BC-bred Raider lands Stakes event at Century Mile

Any doubts about the suitability of BC-bred horses being able to perform at Canada’s newest racetrack have been dealt with swiftly this spring, thanks to valuable Century Mile wins by MORNING BLURS (Second in Command) and, just this past weekend, RAIDER (Stephanotis).

A graduate of the 2016 CTHS Yearlings and Mixed Sale, Raider landed the $50,000 Red Tail Landing Handicap Stakes on Sunday for breeder William DeCoursey, owner Curtis Landry, trainer Greg Tracy and rider Prayven Badrie.

Winner of the 2017 Debutante Stakes at Hastings as a juvenile, Raider has now won Black Type events at two, three and four and been successful at Hastings, Northlands Park and Century Mile, as well as finishing runner-up in last season’s CTHS Sales Stakes at Century Downs.

Raider is just the latest to represent her late sire Stephanotis this season, following recent wins for the likes of UNDER PAR, ARRANGER and, at Century Mile, GO WILD. Add to that list the likes of last season’s runaway CTHS Sales Stakes winner NOTICE and it seems that the stallion’s influence is set to continue throughout the region for some time to come.

Eye-catching two-year-old

Perhaps the most eye-catching BC-bred performance of the past couple of weeks came when the Jim Alendal-bred CAPILANO CANYON (Abraaj) made a scintillating winning debut in the first two-year-old race of the season at Hastings on June 2.

A mildly tardy start made the six-length win all the more impressive. The good-sized son of the Eldorado Farms stallion appeared to dwell just a stride in the gate before shooting through to take command in the manner of nice horse.

For Alendal, the win was not unexpected but came with a bitter sweet taste as the two-year-old is the final foal from the good mare REMARKABLE MISS (Finality), who has been gifted (in-foal to Abraaj) to him by the late and successful local breeder, Rob MacDonald.

Alendal paid tribute to the mare when I caught up with him at the CTHS Annual General Meeting in Vernon last week, explaining that despite being very unwell at the time, the mare held on to the foal as a last act before succumbing to complications from her issues.

A Black Type winner herself, Remarkable Miss had already produced the Black Type-placed performer Aditya (Mass Market) and she is from a strong BC family that includes the likes of G3 BC Premier Stakes winner TRICK OF THE NORTH (Western Trick), Sadie Diamond Futurity winner SUNNYSIDE GAL (Sungold) and Ascot Graduations winner, STRATE REMARK (Sungold).

THE CTHS Annual General Meeting

The AGM, held this year at Vernon in the gorgeous Okanagan, was a well-supported event with around 25 members in attendance to discuss a variety of issues currently confronting local breeders.

Topics included reports on the successful CTHS Horses of Racing Age Sale held in the spring, as well as plans for this year’s CTHS Yearling and Mixed auction, scheduled for Tuesday September 10.

Several ideas to support and encourage breeders were discussed in broad outline, including a new plan to compensate breeders visiting stallions out of the Province with a contribution to transport costs.

Other incentive schemes beyond this year remain on hold until any uncertainty surrounding funding is clarified later in the year.

Recent BC-bred winners

As always, please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you know of any BC-bred winners that may have escaped my attention.

And congratulations to all the connections!

May 31
Marquis Downs:
ARCHON, Dark Bay or Brown Filly, by Cause to Believe out of Camino, by Katahaula County. Foaled Feb 19, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Dr. & Mrs. Bryan Anderson & James Eccott.

June 1
Lethbridge:
NUMAANY'S REWARD, Chestnut Gelding, by Numaany out of Reinforcement, by Good Reward. Foaled Mar 02, 2016 in BC. Breeder: White House Stables.

Hastings:
SPOKANE'S GEM, Chestnut Gelding, by Gemologist out of Spokane Dancer, by More Than Ready. Foaled Apr 20, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Tod Mtn. Thoroughbreds.

SEVEN CHANCES, Chestnut Filly, by Gottcha Gold out of Street Cost, by Street Cry (IRE). Foaled Mar 24, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Steen Reggelsen & Cathy Reggelsen

WISE MARKET, Dark Bay or Brown Colt, by Mass Market out of Fuchsia Gold, by Vying Victor. Foaled May 09, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Suzanne I. Anderson.

June 2
Hastings:
CAPILANO CANYON, Bay Gelding, by Abraaj out of Remarkable Miss, by Finality. Foaled Feb 06, 2017 in BC. Breeder: Jim Alendal.

COULTERBERRY, Bay Gelding, by Finality out of Badgetts Star, by Bold Badgett. Foaled Mar 17, 2013 in BC. Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. Roy Jacobson

ESSI ROSE, Bay Filly, by Cause to Believe out of Sweetheart Rose, by Awesome Again. Foaled May 01, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Tod Mtn. Thoroughbreds.

MARTELLO, Bay Gelding, by Second in Command out of Comic Opera, by Katahaula County. Foaled Mar 27, 2014 in BC. Breeder: Jim Eccott, Bryan Anderson & Carol Anderson

June 8
Hastings:
TWISTGRIPS, Bay Gelding, by Benchmark out of Victor's Secret, by Vying Victor. Foaled Mar 19, 2009 in BC. Breeder: Gordon Christoff.

HARD RAIN, Chestnut Filly, by Finality out of Miss Kay Dee Raine, by Mass Market. Foaled Apr 18, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Elton H. Gunther

ARRANGER, Gray or Roan Gelding, by Stephanotis out of Monashee, by Wolf Power (SAF). Foaled Apr 04, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Ole A. Nielsen.

SOUTHERN CASANOVA, Dark Bay or Brown Gelding, by Rosberg out of Software, by Southern Halo. Foaled Apr 28, 2012 in BC. Breeder: Jim Alendal.

K K Gold, Dark Bay or Brown Gelding, by Gottcha Gold out of Alybye, by Alybro. Foaled Apr 28, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Jodie Rawson

June 9
Century Mile:
RAIDER, Dark Bay or Brown Filly, by Stephanotis out of Montero, by Louis Quatorze. Foaled Apr 20, 2015 in BC. Breeder: William DeCoursey

Hastings:
TRANSPLANT, Dark Bay or Brown Gelding, by Sir Gallovic out of Pike Place Market, by After Market. Foaled Apr 16, 2015 in BC. Breeder: North American Thoroughbred Horse Co. & Mark Dedomenico LLC.

YOU GOT THIS, Chestnut Filly, by Gio Ponti out of Pretty Jenny, by Pioneering. Foaled Apr 03, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds.

SLEW'S DA BOSS, Gray or Roan Gelding, by Cause to Believe out of Slewpast, by Western Trick. Foaled Mar 24, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Foundation Racing Stable.

BETATHANABOYFRIEND, Chestnut Gelding, by Mass Market out of Dancing Dalia, by Finality. Foaled May 06, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Suzanne I. Anderson.