Blog Post
Nigel Reid • Jun 11, 2020
We are beginning to stir from our enforced hibernation and there is already a smattering of BC-bred success in our region to remind us that, eventually, we shall all return to the racetrack – not before time, I’m sure you’ll all agree.
Those responsible for the management of Assiniboia Downs racetrack on the outskirts of Winnipeg have done a magnificent job to get racing back up and running so promptly - and there have already been some Hastings-related success stories in Manitoba this spring.
The BC-bred, former Hastings favourite ANSTRUM (Rosberg) ran on well to snatch third place in Wednesday night’s La Verendrye Stakes at Assiniboia. And that eye-catching run by the six-year-old, who was bred by Terry Clyde and Mike Anderson, followed wins the previous day by BC-bred OJO DEL MAR (Storm Victory) and Hastings veteran CAYMUS RESERVE (Tapizar).
The pick of the recent BC-bred winners, however, is undoubtedly the magnificent hard-knocking claimer, ASSETS INCLUDED. Bred by Ralph Jesiak, and twice a Hastings winner for Peter Redekop back in 2016, including the BC Cup Nursery Stakes, the pugnacious son of Rosberg has run three times already in 2020; finishing twice second before notching his 14th career win - this one coming at Golden Gate Fields in May.
“Hard-knocking” might also apply to the William DeCoursey-bred RAIDER (Stephanotis), who landed an optional claimer at Lone Star on her seasonal reappearance. Raider is out of the Louis Quatorze mare, Montero, and as such a half-sister to last season’s superstar and Horse of the Year, INFINITE PATIENCE (Sungold).
BC STALLIONS
In addition to STEPHANOTIS, other local stallions have already had several winners around the various tracks of North America, proving once again that British Columbia’s breeders can produce horses capable of holding their own anywhere.
Remarkably, at the time of writing, STORM VICTORY has already had five individual winners in 2020. Apart from the afore mentioned OJO DEL MAR, there were victories at Turf Paradise for the BC-bred trio ALL UNDER CONTROL, GIMME SOME SLACK and SASSY MISS, while the eight-year-old mare PUT SARAH ON claimed her 14th career win when landing a modest affair at Fonner Park, Nebraska.
More valuable prizes may await Cpt. RHETT BUTLER, who recently broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park at just the second time of asking and also got his sire VALUE PLUS (Unbridled’s Song) off the mark for the season.
Already the sire of a Grade 1 winner in LONG ON VALUE (Highlander Stakes), Value Plus is now at Cathy and Steen’s Stride Away Thoroughbreds in the Okanagan. This season will be an exciting year for the striking stallion’s connections, with his first BC-sired runners set to hit the track as juveniles.
SECOND IN COMMAND has also had a couple of winners this year, including two four-and-a-half furlong blowouts at Los Alamitos by CLEAN LIVING and an impressive tenth career victory for the popular MORNING BLURS – who struck at Turf Paradise back in March.
It will be a while before exciting young Roads End sire COUNTERFORCE (Smart Strike) has any runners to watch (his first foals were this spring). However, his extraordinarily deep family was given another massive boost at Santa Anita recently when his three-parts brother CEZANNE made an impressive winning debut for trainer Bob Baffert.
The colt, who is by Hall of Famer (and Smart Strike’s son) CURLIN, was a record-breaking $3.65 million Ocala breeze-up graduate last year and, after sweeping through under a hand ride by Flavien Prat to win his Maiden by 2 1/4-lengths, is beginning to look like money well spent.
CTHS YEARLING SALE CHANGES
This year’s CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale will take place on September 8 and not as originally advertised. The unavoidable change is due to Thunderbird Show Park’s need to rejig their own events in the wake of the current pandemic.
The sale will also go ahead without a preview day this year.
BREEDERS INCENTIVES
The CTHS Breeders’ Incentive Program, introduced to try and help alleviate some of the pain currently being endured by breeders in the region during these difficult times, was very well received with 190 applications made to the CTHS by the June 1st deadline.
HERE’S HANNAH
Finally, please allow us to add our belated, but hearty, congratulations to everyone connected with the marvellous HERE’S HANNAH (Numaany), winner of a prestigious 2020 Sovereign Award as Canada’s Champion Older Main Track Female.
Incidentally, Canmor Farm’s NUMAANY has also already had a 2020 winner in the shape of NUDIAMOND. Trained by Cindy Krasner and bred by Ralph Jesiak, the four-year-old struck at Turf Paradise back in March.
Congratulations to connections of all the BC-bred or originally raced winners and runners, wherever they’ve been making their mark in these most unusual of times.
See you at the races!
The office will be closed Tuesday, December 19, 2023 - Wednesday, January 3, 2024 The office reopens on Thursday, January 4, 2024 Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season and good racing in 2024! The Directors and staff - CTHS BC
Plan to attend on Monday August 7th BC Cup Day at the Marquis Tent area
On the Move: Current leading second-crop sire in Canada COUNTERFORCE (seen with Jack Bennett at Road's End Farm)
An Inspiration for 2023 CTHS BC Yearling & Mixed Sale
To: All members of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (BC Division) NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TAKE NOTICE THAT the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (BC Division) will be held: Time: Commencing at 11:30 am Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2023 Place: CTHS (BC Division) Office - Boardroom #7 – 5492 Production Blvd. Surrey, BC The main purpose of this meeting is for the following: 1. to receive the annual reports of the Society; 2. to approve the appointment of the auditor for the 2022 fiscal year; 3. to transact such business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting. Dated this 30th day of May, 2023. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Note: Copies of the 2022 financial statements and minutes of the June 23, 2022 annual general meeting will be available at the meeting or upon request by contacting the office. As per Article XI, Section 9 (a) of the CTHS By-Laws, new business proposed to be discussed at the meetings of the Society, or any Regional Division thereof, shall be delivered in writing to the National Executive Secretary or Regional Secretary/General Manager as the case may be. Proposed new business, endorsed in writing by at least three (3) members entitled to vote at the meeting and received prior to the mailing of the Notice of the Meeting, shall be included in the agenda and may be subject of a vote at the meeting. Only voting members who are present are eligible to vote (no proxies).
What better way to launch the 2023 thoroughbred racing season at Hastings Racecourse than to stage a full-blown dinner party just prior to opening day? First race to launch the 2023 schedule at Hastings is set for 2 p.m., Sunday, April 30. Four nights earlier – Wednesday, April 26 – the industry celebrates its 2022 BC Thoroughbred Awards Dinner and Hall of Fame Inductions at the Italian Cultural Centre. Horses from 16 categories will be acknowledged for their performances at Hastings last year. Co-ordinator Minna Rytkonen issued secret ballots to a panel of selectors in December. The winners will be revealed by emcees Dan Jukich and Mike Heads highlighting the April 26 event. Season-ending stats following last year’s 45-day racing calendar confirmed the 2022 leading breeder (Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds), owner (Rob and Sheena Maybin), trainer (Edgar Mendoza) and jockey (Amadeo Perez) awards. BC Horse Racing Hall of Fame 2022 inductees, announced earlier by curator Randy Goulding, are Dr. Ed Wiebe (builder), Richard Hamel (jockey) and Robbie Anderson (trainer). “After a two-year interruption staging the Awards Dinner due to the pandemic, we’re looking forward to seeing everyone again as a kick-off to the 2023 racing season,” says B-J Davidson, CTHS-BC Regional General Manager. “We consider it a huge family gathering.”
COUNTERFORCE LEADING FRESHMAN SIRE IN CANADA; LEADING JUVENILE SIRE IN BC BC HORSE RACING INDUSTRY BONDS WITH POSITIVE NEWS ON ALL FRONTS
Standardbred Canada (SC) and the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) are pleased to announce the development of a National Economic Impact Study. The two organizations are working with Serecon, a third-party research company, to conduct an economic scan and facilitate key stakeholder interviews through a national survey and provide further analysis. The goals of the project are: To increase the understanding of the current state of the sector; To identify and articulate the economic and social impacts of horse racing across the country; To develop strategic recommendations to ensure the sustainability and inclusivity of the horse racing sector; Socialize findings with key federal government stakeholders The study will review such economic drivers as cost of ownership, economic contribution from horses, and industry trends. “We are pleased to collaborate with Standardbred Canada to conduct the economic impact study for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing breeds,” said Adrian Munro, President of CTHS. “The study will build off of the pre-pandemic era to begin tracking overall impact drivers for our industry.” “This is a first for both national breed registries who have agreed to work together to collect data and information on the horse racing sector in Canada and using the key performance metrics that the survey provides will help us understand and measure our lines of business with the ultimate goal of building a sustainable future for the industry,” said Dan Gall, President and CEO of Standardbred Canada. The final report will be reviewed by CTHS and the SC Board of Directors and is scheduled to be submitted in January 2023. This report will provide an overview of the evolution and current state of the Canadian horse racing industry and highlight the economic and social impacts of the sector, outline challenges, opportunities, and recommendations to consider. Bob Burden, a Senior Director with Serecon, added that “Our team will accurately assess the total contribution of the Canadian horse racing industry to Canada's economy so that both associations will be better equipped to address challenges going forward”. Both parties, SC and CTHS, encourage the horse racing sector to provide information into the research being conducted to allow our sector to be as thorough and accurate as possible with the data collected. To take the survey click here .
GENEROUS INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAMS ADD TO CTHS BC YEARLING & MIXED SALE EXCITEMENT This Weeks Calendar - Parade Wednesday; Sale Thursday
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