It is fitting that the cover of this year’s Canadian Premier Yearling Sale catalogue honours E.P. Taylor, the man who transformed Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Ontario and helped establish Canada on the international stage.
Taylor developed one of the world’s most influential breeding operations, led by his homebred Northern Dancer, whose bloodlines went on to reshape the Thoroughbred breed around the world.
“It’s why we are all here,” said CTHS Ontario president David Anderson. “He gave us the gift of Woodbine, he’s a founding father of racing and breeding. I wanted to recognize him for that.”
There is also a renewed sense of optimism surrounding this year’s CTHS Ontario auction, which takes place Wednesday, September 2 at noon at the Woodbine sales pavilion.
The catalogue features 198 Canadian-bred yearlings, and buyer interest is expected to be strong following the province’s recent $35-million investment in horse racing. The funding has increased purses and strengthened breeding and racing programs, helping create a more encouraging marketplace for both buyers and consignors.
“We are getting back on the map again,” said Anderson. “People are interested in buying Ontario-breds. It was great to see high profile owners Gainesway Farm and Andrew Rosen winning the King’s Plate with Luster. They will be back to look at Ontario-breds.”
Sire strength
Some of the leading stallions in the United States and Canada are represented in this year’s catalogue.
Canadian-based stallions are well represented, led by TAPITURE, who has 86 winners in 2026, along with BIG SCREEN, FRAC DADDY, MUCHO MACHO MAN, OLD FORESTER, RELOAD, SILENT NAME (JPN), SOUPER SPEEDY, TAMARKUZ, and YORKTON. Promising younger stallions AVIE’S FLATTER, BOND STREET, and COLLUSION ILLUSION are also represented.
American sires include LIAM’S MAP, MACLEAN’S MUSIC, VINO ROSSO, TIZ THE LAW, VIOLENCE, CAIRO PRINCE, GOLDENCENTS and AUTHENTIC.
The sale also features yearlings from the first or early crops of several high-profile stallions, including Horse of the Year CODY’S WISH, Kentucky Derby winner MAGE and Grade 1 winners COUNTRY GRAMMER, TAIBA, GUFO and LOGGINS. Many of those young sires were well received at the recent Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, where several records were broken.
Luster’s sire, Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner KNICKS GO, is represented by a filly out of Let’s Run Two, by Runhappy, consigned by Northern Dawn (Sherry McLean), agent.
North America’s current leading freshman sire GOLDEN PAL, with 16 winners in 2026, also has an Alberta-bred filly in the sale. Out of Elegant Supermodel (Ger), by Lope de Vega, she is offered by Hill ’n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent.
Fourteen consignors will offer horses: Ballycroy Bloodstock, Buttigieg Training Centre, Cara Bloodstock, John Carey, Nidel Charfi, Susan Foreman, Hill ’n’ Dale, Richard Hogan, Richard Moylan, New Beginnings, Northern Dawn, Shannondoe, Spring Farm, and Tara Horse Farm.
Hill ’n’ Dale has the largest consignment, with approximately 50 yearlings, including a half-sister to 2025 Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Corsia Veloce. The filly is by Violence and out of Beth’s Bling, by City Zip.
Among the larger consignments, Ballycroy offers members of the first crop of Gufo, a multiple Grade 1 turf winner in New York from the War Front sire line through his sire, Declaration of War.
Bernard McCormack’s Cara Bloodstock has almost 30 offerings, including the only yearling in the catalogue by American champion Cody’s Wish. The colt is out of stakes producer Mrs. Hudson. Cara also offers a filly by Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer out of stakes producer Aunty Mo.
Consignors John Carey and Susan Foreman also bring strong groups to the sale. Carey offers some of the final yearlings by multiple leading sire Old Forester, while Foreman has one of three yearlings in the catalogue by promising young sire Speaker’s Corner, a colt out of Goldrush Glory.
Northern Dawn offers yearlings by Reload, the late Souper Speedy and Silent Name (Jpn), while Shannondoe Farm, as agent, has several offerings including a colt by leading American sire Frosted.
Graduates keep delivering
Graduates of the CTHS Ontario sale continue to demonstrate that successful horses can be found at every level of the market.
MY BOY PRINCE, the 2022 sale topper at $115,000 purchased by Gary Barber, won the Grade 2 Shakertown Stakes this year and has now earned more than US$1.5 million. The son of Cairo Prince has become one of the most accomplished recent graduates of the sale.
PARAMOUNT PRINCE, by longtime Ontario stallion Society’s Chairman purchased at the 2021 sale for $21,000, surpassed US$1 million in career earnings this season and recently captured the Grade 3 Seagram Cup for owner Mike Langlois and Barber.
And value can be found well below the top of the market.
Katie’s Grace, purchased for just $10,500 at the 2023 CTHS Ontario sale, won the $350,000 Bison City Stakes in July. The daughter of Independence Hall is trained by Catherine Day Phillips for Chivalry Thoroughbreds and Hubert Vester.
“As we know, top horses can come from anywhere,” said Anderson. “This year’s sale has a great cross-selection of Kentucky stallions along with our top Ontario stallions. There is going to be something for everybody.
“There are also some potential break-out horses at the top and horses that make up what will be a solid base through the middle.”
Anderson said interest in Canadian-breds is also being fuelled by new racing opportunities. During a recent trip to Saratoga, he found considerable interest in the Empire Trillium Series of stakes races this winter, which will bring New York-breds and Canadian-breds together in competition at Woodbine and Belmont.
Closer to home, the CTHS Sales Stakes return Aug. 30 with $1 million in purses, alongside the first of four new $150,000 stakes races for Ontario-bred horses four years old and upward.
“Our sale is a great opportunity to start off the fall yearling season. Everyone is looking at Canadian and Ontario-breds now.”
View the 2026 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale catalogue HERE.
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