Mr. Finch Leads the Way

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CTHS BC • July 30, 2018

by Mark Johnson

On a very warm July 29th, Sunday at Hastings racing oval the 2nd race was dedicated to 3-year-olds in Allowance / Optional Claiming $25,000 conditions going 1 1/16 miles. BC bred Mr. Finch , last to load and fastest from the gate, made the lead easily and set a slow first quarter mile fraction which served him well. Rider Enrique Gonzalez was able to get him relaxed in front and held Mr. Finch in the two path the entire trip and none of his competitors could catch him, winning by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:44.82. This fine animal is owned by James Callihoo and more than ably trained by Phil Hall. Mr. Finch, by BC sire Mass Market and out of My Special Angel , was bred in Langley, BC by Mark Johnson and Sharon Johnson. He went through the 2016 BC CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale and was sold to Nick and Pauline Felicella for $33,000. My Special Angel has also produced stakes placed winner of over $100,000, B C Charlie and multiple winner Too Much Johnson. The mare has a yearling named Miss Earl (Hip #54) in the upcoming 2018 BC CTHS Sale by exciting new BC sire, Bakken, consigned by Born to Run Thoroughbreds, agent.

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BC BREEDERS' BANTER

By CTHS BC • January 15, 2026

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE CTHS BC BOARD OF DIRECTORS by Dave Pihl, President CTHS BC Division

NOT BOURBON PASSES

By CTHS BC • January 10, 2026

Not Bourbon (Not Impossible – Bourbon Belle) passed away on December 28, 2025, at the age of 20. Bred and owned by Charles Fipke and trained by Roger Attfield, Not Bourbon was an exceptional racehorse whose accomplishments earned him a place in Canadian racing history. During his career on the track, Not Bourbon captured some of the nation’s most prestigious races, including the Queen’s Plate, Plate Trial, Queenston Stakes, and Overskate Stakes. As a two-year-old, he showed early promise by winning the Bull Page Stakes and setting a track record for six furlongs at Woodbine. Over the course of three racing seasons, Not Bourbon earned more than one million dollars, and his outstanding three-year-old campaign was recognized with a Sovereign Award. Retired to stud, Not Bourbon went on to become a champion sire in Ontario, further cementing his legacy in the breeding shed. In 2020, he relocated to British Columbia, standing his first season at Emerald Acres in Aldergrove, before moving to Flying Horse Farm in West Kelowna, where he continued to make a meaningful contribution to the provincial breeding industry. Not Bourbon will be remembered for his talent as a racehorse and his contributions to breeding in both Ontario and British Columbia.