Canadian Sales Stakes crowns four winners

Recapping the Algoma Stakes, Elgin Stakes, Muskoka Stakes, Simcoe Stakes, & Vice Regent Stakes

Just Follow Me just sensational in Algoma Stakes

TORONTO, August 25, 2024 – Just Follow Me, with Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard, rallied from well off the pace to best 6-5 choice Little Teddy in the $100,000 Algoma Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.

Trained by Bill Tharrenos, the daughter of Old Forester-Marilyns Last Love arrived at the seven-furlong Algoma off a fifth in the Thunder Bay Stakes on August 4.

Tabloid Material and Vandoo were one-two in the early going, the pair taking their five foes through an opening quarter in :23.73. Tabloid Material led Red Samurai by two lengths after a half in :47.46, while Just Follow Me followed the leader from in last.

Just Follow Me had plenty of work to do coming off the turn for home, as Little Teddy took over the proceedings. Wilson and the dark bay continued to chip away and were rewarded with a three-quarter length score in a time of 1:24.78 over the all-weather track. Tabloid Material was third, followed by Red Samurai in fourth.

It was the first stakes crown for the Michael Coll-owned filly, who finished fourth in the Georgian Bay Stakes on July 7 at Woodbine.

“It didn’t pan out exactly the way I thought it would on paper, but that’s what a sales stakes is,” said Wilson. “My main thing for my filly was just getting her to be within where she could kick. I don’t know if you could see, from my perspective, she wasn’t happy on the inside. The moment I got her peeled through the outside, she really leveled off and shifted three gears and just blew by them.”

Just Follow Me, now 3-1-0 from seven starts, paid $20.10 for the win.

Bred in Ontario by John Carey, Just Follow Me was a $31,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2022 CTHS Ontario Premier Yearling Sale.

“I always base buying yearlings on the mare,” noted Coll. “If the mare won as a 2-year-old, and if it has any offspring that won as a 2-year-old, then I take a serious look at it.”

Junior Hot Shot excellent in Elgin

TORONTO, August 25, 2024 – Junior Hot Shot earned his first stakes victory after a gutsy performance in Sunday’s $100,000 Elgin at Woodbine.

Trained by John Ross for T and T Racing Team, the dark bay colt, who was contesting his fourth straight stakes event, arrived at the seven-furlong test over the all-weather track off a fifth in the Lake Superior on August 4.

Things went far more swimmingly on this day.

Speedeeman lived up to his name, zipping to the lead from the rail, as Justin Stein, aboard Junior Hot Shot, had his charge settled into second just off the pacesetter through an opening panel in :23.19.

It was status quo after a half in :46.44, with Stein waiting to give Junior Hot Shot his cue. That moment came around the turn for home, as the pair forged to the front and took over the proceedings.

Ahead by three lengths at the stretch call, Junior Hot Shot, the 2-1 choice, braced for the challenge of a hard-charging Yacht Boy and dug in gamely to hold his rival at bay by three-quarters of a length. Garofoli was third and Cooler Man took fourth.

The final time was 1:24.35.

“This horse, he’s got a lot of heart and a lot of talent,” said Stein, of the son of Souper Speedy- Executive Dreamer, who now fashions a record of 3-1-1 from seven starts. “He’s really versatile. And he really showed a lot of grit down the lane, just holding off the challenger, and he really knows how to win, and wanted it today.” 

Bred by Dr. B. Van Arem, Junior Hot Shot, who was a $55,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2022 CTHS Canadian Premier Yearling Sale, won his debut last October at Woodbine before a second next time out in the Frost King Stakes.

He opened his 3-year-old season, on May 10 at Woodbine, in winning style.

“It’s definitely conformation,” said Ross, of what stood out to him at the sale. “He’s got the body to go with the lovely foot and bone, that matches and coordinates, and when you get all those packages together as well as a really nice personality and attitude, I knew something had to come of this horse.”

Junior Hot Shot paid $6.90 for the win. If You Insist was scratched.

Souper Supreme just that in Muskoka Stakes

TORONTO, August 25, 2024 – Souper Supreme, under Patrick Husbands, tussled for early command and was full of run late to take Sunday’s $200,000 Muskoka Stakes at Woodbine.   

After a runner-up debut on June 8 at the Toronto oval and a maiden-breaking score on July 6, the daughter of Souper Speedy-Platinum Steel put on a show in the 6 ½-furlong sprint over the all-weather track.

A host of hopefuls scrapped over the lead, with Souper Supreme emerging on top. The Mark Casse trainee was in front by two lengths through an opening quarter in :22.64, and a length through a half in :46.63.

Running comfortably entering the turn for home, Souper Supreme dashed away from her pursuers to hold a three-length advantage at the stretch call, and then motored to the wire with ease to record a 4 ¼-length score in a time of 1:18.20. Skylight Caper was second, Periwinkle finished third and Princess of Storm (also a Casse trainee), recovered to take fourth after a tough start.

The winner boasts the same connections – Casse, Husbands, owners Gary Barber and Michael Langlois, and breeder Ericka Rusnak, who won the 2023 King’s Plate with multiple graded stakes victor Paramount Prince.

Souper Supreme, a $100,000 purchase at the 2023 CTHS Ontario Premier Yearling Sale, also appears to have a bright future.

“I think she’s an upcoming little star,” praised Husbands. “She’s legit.”

One major difference between Paramount Prince and Souper Supreme comes in the form of personality.

“I’m telling you, they’re so different, both of them,” said Langlois. “Paramount Prince likes to cause a lot of trouble. You know, he’s a bit of a mischievous guy, where Souper Supreme likes to get her cuddles. Give her lots of cuddles before the race and you see what happens.”

The bay, sent off at 5-1, returned $12.50 for the Muskoka victory.

Stakes sizzle: Scorching brings the heat in Simcoe

TORONTO, August 25, 2024 – Scorching, trained by John Charalambous, took charge at the outset and never looked back in Sunday’s $200,000 Simcoe Stakes at Woodbine.

Sent on his way as the 2-1 choice in the field of 11 (Flirting With Fire was scratched), Scorching, under Patrick Husbands, fired to the front shortly after the gates sprung and settled into stride, followed by Tiernan, Magic Power, and Kokomo.

Ahead by a half-length after a quarter in :22.39, the son of Mo Town-Samsal held a 1 ½-length advantage through a half in :45.63.

Husbands kept his charge to task as several rivals dialed up the heat on Scorching into the turn for home, and the duo soon pulled away from their pursuers early in the stretch drive.

In front by four lengths at the stretch call, Husbands, who had crafted a similar winning game plan in the Muskoka one race earlier, delivered another sterling steer, this time by five lengths, to earn consecutive stakes victories. Kekoa was second, followed by Shadow Realm, and Awesome Rainbow.

The final time for 6 ½ furlongs over the all-weather was 1:17.57.

“This is a very nice horse,” said Husbands. “He has great tactical speed. John did a fantastic job getting him ready for this race.”

Owned by Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch, the dark bay colt came into his first stakes test off a 35-1 runner-up result in his debut over 5 ½ furlongs on the all-weather track on July 19.

“I think John [Charalambous] did a fabulous job getting him ready,” said Braverman. “I think he [Scorching] is getting better with every race, and we were hoping for a good effort today.”

Bred by Huntington Stud Farm Corp., Scorching was purchased for $120,000 (CDN) at the 2023 CTHS Ontario Premier Yearling Sale.    

He paid $6 for the win.

The 2024 CTHS Canadian Premier Yearling Sale begins at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday with a catalogue of 244 (two supplements) at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion. 

Outlaw Kid blazes to Vice Regent victory

TORONTO, August 25, 2024 – In other Sunday stakes action, Outlaw Kid took the $150,000 Vice Regent Stakes for the second straight year.

The 5-year-old gelded son of Violence-Calling Rhy Rhy, with Sahin Civaci in the irons, covered five furlongs over a firm inner turf in a blistering, near track record time of :55.83 (Silent Flash set the standard of :55.40 on June 17, 2022), and paid $4.50 for the win. Forester’s Fortune was second and Light the Lamp was third.

Trained by George Weaver for R.A. Hill Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds, Outlaw Kid is now 6-4-1 from 16 career starts.

Bred in Ontario by Robert G. Harvey, the dark bay was a $220,000 (U.S.) purchase at the 2021 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.

Chris Lomon, Woodbine