CTHS Sales Stakes puts spotlight on sale horses

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The four $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes on Saturday at Hastings serve as a promotion for the Canadian Thoroughbred Society’s 2020 yearling and mixed sale on Tuesday at Chilliwack Heritage Park. There are 76 yearlings up for auction with a COVID-19 protocol plan in place for a limited number of attendees who have registered with the CTHS in advance. Online bidding is available as well.

The sale begins at 3 p.m. Pacific.

Post time for the first race Saturday at Hastings also is 3 p.m.

The 3- and 4-year-olds fillies division is up first. The 1 1/16-mile race drew five horses and goes as the second race.

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Butterscotch Blend, trained by Rob Gilker, should be favored. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Mission Impazible won the race last year and will appreciate the substantially easier company after finishing fourth going 6 1/2 furlongs to Here’s Hannah in a conditioned allowance race with a $50,000 claiming option on Aug. 16. Here’s Hannah was voted the top older filly or mare in Canada last year.

Butterscotch Blend, who was an easy winner of a 6 1/2-furlong conditioned allowance race with a $50,000 claiming option on July 27, should be fine stretching out to a middle distance for the first time this year. The only time she went 1 1/16 miles was in her victory in the Sales Stakes last year.

She will break from the outside post with leading rider Amadeo Perez retaining the mount.

The Glen Todd-owned and -trained Northern Graystar figures to move forward after finishing second to Here’s Hannah in her first start of the year in the same race Butterscotch Blend exits. The British Columbia-bred daughter of Graydar has not won going around three turns, but she was the runner-up to Butterscotch Blend in the Sales Stakes last year.

Anothersunnyday will try to make amends for her seventh-place finish as the 1-2 favorite in the $36,000 Angie C. at Emerald Downs when she runs in the 2-year-old filly division in the fifth race. The 6 1/2-furlong dash drew seven horses.

The main reason for her flop as the chalk in the Angie C. was the winner is a monster. Time for Gold won the race by nine lengths and proved it was no fluke when she romped by 11 lengths in the $39,000 Barbara Shinpoch on Aug. 27. In her only other start, Anothersunnyday won a 3 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race at Hastings by 6 1/4 lengths for trainer Keith Pedersen. She raced for trainer Blaine Wright at Emerald.

A British Columbia-bred daughter of Sungold, Anothersunnyday will be making her first start for trainer Dino Condilenios.

“I like the way she is coming up to the race,” he said. “Her white blood count was a little off when she got back from Seattle, but she seems fine now. I like her a lot more this week than last.”

She will break from post 3 with Perez riding.

Little Black Dress, an impressive debut winner going 3 1/2 furlongs for trainer Steve Henson, looks like the main threat.

Dad’s Legacy figures to be a short price in the 2-year-old colts and geldings division, race 6. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint drew seven horses.

Trained by Tim Rycroft, the British Columbia-bred son of Bakken finished with a rush to win the $40,000 Canadian Juvenile at Century Mile by a head in his only race on Aug. 16. The 55 Beyer Speed Figure he received for his narrow victory in the six-furlong sprint stands out in Saturday’s field. With a sharp five-furlong move at Century in 59.80 seconds on Aug. 28, he appears to be primed for another strong effort.

It could be a big day for Perez, who will be aboard Dad’s Legacy when he breaks from post 6 in the seven-horse field.

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Three-year-olds Yo Zackly and Capilano Canyon are the main players in the 3- and 4-year-old colts and gelding division. The 1 1/16-mile race drew eight horses and goes as the seventh race.

Yo Zackly, trained by Henson, figures to move forward following a strong performance in his first route attempt in the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill on Aug. 13. It also was just his fourth start and second this year after losing by a nose to Synergy in the $50,000 Chris Loseth on July 20. In the 1 1/16-mile Churchill, the 3-year-old son of Lent tracked a fast pace and then held on well to finish third.

He should get a similar trip leaving from post 2 with Alex Marti retaining the mount.

The Dave Forster-trained Capilano Canyon will try to get back on track after losing as the favorite in his three races this year. The 2019 local juvenile champion, he seemed to be fighting Perez when he was stuck on the rail behind horses in the Churchill.

With a three-turn race behind him, Capilano Canyon might not be as sharp. In his only other route attempt, he was an easy winner of the $75,000 Ascot Graduation in his final start as a 2-year-old.

He will break from post 6 with Scott Williams picking up the mount.