BC Cup Day proved something of a shot in the arm for local breeders, with seven of the Holiday Monday’s contests going to BC-bred horses.

The afternoon began with the old guard, and the magnificent HERE’S HANNAH (Numaany), who was given a harder race than many had predicted in the Derby Bar & Grill BC Cup Distaff Handicap. As always, however, she did everything she needed to do to get the job done under Richard Hamel.

If we might consider Here’s Hannah to be a part of the successful old guard of BC-bred horses (even though she’s only four), it was encouraging to see that the younger crop of locally-bred runners is also well up to standard.

Both the day’s valuable juvenile events went the way of BC-bred horses and, in INFINITE PATIENCE (Sungold), race fans have another locally produced and reared heroine to cheer, following a majestic performance in the $50,000 BC Cup Debutante Stakes.

Meanwhile, the two-year-old boys’ division, the $50,000 BC Cup Nursery Stakes, was won by Peter Redekop’s AT ATTENTION, who stepped up on his third in the Spaghetti Mouse Stakes back in July.

At Attention was bred by Bryan and Carol Anderson and is by the former champion juvenile, SHANGHAI BOBBY (Harlan’s Holiday).

Redekop purchased the speedster as a yearling at the CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale last September, and it’s worth noting that eight of the BC-bred winners throughout our region during the past week have full or half-siblings in this year’s CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale catalogue.

At Attention’s Bakken half-brother, consigned by the Anderson’s Wild Rose Farm, is slated to sell as hip 59, while Infinite Patience has a half-sister by Second In Command who is catalogued as hip 34.

The Andersons also consign a HARBOR THE GOLD half-sister to Peter Redekop’s homebred Maiden Special Weight winner, ALEUTIAN HARBOUR. She is slated as hip 49.

Great CTHS friends “RJ” and Lois Bennett certainly enjoyed a BC Cup day to remember. SUNBURST (Sungold) proved herself among the very best sophomore fillies in BC by taking some well-regarded scalps in the BC Cup Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap, while the connections also landed the $20,000 BC Cup Marathon with SUNSET DRIVE (Sungold) and a $25,000 Maiden Special weight with CHA CHING (Finality).

There was also a nice BC-bred winner at Hastings on Friday evening when WE ARE FREE (Finality) made it four wins from four starts in a $16,000 claiming contest. Bred by Mike Anderson and Terry Clyde, the three-year-old has a SECOND IN COMMAND half-brother in this year’s catalogue (hip 63).

There were again some 20 BC-bred winners throughout our region with, impressively, local stallion FINALITY represented by five of those.

Finality has certainly helped to fill the gap left by ROSBERG, although it’s interesting to see that the late, great sire continues to leave his mark and was responsible for three winners this past week - his stock continuing to underscore what a loss he has been to BC Breeders.

A special mention for just one of Rosberg’s winners: ASSETS INCLUDED won at Emerald Downs on July 27 and returned just eight days later to repeat the trick. Those two wins took his score to ten victories, seven second and seven third-place finishes from 36 starts. The wins have come in Seattle, Portland, Grants Pass, Golden Gate and, back in 2016, at Hastings (twice). He’s a credit to his breeder Ralph Jesiak, and yearling hunters might like to note that the gelding’s Numaany three-parts brother is another in the CTHS Yearling & Mixed Sale catalogue (hip 20).

August 1
Century Mile:
UNDER PAR, Dark Bay or Brown Filly, by Stephanotis out of Big Bertha (GER), by Tertullian. Foaled Mar 07, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Glen Todd.

GEM OF INCEPTION, Chestnut Filly, by Finality out of Regal Red, by On Target. Foaled Apr 09, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Suzanne I. Anderson.

August 2
Grande Prairie:
TACTICS, Dark Bay or Brown Mare, by Rosberg out of In From the Cold, by American Chance. Foaled Apr 19, 2013 in BC. Breeder: John D. Gunther.

Hastings:
ANOTHER GUINNESS, Chestnut Gelding, by Rosberg out of Irish Day Dancer, by Vicar. Foaled Feb 26, 2015 in BC. Breeder: George Gilbert.

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

SPEEDY MISS, Chestnut Filly, by Finality out of Ground Flyer, by Claim. Foaled May 16, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Elton H. Gunther.

WE ARE FREE, Dark Bay or Brown Filly, by Finality out of We Are One, by You and I. Foaled Mar 06, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Mike Anderson & Terry Clyde.

RANDOM ACT, Chestnut Gelding, by Lookin At Lucky out of Dearest Princess, by Stephanotis. Foaled Apr 16, 2015 in BC. Breeder: R. J. T. Thoroughbreds.

August 3
Grande Prairie:
ALTERED CARBON, Dark Bay or Brown Gelding, by Sungold out of Lady Fettuccine, by Strike Gold. Foaled Apr 24, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Dr. Sheila McDonald.

Marquis Downs:
MR. FINCH, Chestnut Gelding, by Mass Market out of My Special Angel, by Finality. Foaled Mar 03, 2015 in BC. Breeder: Mark Johnson & Sharon Johnson.

GRAYROSS GRACIE, Bay Mare, by Cause to Believe out of Grayross Gal, by Feu d'Enfer. Foaled Feb 14, 2014 in BC. Breeder: Grayross Stables.

August 4

Century Mile:

ROX STAR BELIEVEIT, Bay Gelding, by Cause to Believe out of Awesome Plan, by Takin It Deep. Foaled Apr 25, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Dustin Downing.

Emerald Downs:
ASSETS INCLUDED, Bay Gelding, by Rosberg out of Interrogar, by Tejabo. Foaled Apr 05, 2014 in BC. Breeder: Ralph Jesiak.

August 5

Hastings:
HERE'S HANNAH, Chestnut Filly, by Numaany out of Dreams Start Here, by A Fleets Dancer. Foaled Feb 04, 2015 in BC. Breeder: B. C. Stables.

INFINITE PATIENCE, Bay Filly, by Sungold out of Montero, by Louis Quatorze. Foaled Apr 06, 2017 in BC. Breeder: William DeCoursey.

AT ATTENTION, Dark Bay or Brown Gelding, by Shanghai Bobby out of Unattended, by Quality Road. Foaled Mar 11, 2017 in BC. Breeder: Bryan Anderson & Carol Anderson.

CHA CHING, Chestnut Filly, by Finality out of Borgatello, by Perfect Soul (IRE). Foaled Mar 21, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. R. J. Bennett.

SUNBURST, Chestnut Filly, by Sungold out of Tierra Del Feugo, by Finality. Foaled Apr 09, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. R. J. Bennett.

ALEUTIAN HARBOUR, Dark Bay or Brown Gelding, by Harbor the Gold out of Shadow of Mine, by Belong to Me. Foaled Mar 31, 2016 in BC. Breeder: Peter Redekop BC Ltd.

SUNSET DRIVE, Bay Gelding, by Sungold out of Perfect Unbridal, by Perfect Soul (IRE). Foaled Feb 23, 2013 in BC. Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. R. J. Bennett.