Claimers take the spotlight

EDMONTON, Alberta Racing secretary Fred Hilts assembled the strongest Canadian Derby Day card in many years on Saturday and quite understandably found business much less brisk at entry time for the Sunday card.

The featured Thoroughbred offering for Sunday afternoon consists of six older runners contesting a $13,000 claimer. Mad Win and Ka Blui, a pair of hard-knocking geldings, face the dropper Colombiano in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint.

The final three races on the 10-race program are Quarter Horse stakes, including the $61,240 Alberta Prairie Gold Futurity and the $30,000 Alberta Prairie Gold Derby, both at 330 yards.

* The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Societys summer yearling sale begins at 11 a.m. on Monday at the AgriCom adjacent to Northlands Park with 190 yearlings offered.

Highfield Stock Farm opens the sale with Hip No. 1, a chestnut colt by Cape Canaveral. Cape Canaveral and Gilded Time both completed their first seasons as resident stallions in Alberta this year.

Gilded Time is represented in the catalog by Hip No. 165, a chestnut filly out of a strong consignment from Manitoba-based Ziprick Thoroughbreds, which also includes yearlings by notable sires Forest Camp, Whywhywhy, Johannesburg, Yonaguska and Candy Ride.

Hip No. 183 is sure to draw attention, as the dark bay filly by Cobra King out of One Hundred Plus is a half-sister to to Albertas 2007 champion older horse Teagues Fight, who recently went over $500,000 in earnings.

* There will be no racing this Wednesday through Friday. Racing resumes Saturday with the first of three long-weekend cards.