Two-year-old CTHS Ontario sale graduates KING’S COUNSEL and SWEET BORDEAUX collected a whopping $180,000 for their victories in the Simcoe and Muskoka Yearling Sales Stakes at Woodbine on August 30. The races were part of a stakes-filled day for Canadian-breds, sales graduates and Ontario-breds as a lead-in to the September 2 yearling sale.
King’s Counsel was the buzz horse for the 6 1/2 furlong Simcoe despite the bay gelding being a maiden after three races. The son of By My Standards (Goldencents) had two runner-up placings in succession before adding Lasix for the Simcoe. Owned and trained by Barbara Minshall, who paid $80,000 for the youngster last summer, King’s Counsel settled off the pace under a patient Daisuke Fukumoto before launching a wide bid into the stretch. Fukumoto said the gelding dawdled a bit when he reached the lead before he edged away to win by three-quarters of a length over a gritty Longshot Leo (Old Forester). Souper Survivor (Souper Speedy) was just a head back in third. The time was 1:17.32.
Minshall is very familiar with King’s Counsel’s dam Queen Martha and the family tree. She co-owned and trained the two-year-old’s mare’s sixth foal, British Royalty, a son of English Channel bred by Richard Lister, who won the 2021 Breeders’ Stakes and was Grade 2 stakes-placed. Minshall bought a full brother to British Royalty, the winner British Artillery, in 2021 from Queen Martha’s new owners Bernard and Karen McCormack. Minshall also has the three-year-old filly from the mare, Miss Brit.
Last year at the CTHS sale she had to fork over $80,000 for King’s Counsel.
“I picked this horse out. I thought he was one of the best individuals. I do like the female family, and I just thought he was just the best-looking horse at the sale. I had to pay for him, but I got him.”
Meanwhile, the most concerning thing for Minshall about her horse in the stakes race was his habit of looking around, in particular upwards.
“I was worried about the planes, because he looks up at the planes, but I just told Daisuke hang on and be ready,” said the veteran Woodbine conditioner.
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SWEET BORDEAUX, by Tom’s D’Etat – Miss Brown Sugar by Big Brown, made her yearling half-brother by Big Screen, who is in this week’s sale, look even better after her romp in the $300,000 Muskoka Stakes for two-year-old fillies, sales graduates. The fleet chestnut filly, bred by Spring Farm and bought for $24,000 by co-owner and trainer Stuart Simon at the 2025 CTHS sale, added some nice black-type to hip number 175, her sibling.
Despite having post 12 for the Muskoka, Sweet Bordeaux broke like a bullet from the gate under Pietro Moran and was quickly clear of her rivals and along the rail. The race was essentially over as she won by 5 3/4 lengths in a quick 1:16.67. She had been second in her first two career starts.
Longshot Zahari (Cairo Prince) was second for Al and Bill Ulwelling and D J Stable’s March (Cross Traffic) was third.
Simon owns Sweet Bordeaux with Brent McLellan and Mackie Mercer.
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