Save the date!! RSVP deadline is now Friday, April 26th.
Come out and celebrate all the accomplishments of the Alberta racing industry in the past season. It's the 50th Annual Night of Champions on Friday, May 3rd and we're celebrating with a "Shake, Rattle and Roll; Fabulous 50s Party!"
Please RSVP by Friday, April 26th to 403-229-3609 or email cthsweb@cthsalta.com.
The Royal Hotel - Edmonton Airport has a special room rate of $119.00 per night for Night of Champions attendees!
#ABBredsrock #NightOfChampions #PeoplesChoice
People’s Choice Award: Decade Five 2014 – 2023
Thundering Trails: Alberta’s Decade of Speedy Thoroughbreds
The third decade opened with Taylor’s Swift’s release of ‘1989’, which went on to be one of the best-selling albums of the decade, Malaysian airline flight 370 mysteriously disappeared and racing fans voted California Chrome’s win in the 140th Kentucky Derby the top racing moment of 2014.
SMART FIX ran the first race of her career at Northlands, Jimmy Fallon took over the Tonight show and a 37 year drought was ended when American Pharaoh won the Triple Crown in 2015. The CTHS Alberta sale graduate SMART FIX went on to race for seven seasons and earned the title of 2019 Champion Alberta bred and Horse of the Year.
Speeding Through the Decade: Alberta’s Thunderous Thoroughbred Triumphs (2004 – 2013)
The next decade unfolded with the launch of Facebook, the imprisonment of Martha Stewart and Smarty Jones earning a $5 Million bonus for his victory in the 130th running of the Kentucky Derby.Hurricane Katrina had just devastated the US Gulf Coast and Zenyatta was a $60,000 yearling purchase at the 2005 September Keeneland Yearling Sale when CTHS Alberta yearling sale graduate, TEAGUES FIGHT began his racing career at Stampede Park.
People’s Choice Award: Decade Three 1994 - 2003
Legendary Hooves: Alberta’s Golden Decade of Thoroughbred Racing (1994 – 2003)
The first year of this decade was memorable. Tonya Harding created a figure skating drama that became one of the greatest scandals in sports history, Wayne Gretzky tied Gordie Howe’s NHL record of 801 goals and Go for Gin won the 120th Kentucky Derby but never another race.
The first year of this decade was of special note for Thoroughbreds in North America. Hollywood Park was the site of the very first Breeders’ Cup, John Henry was the first Thoroughbred to win $6 million and the 110th Kentucky Derby was won by Swale.
The movie Back to the Future was released in 1985, Coca-Cola changed its secret formula and then quickly brought the 99 year old recipe back a few months later and ROAD TO PONDER was on the track at Woodbine for the beginning of a four year racing career. Mainly racing out of Alberta, this chestnut horse had lifetime earnings of $268,881.
Alberta breds Running Elsewhere
Congratulations to all the connections of Alberta bred PIPER ROSE, winner of the $17,000 Race 10 at Turf Paradise on February 26th. The ten year old mare ran the one mile race in a field of eight to win for owners Bennie Woolley Jr. and Mitchell Cathey. Piper Rose was bred by Lamont Heppner and ran for six years in Alberta, winning both the 2017 Alberta Oaks and the 2020 Alberta Fall Classic Distaff Handicap.
The inaugural year for Night of Champions was 1974 and what a year it was. President Nixon was the first U.S. President in history to resign, CANNONADE won the Kentucky Derby and the cost of a 30 second Super Bowl ad was $107,000 US. There was a “Rumble in the Jungle” and Alberta Bred, WESTERN DANGLER won five of six races including the BIrdcatcher and the Stampede Futurity Stakes. Bred by Elmbrook Stables, owned by Diron Farms, trained by R.K.Smith and ridden by Rick Hedge, WESTERN DANGLER raced from 1974 to 1981 with 68 starts, and career earnings of $117,518.00
It is with a heavy heart that the family of Robert (Bob) Clements, 47, announce his sudden passing on the morning of February 4th, 2024.
CTHS (Alberta Division) 2025 Foal Incentive Maiden and Open Mare Program
This program is for Maiden and Open Mares bred in 2024 for foals of 2025.
Current CTHS (AB) Full Members with registered Thoroughbred mares that have not foaled in either 2023 and/or 2024 will be eligible for funding of $2,500 if sired by a Thoroughbred stallion standing in Alberta and $1,500 if sired by an out of province Thoroughbred stallion. The breeder of the resulting Alberta bred foal will be paid upon proof of registration of the Alberta bred foal with The Jockey Club and CTHS National office. Deadline for submitting copies of the completed foal registration certificates (Jockey Club and Canadian) is December 1, 2025.
The CTHS Alberta is saddened to share the news of the passing of long time Alberta horseman, Raymond Nikiforuk Sr., on January 26, 2024 at the age of 73. Our sincere condolences go out to his family and friends. Ray had been a CTHS member since 1990 and was an accomplished breeder, owner and trainer in the Alberta Thoroughbred industry.