Going Commando fillies top CTHS Manitoba sale

A pair of fillies by Going Commando topped the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Manitoba Division) yearling sale on Sunday, which closed with steady returns.

The auction saw 12 horses sold for revenues of $71,850 Canadian, marking a 6 percent decrease from last year, when 13 horses brought $76,100. While the gross was down, the average sale price rose 2 percent, to $5,987 from $5,854.

This year’s buyback rate finished at 33 percent, improving from 50 percent in 2016.

:: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales

The auction’s two sale-toppers each brought $15,000, and were both consigned by Cam Ziprick, who stands Going Commando at his farm in Russell, Manitoba. Going Commando, a 17-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song, sits atop the province’s sire list by progeny earnings.

The first of the fillies to reach the sale-topping price was Hidden Grace, a buyback by Ziprick that was counted as a sale.

The bay filly is out of the stakes-winning Pioneering mare High Pioneer, whose three foals to race are all winners, including stakes-winning full siblings Jet Again and Paint My Ride and stakes-placed half-sister My Dream Cat.

Hidden Grace was bred in Manitoba by Ziprick, Charles Fouillard, and Barry Arnason.

Shortly afterward, Bob Crockett landed the sale’s other co-topper, Modesty’s Tribute.

Bred in Manitoba by Ziprick and Fouillard, the chestnut filly is out of the winning Storm Boot mare Jungle Storm, whose six foals to race are all winners.

Modesty’s Tribute is a full sister to stakes winner Why So Blue, and a half to stakes winner Jungle Story. Her extended family includes Grade 3 winner Primal Storm and stakes winner High Mist.