The annual Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (BC Division) Yearling and Mixed Sale, held at the prestigious Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, enjoyed brisk business, with solid middle-market trade.

The median price of $14,250 represented a whopping 90 per cent leap on last year’s rather anemic figure, while the average price of $16,648 reflected a 12.79 per cent increase on 12 months ago.

Top-lot honors went to a gelded son of Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux) who, consigned by Mike Anderson as agent, made $61,000 when knocked down to major local owner/breeders, Swift Thoroughbreds.

Out of the Distorted Humor Stakes winner Humor Me Molly, the son of Animal Kingdom is a half-brother to several multiple winners, including the Stakes victor, Reno Rebel (Big Brown).

The attractive bay was the first of four hips secured by Swift on the day. They went to $35,000 for both a daughter of Gemologist consigned by North American Thoroughbred Horse Company (NATHC), and a Tapiture filly offered by Jamie Demetrick as agent, before finally securing a Bayern filly from Whitewood Farm for $26,000.

Hall of famer Peter Redekop paid the second highest price of the sale, securing a colt by Grazen from Demetrick’s typically strong consignment for $59,000.

Redekop is a perennial supporter of the CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale and he snapped up a total of five yearlings at the Langley auction. In addition to the Grazen colt, the real estate magnate secured boys by Harbor the Gold and Second in Command, as well as two fillies by Sungold and Palace Malice.

In total, 63 yearlings found new homes for a gross of $1,065,500 - an almost eight per cent increase on last year’s total, with two fewer hips sold.

CTHS President Grant Watson was delighted with the solid middle market, which he believes will reassure the region’s breeders.

Watson said: “We were delighted with the overall figures, which represented an increase over the 2018 sale, and especially the median figure.

“A median increase of 90 per cent is a huge boost for breeders, and will hopefully give them the confidence to continue offering quality yearlings for sale.

“The median demonstrated that, while the big-ticket prices were thinner on the ground this year, the middle market was far stronger than it has been in recent years, and that can only auger well for everyone connected with the industry.”

Jamie Demetrick was the leading consignor, selling 12 yearlings for a gross of $319,500, some distance ahead of Mike Anderson in second position, with eight sold for a total of $130,00. Glen Todd’s NATHC was the third leading consignor, with five lots sold for a total of $111,500.

While Swift and Redekop headed the buyers’ table, they were ably supported by the likes of Dave Bauman, whose three purchases for $88,500 included $49,000 for a Flat Out gelding from NATHC.

Riversedge Racing Stable was also busy, buying four hips for $85,000. The Alberta outfit’s purchases included a daughter of the leading BC freshman sire Lent. The chestnut filly, consigned by Foundation Racing Stables, with Red Rock Farm as agent, is a half-brother to last season’s BC Derby runner-up Weekend Wizard (Rosberg), and was knocked down to Riversedge for $31,000.

Red Rock Farm was also the agent for hip 30, a Second in Command half-sister to this year’s crack juvenile filly, Infinite Patience (Sungold). The hammer went down at $19,000 for the bay, with Infinite Patience’s part owner William DeCoursey signing the ticket.

The leading buyer numerically was Willow Creek Farms with seven purchases for a gross of $78,500 – the most expensive of which was hip 18, a son of Fort Larned. From the family of Summer Squall, A. P. Indy and Court Vision, he was consigned by Emerald Acres and knocked down for $25,000.

In a wonderful display of commitment to locally produced horses, all seven Willow Creek buys were BC-bred!