Pair of restricted stakes for 3-year-olds share top billing

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Both divisions of the CTHS Sales Stakes for Canadian bred 3-year-olds will serve as co-features for the strong card at Hastings on Wednesday. The Sales Stakes help promote the local CTHS Yearling and Mixed Sale, which will be held Sept. 14 at the Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, where 152 horses are up for sale. To be eligible to the Sales Stakes, horses must have gone through a CTHS Sale.

Both races are worth $50,000 and will be contested over 1 1/16 miles.

The colts and geldings division drew eight horses and goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 6:40 p.m. Pacific.

The main players appear to be Majesticality, Prince Intent, and Silly Fella.

Majesticality, trained by Barbara Heads, took a big step forward when he finished third in the B.C. Cup Stellar’s Jay on Aug. 2 and could be coming up to a big effort in his third straight route. Stretching out for the first time, Majesticality set the pace before tiring to finish fifth in second-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and up won by B.C. Cup Marathon winner Finally Kruisin.

Prince Intent returns to leading trainer Troy Taylor’s barn following three races at Northlands Park. In his first start at Northlands, he finished a distant seventh behind Canadian Derby winner No Hesitation in the Western Canada Handicap. He improved quite a bit in his next two races, finishing second in a one-mile $32,000 optional claiming race July 10 and second for the same condition in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint on July 31.

Silly Fella is hoping to get untracked after troubled trips in the Chris Loseth and B.C. Cup Stellar’s Jay. Trained by Terry Dubois, Silly Fella is the only stakes winner in the field – the $106,000 Jack Diamond Futurity – and easily the top money earner with more than $115,000. He hasn’t won going a middle distance but he did finish second to Dyna Stroll in the 1 1/16-mile Ascot Graduation in his final start of 2009.

Dee’s Victor is still a maiden after three starts but showed a lot of promise by finishing third behind older horses in the B.C. Cup Sprint.

◗ Sweet N Sour and Wando Woman figure to vie for favoritism in the fillies division, which drew six horses and goes as race 2.

Victorious Vye could also make an impact if she regains the form that saw her win the CTHS Sales Stakes for 2-year-old fillies last year.