The weather was kind and potential bidders turned out in significant numbers for the first CTHS Horses of Racing Age Sale at Hastings.

The excellent turnout helped underpin what was a solid market for a mixture of unraced two-year-olds and older horses with varying degrees of racetrack experience.

And, despite much of the focus being on the 10 juveniles that were bought last autumn at Fasig-Tipton as part of BC racing’s initiative to boost numbers of horses at Hastings, it was especially gratifying to see top-lot honors go to a two-year-old gelding bred in British Columbia!

REFRIED DREAMS, bred and consigned by Red Rock Farm, had the physical attributes to match his eye-catching local pedigree and, following some robust bidding, the final nod came from local horseman Terry Jordan at $24,000.

From the first crop of Stone Ridge Farm’s BAKKEN, Refried Dreams (BC) proved once again that, in the right circumstances, horses born and raised in our Province can compete with all-comers. The success Red Rock Farm enjoyed with their boy in the sale will surely not have gone unnoticed by local breeders when 2019-2020 sales plans are hatched later in the year.

Refried Dreams saw off some stiff competition from the 10 juveniles bought at Fasig-Tipton, not to mention the BC-bred filly DARLIN FOREVER (by Finality), who also sold as part of the Hole in the Wall consignment after she was procured at last September’s CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale.

With just three withdrawals, and only a single RNA (reserve not attained), the 28 horses offered for sale grossed $241,400 – an average of $8,979. The 11 two-year-olds bought specifically for the sale by the B.C. Horse Racing Industry Management Committee and sold under the Hole in the Wall banner brought in $142,400 (avg: $12,945).

Highlights among the older horses included the four-year-old maiden SPOKANE’S GEM, who was consigned by Glen Todd, Agent and purchased by his North American Thoroughbred Company for 14,000; and EZEKIEL, a four-year-old gelded son of Flat Out who raced formerly for Swift Thoroughbreds and was sold as part of the Hole in the Wall draft. The dual Hastings winner made $12,000 and, like the sales topping BC-bred, was bought by Terry Jordan.