For the most part, the CTHS Ontario’s CANADIAN PREMIER YEARLING SALE on August 27 was a seller’s sale as the in-demand Canadian-bred yearlings sold well and the middle market was fairly strong.
The sale, the second under the current regime led by CTHS Ontario president David Anderson, realized an increase in average price for the third straight year. The nuts and bolts of the auction, held at the Woodbine sale pavilion, show that 133 yearlings sold for $3,638,000 for an average of $27,353. Surprisingly, despite the general consensus that the sale was solid, the median price dropped from $19,000 to 2023’s mark of $15,000.
A number of prospective buyers had similar comments throughout the sale, noting that it was tougher to buy than in recent years.
Hall of Fame trainer READE BAKER, scouting out yearlings for owners Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch, who race the sale catalogue-cover boy Scorching, congratulated the CTHS on a strong sale.
“I thought the sale was extremely strong and extremely good for the sellers. It was very difficult to buy; people who usually spend 20 [thousand] were spending 50, those who usually spend 50 were spending 100.”
Nine of the 10 highest-priced yearlings went to different buyers and the 10 top prices were sold by six different consignors.
Four horses sold for six figures, compared to just one in 2024.
Recorded as the highest-priced yearling of the sale was a flashy chestnut colt from the final crop of champion and leading sire Speightstown. Bred by Mario Forgione of Henley Farm and sold by Huntington Stud Farm, agent, the colt zoomed up to $400,000 through bids on the internet. Signing the ticket was Forgione’s trainer, Mike DePaulo, as agent.
Several of the top horses were purchased by owners or ownership groups that have only been racing horses for two to three years.
MICHAEL AND CHARMAINE LANGLOIS signed the tickets on two yearlings, both by Darley stallion FROSTED (Tapit), who stands for $15,000 in Kentucky. The couple, who live in Orillia, raced 2023 King’s Plate winner Paramount Prince, who they bought for $20,000 from the CTHS sale and later sold half to Gary Barber. Paramount Prince was only the third horse for the Langlois family.
At this year’s sale, the couple bought the highest-priced filly and second highest-priced yearling overall, a $145,000 light grey from the unraced mare Spani Lou who is a half-sister to Plate winner and Horse of the Year Lexie Lou. Sold by Sherry McLean’s Northern Dawn Farm, the Frosted filly is a half-sister to stakes winner Red River Rebel.
Just a few hip numbers before that big purchase, the Langlois’ bought a Frosted colt from the unraced Candy Ride (Arg) mare Slings and Arrows from Glenn Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent for $90,000. Slings and Arrows comes from the immediate family of Sam-Son Farm champions Catch the Ring and Catch the Thrill.
CANUCK RACING CLUB, created by David Anderson and Donato Lanni, is in its third year and bought a couple of yearlings including a $95,000 Army Mule filly from the Street Boss mare Bossy Saratoga from breeders Ivan and Colleen Dalos through Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency.
And KAREN MCCLEAVE, who has raced only a couple of horses, bought her first CTHS Ontario yearling, a colt by Yorkton, who recently moved back to Ontario, for $70,000 from Chiefswood Stable through consignor Hill ‘n’ Dale.
More familiar faces on the sale sheet included GARY BARBER, who bought two yearlings including a much sought-after Speaker’s Corner colt offered by Hill ‘n’ Dales Sales Agency, agent. The half-brother to 2024 Champion two-year-old filly in Canada, Witwatersrand, sold for $142,000.
SEAN FITZHENRY, who has been a leading breeder in Ontario with his wife Dorothy for decade, stepped into the buying pool and picked up a Silent Name (Jpn) colt from the 2024 Outstanding Broodmare in Canada, Platinum Steele, for $112,000 from breeder Ericka Rusnak through Hill ‘n’ Dale. Catherine Day Phillips, who trains for the Fitzhenrys, signed the ticket on the handsome half-brother to 2023 King’s Plate winner Paramount Prince.
“I thought the sale was really good,” said Anderson. “It had a much better buzz this year from consignors and buyers. The middle market was stronger than what we have seen for some time.”
Indeed, there were very few moments in this year’s sale where there weren’t several people bidding on one horse.
“It was nice to see eight to 10 people bidding on a horse, that has not happened in a long time. I talked to buyers from the US or on the internet who got shut out. The people who were here were not tire kickers, they had money and were here to buy.”
The drop in median price is due in part to the dedication of the CTHS to help every breeder sell their horses – there isn’t a select session. Also, while the number of yearlings not reaching their reserve is said to have dipped a little, if some of those horses sold, the final results would have an even stronger look. Breeders can put their horses through the sale to be eligible to the lucrative yearling sales stakes races for two- and three-year-olds.
This year’s encouraging sale aside, Anderson admits the Ontario breeding industry needs a bit of help.
“We are the core, the foundation of the industry,” said Anderson about the breeders. “The sooner people understand that the better. We definitely need further support from the Ontario government. If there are no horses coming up from farms each year, there is no entry box.”
The CTHS Ontario currently plans to hold another mixed sale, with details to be announced soon.
TOP PRICES – 2025 CANADIAN PREMIER YEARLING SALE
$400,000 – c. Speightstown – Travieza by Into Mischief (consigned by Huntington Stud Farm, agent) – bought by Mike DePaulo, agent
$145,000 – f. Frosted – Spani Lou, by Spaniard (consigned by Northern Dawn, Sherry McLean, agent) – bought by Michael and Charmaine Langlois
$142,000 – c. Speaker’s Corner – Carta de Oro by Medaglia d’Oro (consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dales Sales Agency, agent) – bought by Gary Barber
$112,000 – c. by Silent Name (Jpn) – Platinum Steel, by Eddington (Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent) – bought by C Day Phillips, agent for Sean Fitzhenry
$95,000 – c. Silent Name (Jpn) – Red Explosion by Signature Red (consigned by Buttigieg Training Centre, agent) – bought by Richard Hogan, agent for Colebrook and Thomas Uniacke
$95,000 – f. Army Mule – Bossy Saratoga by Street Boss (consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent) – bought by Donato Lanni, agent for Canuck Racing Club 4LP
$90,000 – c. Frosted – Slings and Arrows by Candy Ride (Arg) (consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent) – bought by Michael and Charmaine Langlois
$82,000 – c. By My Standards – Queen Martha by Rahy (consigned by Cara Bloodstock (Bernard McCormack, agent) – bought by Barbara Minshall
$80,000 – f. Cairo Prince – Dancing Ghost by Ghostzapper (consigned by Shannondoe Farm Agent I) – bought by Al and Bill Ulwelling
$80,000 – c. Cupid – High Society Gal, by Society’s Chairman (consigned by Shannondoe Farm, agent) – bought by Rocco d’Alimonte and Frank Annechinni
$70,000 – c. Yorkton – Niigon’s Spin by Hard Spun (consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent) – bought by Karen McCleave
SALE TREND – CANADIAN PREMIER YEARLING SALE
Yr / No. Sold / Gross / Average / Median
2025 / 133 / $3,638,000 / $27,353 / $15,000
2024 / 141 / $3,727,700 / $26,258 / $19,000
2023 / 168 / $4,017, 790 / $23,915 / $15,000
2022 / 150 / $3,837,700 / $25,584 / $19,500
2021 / 159 / $3,184,400 / $20,027 / $10,000
2020 / 142 / $2,795,300 / $19,685 / $14,500
2019 / 157 / $3,381,400 / $21,538 / $13,000
2018 / 152 / $2,816,900 / $18,532 / $10,750
LEADING CONSIGNORS
Consignor Gross No. sold
Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, Agent $739,000 19
Huntington Stud Farm, Agent $500,000 6
Northern Dawn (Sherry McLean), Agent $445,500 16
Cara Bloodstock (Bernard McCormack), Agent $414,000 12
Shannondoe Farm, Agent $331,500 8
LEADING BUYERS
Buyer / Gross / No. purchased
Michael De Paulo, Agent $415,000 (2)
Michael & Charmain Langlois $235,000 (2)
Gary Barber $192,000 (2)
Barb Minshall $113,000 (2)
Catherine Day Phillips, Agent $112,000 (1)
Donato Lanni, Agent $110,000 (2)
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