Top sellers and top sires are back at CTHS sale

The Woodbine Polytrack surface is completed, field sizes are already starting to grow, and with Woodbine's rich purse structure intact, the scene is nicely set for the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's annual yearling sale.

The auction begins Tuesday at 3 p.m. with a selected session, and it continues on Saturday with a preferred session. A total of 476 Canadian-bred yearlings have been cataloged.

Average prices on the select and open sessions were both up marginally in 2005, and top consignors from last year - Hill 'n' Dale, Woodlands, Richard Hogan, Gardiner, and Windfields - are all loaded for 2006.

Windfields sold one of the most successful youngsters to come out of last year's sale, Spread the News, a Cat's at Home colt who topped the open session at $77,000 when bought by Frank DiGiulio and Robert Tiller. Cat's at Home is the leading freshman sire in Canada.

Of course, this year's Queen's Plate winner, Edenwold, is a CTHS sales graduate from 2004. A son of Southern Halo, Edenwold was bought for $100,000 by Jim and Alice Sapara from consignor Gail Wood, who bred the colt with Bill Diamant.

Canadian first-year sires with yearlings in the preferred or open sessions include the Mr. Prospector son Paynes Bay; D'wildcat, who recently moved from Windfields Farm to Florida; and Canadian Horse of the Year Wake at Noon.

North America's leading freshman sire, Johannesburg, has one yearling in the sale. The chestnut colt, Hip No. 139, is a half-brother to Breeders' Stakes winner Jambalaya and is offered by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency as agent.

The CTHS sale also includes some popular first-year sires at American sales this summer, including Harlan's Holiday, whose youngsters are averaging over $120,000. Harlan's Holiday is represented byHip No. 134, a half-sister to three stakes horses.

Yankee Gentleman, also popular this summer with yearling buyers, has one offering in the sale, Hip No. 81, from Woodlands Farm, agent.

Gardiner Farms, which sold this year's top juvenile filly, Midnight Shadow (by Trajectory), last fall, has 20 yearlings entered in the sale, including a Ciano Cat colt that is a half-brother to stakes-winning sprinter Are You Serious.

For the first time, the CTHS sale will be broadcast on the Internet. Through Streamlogics, the sale can be viewed on a live webcast that will include a customized web interface that displays the horse in the ring as well as the current bid in both Canadian and American funds.

The website address to view the sale is www.cthsont.com.

Sale of yearling will benefit retirement society

Before Hip No. 1 comes into the ring at Tuesday's select session, owner and breeder Denny Andrews, through agent Gail Wood, will offer a Whiskey Wisdom filly out of Built on Dreams. The proceeds will go to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society.

The April foal is a half sister to six winners, including stakes-placed Young and Restless and the winner Ours to Keep.