Sales Season
With the Hastings' backstretch on pause for a week and with the annual CTHS Yearling & Mixed Sale sale approaching rapidly, we focus on some potential sales' highlights
Locally-bred winners
Winners bred in BC are of particular interest as we approach next week’s CTHS Yearling & Mixed Sale and, indeed, there are three important catalogue updates to note following recent victories by STORMY BLUE, MAKIN IT UP and AVE’S IN COMMAND. All three have siblings in Thursday’s auction. There was also a BC-bred winner at Emerald Downs on Friday evening in the shape of the Rob Gilker-trained Y VEE R and he has a Value Plus full-sister catalogued.
Special congratulations this week are also due to Bruce Unwin who bred, owned and trained two winners at Hastings. Very well done to Bruce and to all those connected with this week’s locally-produced winners. Good luck, also, to all the consignors and purchasers at next week’s sale.
Century Mile
CHICA HERMOSA, 3yo dk b/br f by BAKKEN - GHOST GIRL (Ghostzapper)
Breeder: Ed Allan Rougeau
Owner: Milton Palma and Roxanne’s Racing Stable
Trainer: Milton Palma
MARYAM, 6yo ch m by Fusaichi Pegasus - View Halloo (Halory Hunter)
Breeder: Demetrick Racing
Owner: James Brown
Trainer: James Brown
LONESOME CAT, 7yo b g by Gottcha Gold - Sacred Cat (Sir Cat)
Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. Magdalin
Owner: Amy S. Brown
Trainer: Anderson Ward
Emerald Downs
CAPITAL EXPENSE, 9yo gr/r g by Scots Pine - Miss Current Sea (Petersburg)
Breeder: L D’Rado Thoroughbreds
Owner: Michael Loynes
Trainer: Robert Baze
Y VEE R, 4yo gr/r g by Value Plus - Flight Path (Alphabet Soup)
Breeder: Steen and Cathy Reggelsen
Owner: Robert and Victoria Gilker, Ernie Chu
Trainer: Robert Gilker
CATALOGUE UPDATE: Hip #35 Value Plus full-sister to Y VEE R
HEY SEQUOIA, 7yo gr/r g by Cause to Believe – Audzeezee (Vying Victor)
Breeder: Prescott Farms
Owner: Rancho Viejo and Kyrie Patino
Trainer: Rigoberto Velasquez
Hastings
STORMY BLUE, 3yo dk b/br g by Midnight Storm - Bluegrass Gin (Bluegrass Cat)
Breeder: James Barry Doud
Owner: Century Plaza Stable
Trainer: Carl Lausten
CATALOGUE UPDATE: Hip #21 Lent half-brother to STORMY BLUE
INDYGOGOLD, 4yo dk b/br f by Sungold – Nevanova (Yoonevano)
Breeder: Bruce Unwin
Owner: Bruce Unwin
Trainer: Bruce Unwin
FLORAL, 5yo b m by Bakken – Montefiore (Rahy)
Breeder: Canyon Farms
Owner: Canyon Farms
Trainer: Craig MacPherson
SHARPZAN, 3yo b g by Balmont – Rosesforgrace (Rosberg)
Breeder: Ralph Jesiak
Owner: Ironside Stables Ltd
Trainer: Robert VanOverschot
COULTERBERRY, 9yo b g by Finality - Badgetts Star (Bold Badgett)
Breeder: Roy and Dixie Jacobson
Owner: Roy and Dixie Jacobson
Trainer: Mark Cloutier
MAKIN IT UP, 5yo dk b/br m by Shakin It Up - Golden Roar (Roar)
Breeder: Phoenix Rising Farms
Owner: Victoria and Robert Gilker
Trainer: Robert Gilker
CATALOGUE UPDATE: Hip #39 Counterforce half-brother to MAKIN IT UP
AVE’S IN COMMAND, 5yo dk b/br g by Second in Command – Gabigotherway (Quiet Cash)
Breeder: James L. G. Redekop
Owner: Sasquatch Stables and Dreamtime Stable
Trainer: Bruce Unwin
CATALOGUE UPDATE Hip #37 Sungold half-brother to AVE’S IN COMMAND
HEART OF TEXAS, 5yo b m by Texas Wildcatter - Naughty Librarian (Toccet)
Breeder: Loire Patricia Miller
Owner: Roger and Mel Snow
Trainer: Mel Snow
CTHS BC Yearling Sale: Hips in Focus
Hip #8, consigned by Whitewood Farm as agent, is by the former Champion North American older horse HONOR CODE (A P Indy) out of the BC Oaks runner-up Tiptoe, a half-sister to Architecture - dam of recent Century Casino Oaks runner-up, U DID IT.
Hip #13, consigned by Stride Away Thoroughbreds, is by successful local stallion FINALITY out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare, AFTER THE RAIN, making the filly a full-sister to former CTHS Sales Stakes winner and Manitoba Derby runner-up, CALL IT A WRAP. The dam, who is by the notable broodmare sire Lemon Drop Kid, is a half-sister to the G2-placed Stakes winner, African Violet.
Hip #30, consigned by Jamie Demetrick as agent, is by the G1 Florida Derby winner and G1-producing sire DIALED IN out of EXPENSIVE TASTE, a winning Giant’s Causeway half-sister to Zia Park Derby victor, PASS THE BUCK (Pulpit).
TVG Pacific Classic Featuring Odds-On Flightline
Article courtesy of Del Mar
Highlighted by the $1-million, Grade I TVG Pacific Classic led by superstar Flightline, Del Mar will present a smashing five-stakes card Saturday that also features a trio of Grade II stakes on the grass and nearly $2.5 million in total purses, making it the richest racing day outside of the Breeders’ Cup in the track’s 83-year history.
Besides the 32nd edition of the TVG Pacific Classic, which will see five high-line stakes horses take on the undefeated 1/5 morning line favorite Flightline in Del Mar’s premier offering, there are a trio of $300,000 Grade II contests drawing milers, marathoners and 3-year-old aces, as well as a $125,000 dirt test for sophs as the warm-up act for the big boys that follow.
The TVG Pacific Classic is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race that gives the winner a guaranteed entry – with all fees paid – to the $6-million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on November 5. Additionally, the $300,000 Del Mar Handicap Presented by the Japan Racing Association at a mile and three eighths on the lawn also is a “Win and You’re In” presentation, this one giving a guaranteed paid admission into the $4-million Breeders’ Cup Turf on the same November 5 program.
Del Mar’s Saturday 11-race program – starting with a first post of 1 p.m. – also will present a mandatory payout on its popular Pick Six bet that is sure to draw in handicappers who like to take a swing at potential large payoffs. Top it all off with sea breezes and sunshine as the standard order of the day at the seaside oval and it all adds up to the most exciting afternoon of the 2022 summer season.
The star of the day will be Hronis Racing and partners’ Flightline, the big 4-year-old colt by top sire Tapit who has gone four-for-four in runaway style in his ever-blooming career, including a pair of Grade I scores on both coasts. Patiently handled by veteran trainer John Sadler – the winner of three of the last four TVG Pacific Classics – Flightline has drilled remarkably well at Del Mar this summer giving every indication that the best might be yet to come as he tries the classic distance of a mile and one quarter for the first time. The “big horse” will be reunited with his regular rider, Flavien Prat, who will jet in from his current racing headquarters in New York for the race, which is scheduled to go off at approximately 5:50 p.m.
Set to tackle Flightline are five quality stakes horses. They are Zedan Racing Stables and Winstar Farm’s Country Grammer, Fox Hill Farms or Siena Farm’s Royal Ship, C R K Stable’s Express Train, Steve Moger’s Stilleto Boy and Jay Em Ess Stable’s Extra Hope.
The Del Mar Handicap, the track’s oldest stakes race, is being offered for the 83rd time as Race 11 Saturday. Heading the lineup for the marathon is Diaz-Valdez, Baalbek or Don Alberto’s Master Piece, winner of the Eddie Read Stakes earlier at the Del Mar meet. He’ll once again have Abel Cedillo in the tack for trainer Mike McCarthy.
The 36th running of the $300,000 Del Mar Mile is also on the agenda as Race 7. The Grade II special is headed by Anastasi, Ukegawa or Valazza’s Hong Kong Harry, topping a field of 10 turfers.
Also on the afternoon’s roster is the 78th running of the $300,000 Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby for 3-year-olds at nine furlongs on the grass. Likely favorite in the affair that goes as Race 9 is Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stable’s Balnikhov, the winner of the Oceanside Stakes locally on Opening Day. Trainer Phil D’Amato once again has assigned turf specialist Umberto Rispoli to handle the Irish-bred gelding.
The other stakes on the card is the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes run at a mile on the main track for 3-year-olds. The horse to beat in that one is SF Racing, Starlight Racing, et al’s Armagnac, who races out of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s barn and will be handled by Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez. It goes as Race 4 with a 2:30 post.
Strong Trade at Woodbine Sale
Key Takeouts
Woodbine Sales Pavilion - August 31 2022
Gross sales increase by 22%
Sales average increases by 28%
Sales median increases by 95%
Gross Sales 2022 = $3,837,700 ($3,144,400 in 2021)
Average 2022 = $25,585 ($19,901 in 2021)
Median 2022 = $19,500 ($10,000 in 2021)
Comment from Peter Berringer - President and Sales Chair - CTHS Ontario
“Our sales week got off to a great start with our race day at Woodbine on Sunday featuring the four sales stakes for previous sales grads.
Ontario Racing’s promotion of the Sales Credit Program in 2022 has undoubtedly increased interest from our owner buyer base.
We’ve also enjoyed welcoming many returning customers who we last saw pre-Covid as well as a diverse new international buyer base.
We thank the breeders / owners who have supported the sale as more than ever it pays to breed, buy and race in Ontario”.