The 2026 CTHS Manitoba Yearling Sale is set to go Thursday, August 20 on the Assiniboia Downs backstretch beginning at 10 a.m. and Manitoba breds have been in the racing news recently.
Ross and Brenda McKague’s Manitoba-bred 3-year-old Brachetto, winner of the Grade 3 Marine Stakes at Woodbine, went into the King’s Plate at Woodbine on August 15 trying to become the first from the province to win the famous race. He wasn’t able to conquer the fleet filly Luster, but the talented colt has a bright future. And there is a yearling from a half sister to Brachetto in the catalogue this year.
Manitoba breds ran well behind the very tough Saskatchewan-bred 6-year-old Al Reichert in the $40,000 Phil Kives Stakes last week.
Al Reichert was winning the Phil Kives for the second time on Wednesday, having previously won it in 2024. Trained by Robert Henson for owner/breeders Colin and Cheryl Ganter, the son of multiple graded stakes winner Imperialism had to overcome some serious bumping between horses at the start of the race, but he responded gamely with a good dose of prairie heart to prevail over eventual runner-up, Manitoba bred No Show No Call.
The top two were followed home by Manitoba-bred Betterlucknexttime and Saskatchewan-bred Princeoftheprairie. The former was game; the latter was the same, but lacked a clear path in late turn.
Al Reichert was bred by his owner and has now won eight races and over $135,000. The next three finishers went through the Manitoba CTHS Yearling Sale. No Show No Call was purchased out of the 2022 sale for $17,000 and has now earned over US$107,000 from eight wins. Betterlucknexttime was purchased for $25,000 at the 2023 sale and has now won six races and over US$100,000. And Princeoftheprairie was bid up to only $800 in the 2023 sale before being bought back. He has now earned over US$36,000.
It pays to own a Manitoba-bred or Saskatchewan-bred, or a Canadian-bred for that matter. All are eligible for lucrative bonuses and restricted stakes, and Canadian-breds in general are eligible to run in restricted stakes worth $3.7 million.
There are 48 yearlings in this year’s Manitoba sale from 18 different consignors and by 15 sires.
There is a Saskatchewan-bred full brother to Manitoba champion Meabear (Kentucky Bear) from the Kelly Halliday consignment, a filly by first year sire Keepcalmncruisinon and out of a sister to Group 1 winner Knight Errant is offered in Dr. Betty Hughes group of yearlings and
Dr. Ross McKague, Brenda McKague and Sharra Sage, offer one of the three yearlings in the book by first crop sire Following Sea, winner of the Grade 2 Vosbrugh Stakes and third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The yearling is out of Aramon, a four-time winner and a half-sister to Brachetto.
Promising sire Speculating has a number of offerings in the sale including a half brother to champion Escape Clause, offered by Ziprick Thoroughbreds, agent. South Side Ranch‘s consignment includes a colt by young sire Tap Master (Tapit) from stakes winner Music at Work, Two Points Ranch Inc., as well as Larry Falloon, each have yearlings by leading Manitoba sire Nonios, and Cal Britton, Arnason Farms, among others have solid offerings.
Yearling viewing starts on August 19 at noon. To view the catalogue and more, visit https://www.cthsmb.ca/yearling-sale.
-with files from G.S. Thompson
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