Highly regarded juvenile filly Infinite Patience tops first division of CTHS Sales Stakes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – It is baby night at Hastings on Friday, and not the kind being pushed around in strollers. The first four races on the eight-race card, which begins at 7 p.m. Pacific, are for 2-year-olds.

Kicking off the festivities is the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes for fillies. The 6 1/2-furlong dash drew five horses. Infinite Patience will be the shortest of prices.

Trained by Barbara Heads, Infinite Patience could not have been more impressive in her two starts, both with Antonio Reyes aboard.

The combined margin of victory between her romp in a maiden special weight race on July 19 and the $75,000 British Columbia Debutante Aug. 5 is 20 1/2 lengths. In the 6 1/2-furlong Debutante, Reyes had the British Columbia-bred daughter of Sungold well in hand the whole way. He was looking around for challengers at the quarter pole, and despite being under wraps, she came home the final sixteenth in 6.66 seconds. That was after sizzling the first quarter in 21.63 seconds.

Catchacougar, who finished third, came back to win the $51,150 Princess Margaret Stakes at Century Mile last Sunday.

“I have trained a lot of nice horses but never one that was this good this early,” said Heads. “She doesn’t look she’s doing anything and then you see how fast she did it. Racing humbles you, but she worked super and I assume we’ll see more of the same Friday. I hope so, anyway. “

Infinite Patience will break from post 4 with Reyes riding.

Fully Lent is the only other horse in the field with a win going around two turns.

Trained by Dave Forster, Fully Lent ran evenly to finish third going 3 1/2 furlongs in her debut on July 29. She set the pace, was headed, and then fought back to win a six-furlong maiden special weight race on Aug. 11.

The daughter of Lent will break from post 3 with Jose Asencio aboard.

In Capilano Canyon, Forster has the best horse in the colts and geldings division of the CTHS Sales Stakes. It drew seven horses and goes as race 3.

It is not clear he has the fittest horse, though.

Following Capilano Canyon’s blowout win in his debut on June 2, he came back with two sharp works on June 30 and July 7. However, a small chip in a knee was discovered and, according to Forster, he missed about a month of training. He’s had two works in the last month, one being three-eighths on Aug. 18, so he could end up being a bit short.

“He’s doing really well,” said Forster. “It was a very small chip and the vet said we could carry on with him if we wanted. I didn’t want it bothering him so we took it out. Nothing seems to be bothering him now. He finished strong in his five-furlong work last weekend, so hopefully he’s fit enough.”

At the least the Sales Stakes will serve as a good prep for Capilano Canyon for the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity on Sept. 22.

The B.C.-bred son of Abraj will break from the outside post with Reyes aboard.

At Attention is the main threat. He finished third behind Catchacougar in the Spaghetti Mouse before winning the $75,000 B. C. Cup Nursery on Aug. 5.

The Phil Hall-trained son of Shanghai Bobby will break from the rail with Rigo Sarmiento retaining the mount.