Expectations high for select sale

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A total of 269 Canadian-bred yearlings are set to go on the auction block beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Canadian Breeders Sales select sale at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion.

The sale has the potential be quite strong, because of Woodbine's lucrative purse structure and the overall quality of the catalog.

Trainer Bob Tiller, who purchased unbeaten stakes winner Rare Friends for $27,000 from last year's sale, said he wouldn't be surprised to see a strong yearling market this year.

"I think the market will be very good," Tiller said. "People are looking for horses, and the program here is very good. If you can come up with a runner, there's plenty of money to be made. The quality yearlings should sell well."

Major consignors include Gardiner Farm, Longview Farm, and Anderson Farm, along with agents Richard Hogan, Windfields Farm, Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, Woodlands, and Michael C. Byrne.

Hill 'n' Dale has a large consignment featuring offspring of Dance Brightly, Whiskey Wisdom, Glitterman, Langfuhr, and Broad Brush. The Broad Brush colt is out of stakes-placed Wilusa, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Schossberg.

Dance Brightly's first crop was well received in Kentucky in July, and Hill 'n' Dale has several of his offspring, including a filly from the dam of Canadian champion 2-year-old Cash Deposit.

Longview Farm has 15 yearlings in the sale, three of whom are from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Wild Rush. Hip No. 203, a handsome colt by Wild Rush, is a half-brother to stakes winner Itstartswithadream.

Windfields Farm has yearlings by Ascot Knight, Geri, Whiskey Wisdom, Mr. Greely, and Tale of the Cat. The colt by first-year sire Geri, a Grade 1 winner, is out of a stakes winner.

Gardiner Farm, who sold Rare Friends, has four offspring of blue-collar sire Bold Executive, including a full-brother to stakes-placed Can You Feel It.

Anderson Farm's yearlings are by a variety of sires, including Cape Town, Deputy Commander, Alydeed, and King of Kings. The son of Deputy Commander, who won the Grade 1 Travers, is out of stakes winner Duchess Zea, the dam of California allowance winner A La Reine.

Richard Hogan will sell a dozen yearlings, including a half-brother to stakes winner Bronze Basque, and a filly from the first crop of Grade 1-winning turf specialist Joyeux Danseur.