Name Game: Canadian Bred Sale Yearlings 2023

The arrival of a new year means a new crop of two-year-olds will begin to train for a racing career and many of them already have names. Canadian Thoroughbred took a sneak peak at some of the higher-priced sale yearlings of 2023, foaled in Canada, to see what their names are; if you are following some of them, you can begin tracking them now.

The most expensive yearling from sales in Canada last year was a grey colt by Old Forester – Gladiator Queen by Great Gladiator, thus a full brother to Horse of the Year and multiple champion PINK LLOYD. Bought for $150,000 by Nancy Guest, the colt has been christened REGAL GUEST. Bred by John Carey’s T.C. Westmeath Stud Farm in Shelburne, Regal Guest topped the CTHS Ontario sale at Woodbine last August.

A flashy dark bay filly by Preakness Stakes (G1) winner War of Will was the most expensive gal at Canadian auctions in 2023 at $135,000 and Goldmart Farms bought the filly from Richard Hogan as agent. Goldmart has named the filly EARENDEL, which is an Old English term meaning ‘morning star’.

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A new partnership formed at the CTHS Ontario sale of Canuck Racing Club 2 and Terra Racing bought a Souper Speedy filly for $115,000 from Sue Foreman as agent for Deb Holmes and the filly is now named SKYLIGHT CAPER.

Canadian-breds who sold at Keeneland at the September sale included a $500,000 filly by Ghostzapper out of Superlative, sold by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa and new owner Mike Repole has named her OUTBID.

DJ Stable, which races horses at Woodbine, purchased a couple of Canadian-breds at Keeneland from Anderson Farms including a $210,000 Frosted – Dreams Are Free filly named Winterberry and a Hard Spun colt from Coronation Street who cost $270,000 and is now named VELOCITY VECTOR. Anderson Farms sold a Ghostzapper colt from Heartofthematter to Live Oak Plantation for $375,000 and that one’s name is COPPER GHOST.

Top-Priced Yearlings in Canada 2023 (with names where available)

REGAL GUEST: $150,000 – c. by Old Forester – Gladiator Queen by Great Gladiator (consigned by John Carey, agent for T.C. Westmeath Stud Farm, Inc.) – purchased by Nancy Guest

EARENDEL: $135,000 – f. by War of Will – Avie’s Mineshaft, by Mineshaft (consigned by Richard Hogan, agent) – purchased by Goldmart Farm.

UNNAMED: $120,000 – c. by Mo Town – Samsal by Consolidator (consigned by Huntington Stud Farm Corp, agent) – purchased by Paul Braverman

SKYLIGHT CAPER: $115,000 – f. by Souper Speedy – Kin’s Ghost, by Ghostzapper (consigned by Susan Y. Foreman, agent for Phoenix Rising Farms) – purchased by Canuck Racing Club 2LP and Terra Racing

PRINCESS OF STORM: $100,000 – f. by Cairo Prince – Hurricane Lorraine by Weather Warning (consigned by Cara Bloodstock (Bernard McCormack), agent) – purchased by Gary Barber

WILD CARD: $100,000 – c. by Silent Name (Jpn) – Casablanca Kiss, by Pure Prize (consigned by Susan Y. Foreman, agent for Ken Lee, Dennis Mitchell, Gaye Bell, and the Estate of Don Bell) – purchased by Ken Lee

SOUPER SUPREME: $100,000– f. by Souper Speedy – Platinum Steel by Eddington (consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent) – purchased by Gary Barber

NAUGHTY FROSTY: $90,000 – c. by Frosted – Naughty Holiday by Harlan’s Holiday (consigned by Richard Hogan, agent) – purchased by Thomas Uniacke and Joe Pignatelli

UNNAMED: $80,000 – c. by Instagrand – Jesters Jazz by Mr. Jester (consigned by Susan Y. Foreman, agent) – Purchased by Santino DiPaola

BIG SCREEN BOSS: $75,000 – c. by Big Screen – Executive Affair by Bold Executive (consigned by Spring Farm) – purchased by Derek Chin

REVEALING SUN: $61,000 – f. by Sungold – Revealing Moment, by After Market. (consigned by Wild Rose Farm, Bryan and Carol Anderson, agent) – purchased by Gloria Russo

I’M IN CONTROL: $58,000 – f. by Lent – Architecture, by Dixie Chatter (consigned by Emerald Acres, agent) – purchased by Whitehall Farms