BC CTHS Sales Stakes Results; Sale Tuesday, Sept. 8

I Want You to Want Me…

I need you to need me … released by the American rock band Cheap Trick in September of 1977, an unbelievable 43 years ago, it is perhaps the theme song for this year’s CTHS Yearling Sale to be held this coming Tuesday, September 8th at the Chilliwack Heritage Park, 44140 Luckakuck Way, starting at 3:00 PM. Previous years’ sales graduates did battle over an expertly prepared track surface in four divisions with $200,000 in total purse money up for the taking.

Scroll to continue with content

All of the equine athletes competing in the Sept. 5 Sales Stakes had been purchased at a CTHS auction with the four winners being knocked down for bargain prices of $7,500 (Mi Reyna) and $10,000 (Dad’s Legacy) and the not-so-cheap sum of $74,000 for At Attention and the $100,000, which was paid for Northern Graystar.

The day was warm but not hot with some cloud cover producing perfect racing weather. The racing surface played fair to all with contests going to front runners and the come-from-behind types as well.

All in all, it was another great day to be at Hastings Racecourse, which completed its 18th racing day this season without patrons and fans in attendance.

Tuesday’s CTHS BC sale catalogue .

NORTHERN GRAYSTAR – The well-turned-out daughter of Graydar and Fancy Vintage (Hennessy) turned in a starring performance in winning the $50,000 guaranteed CTHS Sales Stake for 3-and-4-year-old fillies.

As the gates opened, Northern Graystar had business on her mind. She immediately assumed a tracking position with her ears pricked behind the dueling leaders Irish Luna and Butterscotch Blend, before launching into the three path entering the far turn and easily orbiting around the tiring pacesetters, pulling away under the confident handling of Efrain Hernandez. In the end, it was a one-and-three quarter length victory over Iris Luna who was game in defeat. Butterscotch Blend rounded out the top three.

The dark bay four-year-old filly is owned by North American Thoroughbred Horse Company and trained by the highly successful Glen Todd. The winning groom is Sherrie Smith.

Northern Graystar was bred in Supernatural British Columbia by Mr. & Mrs. David Pihl and she was purchased for $100,000 by a longtime supporter of British Columbia racing and Hall of Fame member Glen Todd at the CTHS BC sale in 2017.

Northern Graystar covered the mile and a sixteenth in a quick 1:46.15.

MI REYNA – The $50,000 guaranteed CTHS Sales Stake for two-year-old fillies attracted a field of seven starters, including betting favourites Little Black Dress and Anothersunnyday, both of whom easily won their maiden scores by over 5 lengths. In the end, it was Milton Palma and Roxanne Sargent’s two-year-old dark bay, well put together filly Mi Reyna claiming the winner’s blanket and lion’s share of the purse money.

The even money choice Little Black Dress broke alertly and went right to the lead soon to be joined by Anothersunnyday who scooted up on the inside to draw even by the tote board. From there the two raced together setting down extremely quick fractions of 21.95 and 45.84. While this was going on, Jose Asencio aboard Mi Reyna wisely sat back in a stalking position four to five lengths off the hot pace. Approaching the far turn, it was clear that Little Black Dress was getting the better of Anothersunnyday and at the head of the lane she had a two-length advantage, although now with Mi Reyna and the deep closing Alberta Moon in hot pursuit. For most of the stretch it appeared as if Little Black Dress would hold the lead and take the score, only to see her lead diminish in dramatic fashion several strides before the wire as Mi Reyna and Alberta Moon closed the gap. At the finish it was Mi Reyna by a short neck over the 33 to 1 longshot Alberta Moon with Little Black Dress, who ran too good to lose, a nose back in third (whose jockey lost his whip somewhere around the last turn).

Mi Reyna (21.40, 5.30, 4.50), who is trained by her co-owner, the popular and personable Milton Palma, is by Bakken out of Yoorock Gal by Yoonevano and was bred in Super Fantastic British Columbia by Elton Gunther who has produced many outstanding horses over the years. Mi Reyna was purchased for the inexpensive price of $7,500 at the 2019 CTHS Yearling Sale.

The winning groom curiously is retired trainer Pete Gregory, who had career wins in excess of 200, including scores in the Longacres Mile and two BC Derbies.

The final time for the six and half furlongs was 1:19.86.

DAD’S LEGACY – The CTHS $50,000 guaranteed Sales Stake for two-year-old colts and geldings went off as the sixth race on the program and put together a group of seven, including the Canadian Juvenile Stakes victor Dad’s Legacy, local winner Pay My Way, and five other maiden or first time starters. After an all-out stretch duel, the ticket to the winner’s circle was yielded to the Alberta based Riversedge Racing Stables, Ltd.’s dark bay grand-looking two-year-old gelding Dad’s Legacy (3.30, 2.40, 2.10).

Under the careful handling of leading rider Amadeo Perez, Dad’s Legacy settled into position several lengths immediately behind the pace setting Pay My Way and Railway in the early going. Approaching the quarter pole, Perez let his charge out a notch right after being passed by the hard-charging first-time starter Nine One One. By the head of the lane Pay My Way had dropped back, leaving the lead to Railway who was quickly joined and passed by Nine One One and Dad’s Legacy, who fought it out down the lane, with Dad’s Legacy inching clear in the final strides to nail down the win by half a length. Pay My Way battled back to take the show position, rounding out the top three.

Dad’s Legacy is trained by Century Miles’ leading trainer Tim Rycroft, who conditions on behalf of Riversedge Racing Stables, Ltd., who also top the Alberta leaders board in the Owners category.

Dad’s Legacy, who now makes his home in Alberta and has won two stakes races and over $40,000 in his only two starts, was astutely purchased for the bargain price of $10,000 at last year’s CTHS yearling sale. No doubt this year’s sale set for next Tuesday, Sept 8th at the Chilliwack Heritage Park will see Riversedge and Rycroft returning to catch some more lightning in a bottle.

Dad’s Legacy by sire Bakken is out of Drop of Gold by Stephanotis and was bred in Beautiful British Columbia by the Dittloff’s, Gladys and Karen, members of British Columbia Racing’s Hall of Fame (along with Ed Dittloff, who Dad’s Legacy perhaps was named after), who have produced many fine stakes winners over the years.

The final time for the six and half furlongs was a quick 1:18.74

AT ATTENTION – The penultimate event of the day, the CTHS $50,000 guaranteed Sales Stake for 3-and-4-year-old colts and geldings, saw a field of eight fine equine athletes assemble to do battle, including 2020 multiple stakes placed Yo Zackly, At Attention, winner of last year’s BC Cup Nursery, the multiple stakes winning Above the Moon, and the betting favourite and the 2019 Ascot Graduation victor Capilano Canyon. The mile and one sixteenth contest went to Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd.’s powerful dark bay gelding At Attention (17.10, 6.70, 4.60), who easily won by six lengths in an extremely rapid 1:44.06, by far the fastest time of the day.

Content to trail the field in the early going, leading rider Amadeo Perez had his mount well back of the blistering pace set by Toriador and Little Groot who laid down sprint time fractions of 22.40, 45.79 and 1:11.31. Approaching the far turn, Little Groot decided a retreat was in order, leaving Toriador with a clear lead by the quarter pole. At Attention, who had steadily been passing his rivals, now set his sights on the leader, collaring him by the head of the lane and drawing clear down the stretch to score a very comfortable six length victory. The win gave Perez his second Stakes victory in a row and his third on the day.

At Attention is trained by the successful veteran conditioner Dino Condilenios, who is ably assisted by Edgar Mendoza. The groom, who had her boy absolutely sparkling today, is Hastings Racecourse newcomer Luky Vossberg.

At Attention was purchased by the longtime supporter of B.C. racing and Hall of Fame member Peter Redekop at the 2018 CTHS yearling sale for the sum of $74,000.

At Attention is by Shanghai Bobby out of Unattended by Quality Road and was bred in the best place on earth, British Columbia, by Bryan and Carol Anderson, who have produced and raised many stake winners on their farms in Langley and Princeton.