Celebrating Alberta Breds on Canadian Derby Weekend
Admin • September 29, 2020
Alberta breds BANG ON and SHOTTHRUTHEHEART Capture Win and Place in the Black Type Birdcatcher Stakes
Alberta breds had a great night of racing on Friday night at Century Mile!
The Alberta breds BANG ON and SHOTTHRUTHEHEART shut out the other runners in the $60,000 Birdcatcher Stakes when the CTHS Sale graduates placed one and two in the field of seven. The two year olds last ran against each other in the Alberta Premier’s Futurity on September 6, placing second and third.
This was the first stakes win for the two year old BANG ON who now adds black type to his record of two wins and one second in four starts for owner True North Stables. The Commissioner gelding was bred by Running Fawcett Thoroughbreds out of the Forest Wildcat mare Next Big Nothin.
The Reload gelding SHOTTHRUTHEHEART adds stakes placed to his record of one win, one second and one third in three career starts for owners Janet & Gary Kropp and Dialed In Racing. Shotthrutheheart is out of the stakes placed Western Fame mare, Chandlers Heart ($166,660) and was bred by Brian Weatherill.
On Sunday, Alberta bred SAVEITFORARAINYDAY placed second in the $75,000 Northlands Distaff Handicap for owner Tom Rycroft bringing her career earnings to $178,631. The Albertus Maximus six year old was bred by Stone Ranches and sold through the 2015 CTHS Thoroughbred Sale. Alberta bred SHIMSHINE placed third in the black type $75,000 Century Mile Handicap raising his lifetime earnings to $239,275 for owner White Pine Ranch Ltd. The five year old grades stakes placed Wilko gelding was bred by Wally Pugh and Andy Stronach.
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Sale connections to the Alberta Breeders' Fall Classic nominees!
The 2025 CTHS Alberta Thoroughbred sale online catalogue is now live on the website at https://www.cthsalta.com/2025-cths-alberta-sale
Join us for the annual Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Alberta Division) Yearling Sale — taking place on Friday, September 19th at 3:00 PM in the Agricentre East at Westerner Park,
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Click on the picture for a step by step reminder of how to transfer Jockey Club Digital Certificates to a sales company or new owner.
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The Princess of the Track is now Queen of the Hill.
Absolutely marvelous, Big Hug was named Alberta’s Horse Of the Year Saturday at the annual Night of Champions Awards dinner at Century Mile.
Also named Alberta’s 2024 Champion Older Mare and Champion Alberta-bred, Big Hug won six of her eight starts in Alberta last year capturing the Founders Distaff, CTHS Sales stake, the Fall Classic Distaff and the R.K. ‘Red’ Smith Handicap for owner/trainer Rick Hedge and Lori and Martin Neyka’s Empire Equestrian.
Purchased by Hedge for just $3,400 at the Alberta Yearling Sale, the now-five-year-old mare won $175,500 last year and $354,000 in her career.
Big Hug was sired by Mr. Big and is out of the mare Temeeku, who broke her maiden for no tag at Del Mar, California.
“Best horse I’ve ever trained,” said Hedge, 76, who has trained many outstanding thoroughbreds in his career and many more as a jockey.