Highlights of Alberta breds in the Open Stakes Season

The 2025 Alberta Thoroughbred racing season unfolded as a showcase of consistency, resilience, and rising homegrown talent across both northern and southern meets. Beginning May 2nd at Century Mile Racetrack & Casino and concluding November 1st at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino, the season featured twenty one open stakes, seven Alberta Breeders’ Fall Classic races, four Sales Stakes and two Sires Stakes. Throughout it all, Alberta-breds delivered standout performances that underscored the strength and progression of the province’s breeding program.

While stakes races restricted to local horses highlight the depth of Albertan bloodstock, open stakes races serve a different purpose: they offer an opportunity for any horse—regardless of origin—to compete on equal terms. When an Alberta-bred steps into that broader arena and succeeds, it reinforces the growing competitiveness and sound conditioning of horses raised in the province. This season, three such runners—Big Hug, Itsallgoodman, and Relaxgodoitramone—rose to the challenge with style.

The first breakthrough for Alberta breds came on June 27 at Century Mile, when two Alberta-breds swept key open stakes events. Champion Alberta-bred, Champion Older Mare, and Horse of the Year Big Hug powered to victory in the $50,000 R.A. Red Mackenzie Handicap, followed by an impressive win from Itsallgoodman in the $50,000 Spangled Jimmy Handicap. The pair set the tone for a season where local runners proved ready to compete at all levels.

For Big Hug, it was only the beginning of another dominant campaign. The five-year-old daughter of Mr. Big went on to add the $50,000 RK Red Smith Handicap, the $60,000 Alberta Fall Classic Distaff Handicap and the black-type $50,000 Lynn Chouinard Founders Distaff Handicap to her growing list of accomplishments. Racing for Empire Equestrian and Kerredge Farm and bred by Chalet Stable, Big Hug entered the season already a multiple graded stakes placed runner and left it with 17 wins in 32 starts and $642,374 in career earnings. Remarkably, she began her journey as a CTHS Alberta sale graduate purchased for only $3,877—a reminder that the province continues to produce quality runners at every price point.

Itsallgoodman, bred and consigned by Stone Ranches, put together his most impressive campaign to date. In addition to the Spangled Jimmy, he captured the $60,000 Red Diamond Express Handicap before heading south to Century Downs, where he added the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stake. The Speightster gelding—bought for $24,435 at the 2022 CTHS Alberta sale by owner Curtis Landry—finished the Century Mile meet second overall in both wins and earnings. He closed the season with 9 wins from 22 starts and career earnings of $348,655, marking him as one of the province’s most reliable and durable performers.