Names to Follow: 2019 Top Priced Yearlings in Canada Have Fun Monikers

For something fun and different, we’ve compiled the names of the 2020 two-year-old crop of youngsters. Below are the top prices from three Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Sales in western Canada, plus several top prices from the Canadian Premier Yearling Sale hosted by the Ontario CTHS. We’ve included the names of the now 2-year-old horses, sale price, breeding and consignor plus a note or two about the horse and where the name may have come from.

For anyone who owns, breeds or trains Thoroughbreds, and for racing fans who can’t wait to see the new bunch of runners, you can put the name of these juveniles in your stable-mail applications and get ready to be alerted to workouts and entries once racing gets back to regular business.

You can always comment at the bottom of this post and let us know the name of your new 2-year-old or fill us in on how your horse got his name.

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CTHS Alberta:

RUMOHR REIGNS – The Alberta sale topper, was $48,000 Oxbow colt out of Samara Streey, by Street Cry (Ire) sold to 1140021 Alberta Ltd. by consignor Highfield Investment Group Inc. Oxbow is by Canadian Hall of Fame racehorse and elite sire, Awesome Again. Oxbow is a Grade 1 winner of the Preakness Stakes and dam Samara Street ($155,220) is a stakes-placed daughter of Street Cry (IRE) who has produced the stakes placed Choteau ($99,450).

‘Rumohr’ is a German word and could be relating to a German figure or district.

DOWNIE’S HIP – The second highest selling yearling was Hip #62, a Cape Canaveral gelding, consigned by Highfield Investment Group and purchased by Greg Tracy, Agent for $30,000. This yearling is out of the Deputy Minister mare, Renaissance Woman, who produced the successful Alberta runner, Alywyn ($261,194).

No doubt this gelding was named for Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip.

CTHS British Columbia

Swift Thoroughbreds purchased the BC CTHS sale topper by Animal Kingdom

JOHNNY – The $61,000 sale topper from the BC CTHS Sale is a son of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom from the stakes-winning mare Humor Me Molly by Distorted Humor. Consigned by Mike Anderson, agent, the purchaser was Swift Thoroughbreds of Mark Mache and Horatio Kemeny.

Swift Thoroughbreds always name their horses with one word. This youngster was likely named for someone they know.

ALL FOUR WINDS – This grey colt is by Grazen (Benchmark) from the Unbridled mare Piedras Negras and he was bought for $59,000 by Peter Redekop from agent Jamie Demetrick. The Kentucky-bred’s name could mean just about anything: weather, music?

ALBERT – At $49,000, this colt by Flat Out – Benny’s Girl, by The Deputy was the third most expensive yearling at the BC sale last fall. The colt was sold by Glenn Todd’s Northern American Thoroughbred Horse Company and was purchased by Dave Bauman.

It seems ‘Albert’ could be named after a person known to Bauman.

CTHS Manitoba

MELISANDRE – The CTHS Manitoba topper at $25,000 was a $25,000 filly by Going Commando – High Pioneer, by Pioneering bought by Barry Arnason from Ziprick Thoroughbreds, agent. This is a full sister to last year’s undefeated 3-year-old Hidden Grace, a multiple stakes winner.

Melisandre was a popular name in television in the last few years as the name of the character in Game of Thrones, the ‘red priestess’.

Canadian Premier Yearling Sale – CTHS Ontario

HOLY LIGHTING – The most expensive yearling in Canada in 2019 was bred by Adena Springs and purchased by Frank Stronach, so the filly was foaled on Stronach’s Aurora farm. This gal was listed as a $240,000 sale and she is by young sire Silver Max – Holy Cargo by Holy Bull.

The Stronach Stables tend to name their horses with a part of the sire or dam’s name. Interestingly, the owner raced a horse named Holy Lightning almost 20 years ago; she was by Holy Bull. Not quite the same name. Holy Lightning produced millionaire Going Ballistic.

DOWNLOAD – At $200,000, this colt by Society’s Chairman – Jademarie by Malibu Moon was consigned by Shannondoe Farm, agent II and purchased by the new syndicate New Generations Racing Stable under agent Mike Depaulo.

HOMBRE – Liz Elder, agent for Rob Cudney, signed the ticket for a colt from the crop of Tourist, Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner by Tiznow. This colt, from the Perfect Soul (Ire) mare Classic Soul, was bought for $120,000 from consignor Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent. ‘Hombre’ seems to be a play on Tourist.

ULTIMATE STORM – Bought for $80,000 was a Silent Name (Jpn) – Amelia Go Home by Lemon Drop Kid colt consigned by Buttigieg Training Centre and purchased by William and Anne Scott.

SHE MAKES A POINT – This is a filly by Point of Entry – She’s Ordained, by Ministers Wild Cat, consigned by Keith and Rachel McClelland and purchased by Catherine Day Phillips, agent for $70,000. Great use of the sire and dam’s name for this gal.

LUCKY LUKE – A $65,000 colt by Souper Speedy – Still Searching, by Seeking the Best (Ire), consigned by Woodlands (Gail Wood), agent for Minshall Farms and bought by by Gus and Jim Vlahos.

NEWPORT AGENT – Sue Leslie, inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame this year, bought this colt by Society’s Chairman – Hold That Sugar, by Forest Wildcat – for $62,500 from Shannondoe Farm, agent.

The Newport Sports Management is owned by hockey agent and horse owner Don Meehan.

Four horses sold for $60,000:

DANCE WITH DESTINY – f. by Flintshire – Bear’s Gem by Peaks and Valleys – Consigned by Huntington Stud Farm Inc. – purchased by John DiScola

AVOMAN – c. Old Forester – Cosa Rara, by Tethra Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent – purchased by Jim Bruce. Okay, just a wild guess here, but Avoman was a rugby fan dressed up as an avocado last year, it is also a fruit and vegetable store. Owner Jim Bruce owns La Huerta, an importer of fruits. Will try to find out the story.

TRINITY GOLD, c. by Flat Out – She’s a Fleet, by Afleet Alex -Consigned by Susan Y Foreman, agent for Phoenix Rising Farm – purchased by Trinity Racing Stable

TRUFFLE KING – c. by Giant Gizmo – Trufflesfromheaven by You and I – Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency – purchased by Derek Chin

Do you have a newly-named horse with a cool name? Use the comment section below to send your story!