Pink Lloyd from an earlier win by Woodbine Entertainment – Mike Burns
THINK PINK –
CANADIAN MILLIONS NIGHT
The 5th annual Canadian Millions night put on by the CTHS (Ontario)’s Thoroughbred Improvement Program brought together the experienced and the curious in horse racing and horse ownership.
Six races were held for sales graduates and here’s a wrap of what happened:
Winning Beyer Figures
1 D TB 1 1/2M Halton 93
3 D TB 1 1/16M ElginB 90
4 D TB 1 1/16M Algoma 83
5 D TB 6 1/2F Muskoka 75
6 D TB 6 1/2F Simcoe 70
7 D TB 6F Kenora 94
No doubt fan favourite PINK LLOYD was the highlight of the night, the 1 to 9 favourite in the $125,000 Kenora Stakes that wrapped up the big night.
The rangy chestnut gelding, $35,000 yearling purchase who needed a lot of time to get to the races (he debuted last year at age 4), got it done, barely.
It was the 6th straight stakes win for the son of Old Forester – Gladiator Queen by Great Gladiator as he held off last year’s winner, Jacks Escarpment (also by Old Forester) by a half length to win in 1:09.29 for 6 furlongs. Eurico da Silva once again rode Entourage Stables’ remarkable gelding who is now 9 for 11 in his career. Robert Tiller trains.
He has earned over $501,000.
There is a half brother to Pink Lloyd in the Thursday yearling sale, by the exciting 1st year sire Souper Speedy. John Carey is the breeder of Pink Lloyd and the yearling offering.
Race 3 – MELMICH won the Elgin Stakes for the 3rd straight year, working hard to get past Field of Courage in the 1 1/16 mile race under Eurico da Silva. The son of Wilko – Little Swoon, by You and I, claimed by Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman in 2014 for $20,000 and he has been the gift that keeps on giving.
Trained by Kevin Attard, Melimch has now won 15 of 31 races and he has now gone over $800,000 in earnings.
He was originally a $5,000 purchase by Warren LeBlanc from breeder Andrew Straonch 5 years ago.
Race 1- It was a long wait but the 2012 sales topper, JOHNNY BEAR, won his first stakes race at the age of 6 in the Halton Stakes which opened the night.
The chestnut gelding, bought for $275,000 by Bear Stables and Colebrook Farm from breeder Ivan Dalos, had scrabbled his way through $250,000 in earnings before Wed. night with 5 wins in 31 races.
He charged home in the 1 1/2 mile Halton (a longer distance for the turf race this year) to post an upset win, coming off a 6th place finish in his previous run. Ridden by Luis Contreras and trained by Ashlee Brnjas, Johnny Bear was 9 to 2 and left big faves Eminent Force and Kaigun in his wake. The son of English Channel – In Return by Horse Chestnut actually headed an English Channel exactor as English Illusion finished 2nd at 11 to 1 for Sangreal Investments and trainer Dan Vella.
Race 4- ALGOMA STAKES, $125,000 for fillies and mares and it was SWEATER WEATHER winning the race again for Frank DiGiulio Jr and trainer Robert Tiller. This 6yo mare by Milwaukee Brew – Susur by Cape Canaveral had been wandering in 3 races this year but only had 2 main track races and her form was slowly improving. She zoomed around rivals under new rider Eurico da Silva to win with ease in 1:45.73 for her 7th win in 25 races. She has now earned over $545,000.
Bred by Osprey Stable, Sweater Weather was bought in 2012 by Tiller for $39,000.
Race 5- the Muskoka Stakes for 2 year old fillies went to another favourite, the even money gal SUMMER SUNDAY, the co-sales topper last year at the Canadian Premier Yearling sale at $95,000. Bill and Anne Scott bought the filly from Trinity West Stables Ltd. and she is by Silent Name from the fleet stakes winning mare Dancing Allstar by Millenium Allstar. Stuart Simon trains the bay filly who is now 3 for 3 in her career having won a maiden race and the Nandi Stakes. Jesse Campbell rode.
“Bill liked her pedigree, we liked the whole package, Bill was pretty adamant about buying her,” said Simon.
Loopey Loo, by Afleet Alex, was second and this gal’s half sister by Milwaukee Brew is early in the sale, offered by breeders Keith and Rachel McClelland. The dam is stakes winner Roving Angel.
SUMMER SUNDAY as a yearling in 2016. She sold for $95,000 to co-top the sale.
Race 6 – ESKIMINZIN (Eskiminzin was a local group chief of the Aravaipa band of the San Carlos group of the Western Apache during the Apache Wars – Wikipedia) wom the Simcoe Stakes for owner/breeder Jecera Farms (Brett Delmas) which bought back this first runner for its sire Cold Harbor. The dark bay colt, trained by Analisa Delmas and ridden by Patrick Husbands, was 2nd in the Clarendon Stakes following his 18 to 1 win in his debut.
Fieldstone Farm offered the colt for sale last year but he did not reach his reserve and was bought back for $12,000. He is a half brother to Ontario stallion Atlas Shrugs from the mare Ms Forum by Open Forum.
Cooler Mike, a debut winner and a son of Giant Gizmo, was second and there is a half sister to Cooler Mike, by first year sire Big Screen, in the sale on Thursday.
Ella’s My Love, third in the Simcoe and a son of freshman sire Pool Play, has a half sibling in the sale, from the mare Lea’s Moon, by Bold ‘n Flashy.
His time of 1:17.47 was just a shade slower than that of Summer Sunday.
SALE TIME – 11:30 A.M.
There are about 275 yearlings up for grabs today at the Woodbine sales pavillon, come on out and join racing and buy a horse.
Updates to pedigree pages can be viewed here:
