Results · 2026-07-29

# CIRA TBR Drop – July 29, 2026: The Three-Percent Hunt

Out of 8,905 domains released Wednesday, only 279 made it into registrar hands before the open pool swallowed the rest. That's a 3.13% catch rate—lean, competitive, and a reminder that even solid names can slip through the Gardiner if no one's watching closely enough.

WHC Online Solutions Inc. absolutely dominated this session, scooping 164 domains and setting the tone for the entire drop. They weren't shy about quality either: reba.ca, kors.ca, interna.ca, biographer.ca, trustworthy.ca, agronomy.ca, and dauphine.ca all landed in their portfolio. That's the work of a registrar hunting with intent and deep pockets. BareMetal.com inc came in a distant second with 78 catches, but their picks tell a story too—antivol.ca, conserverie.ca, chine.ca, mariano.ca, gentian.ca, and hathor.ca show they weren't just grabbing dictionary words; they were picking names with character and potential resale appeal. Both outfits had their fingers on the pulse this week.

The rest of the field scattered across a handful of smaller players. Register.ca Inc. landed three standouts: expo.ca, kestrel.ca, and elevated.ca—solid grabs that suggest they knew exactly what they wanted. MyID.ca INC. snagged the crown jewel iss.ca, a pristine three-character domain that will likely see quick movement. Webnames.ca Inc. picked up annmarie.ca and allopathy.ca in quieter fashion, while PlanetHoster and Namespro Solutions Inc. each grabbed two domains apiece.

What stings, though, are the ones that got away. flam.ca, hobs.ca, plod.ca, hews.ca, pati.ca, and ahab.ca—all brand-100, four-character dictionary names—went uncaught. That's six premium breadcrumbs left on the rink. modestly.ca, reclamations.ca, and taffeta.ca also slipped through, which feels like a small miracle given their strength. Either the big registrars weren't watching those particular names, or the drop timing caught them between double-doubles.

The pattern here is worth noting: WHC and BareMetal ran a two-tier strategy, chasing volume and quality in equal measure, while everyone else hunted for individual gems. The 3.13% catch rate reflects a market where the easy wins get claimed fast, but plenty of solid names still require that second or third scan of the list to find. This week, patience and a sharp eye would've scored you some real estate in the open pool.