thoroughbreds, Inc.
Breeder: Theta Holding 1, Inc.
Trainer: Dino Condilenios
HEIDI was purchased by Swift Thoroughbreds at the CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale in 2019, where she was sold after being pinhooked at Keeneland the previous January.
A year later and Heidi’s five-length winning romp on her career debut announced the daughter of Breeders Cup Classic winner Bayern as a filly with a future. Following an unsuccessful Woodbine raid, she was put away for the winter.
Heidi’s reappearance in May last season could not have gone better, as she quickened into the home turn and, in a determined drive, got the better of Bayakoa’s Image by a neck.
The two met again a month later in another valuable allowance contest. Once more, they treated racegoers to a thrilling show, with Heidi making much of the running this time and going down by the merest of bobbing heads in what was one of the season’s outstanding tussles.
In July, the pair clashed yet again, with Broad Approval also in the mix. Stuck down on the rail for much of the journey, Heidi would settle for third behind Bayakoa’s Image.
With connections possibly relieved not to face Bayakoa’s Image again in her next race, the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes, the Dino Condilenios team must have cursed their wretched luck to run into Infinite Patience, arguably the best horse stabled at Hastings and a year older than Heidi. The three-horse race (Mi Reyna made up the field) went as expected with Heidi losing nothing in defeat.
Although Heidi’s classy consistency underlined her talent, the big win that would frank her sophomore campaign eventually came along in her final race of the season, the $75,000 Century Casino Oaks (Black Type). Settled behind the pace setters, she displayed real courage under Silvino Morales to repel all challengers once she’d hit the front and, at the wire, the pair held a half-length advantage.
Heidi’s Black Type win was fair reward for her high-level of performance all season and she is another worthy nominee for Horse of the Year.
Breeders’ round-up
It was a good start to the season for local breeders. Five of the eight races on Opening Day fell to BC-bred runners, including two representing sires more usually associated with Kentucky, but born here by virtue of their dams being purchased in-foal back east.
Although sold as a yearling at the CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale, FLYUNDERTHEGRAYDAR (Graydar), came to BC as an unborn foal when his dam Flight Path was purchased at a previous Keeneland November sale.
Alliteration, meanwhile, the dam of winner KANDY KATIE, was purchased carrying the daughter of Twirling Candy by Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds and also came out of the big Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
We’ll keep an eye on all the BC-bred winners this season and there will be regular updates in the newsletter. If you notice any BC-bred winners elsewhere, please do let us know.
Here are Saturday’s BC-bred winners:
Flyunderthegraydar, b g, 2017, by Graydar out of Flight Path, by Alphabet Soup
Breeder: Steen Reggelsen & Cathy Reggelsen
Owner: Hawaiian Shirt Guys and Roberto Moretto
Trainer: Dino CondileniosMi Reyna, dk b/br f, 2018, by Bakken out of Yoorock Gal, by Yoonevano
Breeder: Elton H. Gunther
Owner: Milton Palma and Roxanne's Racing Stable
Trainer: Milton PalmaKandy Katie, Dk b/br f, 2018, by Twirling Candy out of Alliteration, by Congrats
Breeder: Tod Mtn. Thoroughbreds
Owner: Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Edgar MendozaRegal Riot, Ch g, 2019, by Jersey Town out of Regal Red, by On Target.
Breeder: Suzanne Anderson
Owner: Kim Peacock and Lance Giesbrecht
Trainer: Robert AndersonHeart of Texas, b m, 2017, by Texas Wildcatter out of Naughty Librarian, by Toccet.
Breeder: Loire Patricia Miller
Owner: Roger Snow, Mel Snow
Trainer: Mel Snow